Florida is located in the southern United States, with its state capital located in Tallahassee. Florida has 67 counties, and its largest city, Jacksonville, is located in Duval County in the northeast corner of Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River and adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest metropolitan area in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Among the 50 states, Florida ranks 23rd in size, covering 59,988 square miles. According to the 2000 Census, Florida ranks 4th in population with 15,982,378 residents. (InfoPlease)

Jacksonville, located in the northeast corner of the state, is the largest geographic city in the contiguous 48 states, and it is also the largest city in Florida in terms of population in the city proper (over 735,000 residents as of the 2000 Census). Florida's most heavily populated counties include Miami-Dade (14.9%), Broward (10.2%), and Palm Beach (7.1%). Together these three counties make up the South Florida Metropolitan Area, the largest urbanized area in the state. The city of Miami and its surrounding areas have 2.2 million residents, in addition to the 2.7 million in neighboring Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Florida has a predominantly white population (65.4%) and has large Hispanic and African American populations (16.8% and 14.6% respectively). The remaining population is made up of Asians (1.7%), Native Americans (0.3%), or residents reporting some other race (3%). Florida ’s total population is projected to increase by 18.7% by 2010. Florida's 65 and older population is projected to increase by 24.3 percent by 2010, and the 85 and older population is projected to grow by 46 percent. In contrast, Florida's prime labor force age group (ages 25-59) is expected to increase by just 14.8 percent, representing less than half of the state's total population (45.1%).(Florida Demographic Summary, 2000 U.S. Census)

Demographics

• Florida Demographic Profiles - The Florida state Web site provides links to demographic information among its links to statistics and reports. Topics include quick facts, economic and population figures, population and population projections, elder demographic profiles, and U.S. Census demographics.
• Florida State and County Quick Facts - This resource from the U.S. Census Bureau provides summary profiles for frequently requested data items from various Census Bureau programs. Profiles are available at the national, state, and county level.

Statistics

• Florida Health Stat - Disseminates reports, publications, health data, facility listings and other statistical information for the State Center for Health Statistics.
• Florida Health Statistics and Community Health Data - The Florida Department of Health provides links to the Florida Community Assessment Resource Tool Set (CHARTS), public health statistics, communicable disease frequency reports, vital records, and the public health strategic plan.
• Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts Online: Florida: At-A-Glance - This resource provides the latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation.
• State Center for Health Statistics - One of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration's sources for health care data and consumer information.

News Information

• Florida News and Consumer Alerts - Links to government news in areas of emergency management, children and families, health care administration, public safety, and veterans affairs.
• Florida Newspapers - A listing from the U.S. Newspaper List, providing links to Florida newspapers, radio stations, television stations and magazines.

Health Resources
(Information about Health Services Infrastructure)

• Florida Agency for Health Care Administration - The Web site for the AHCA, which champions accessible, affordable, quality health care for all Floridians. This site provides information for consumers, health care providers, practitioners and researchers. The site provides information on Medicaid, health facilities and providers, publications and forms, consumer resources, licensing and certification, health data, managed care, and agency initiatives.
• Florida COMPASS - Florida's statewide initiative for community health assessment.
• Florida Department of Health
• 2005 National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) - The 2005 National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) is a comprehensive national overview of quality of health care in the United States.

Libraries/Associations Information

• Links to Florida Libraries - The state Web site offers links to Florida's library cooperatives, school, academic, public and special libraries.
• State Library and Archives of Florida

Regional Medical Library: University of Maryland Baltimore, Health Sciences Human Services Library

Florida Resource Libraries:

Florida State University
Maguire Medical Library
FSU College of Medicine
1115 W. Call Street
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4300
Phone: 850-644-3883
Fax: 850-644-9942

University of Florida
Health Science Center Library
Gainesville, FL 32610-0206
Phone: 352-392-2363
Fax: 352-846-2272

University of Miami School of Medicine
Louis Calder Memorial Library
PO Box 016950
Miami, FL 33101
Phone: 305-243-6648
Fax: 305-325-9670

University of South Florida
The Shimberg Health Sciences Library
12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33612-4799
Phone: 813-974-8884
Fax: 813-974-4930

There are many fine local libraries in the network that provide health information and other services. For help finding a participating library click here.

Associations

• Florida Health Science Library Association FHSLA (FHSLA) - The purpose of this organization are to foster the development of medical libraries in Florida in accordance with professional standards, to inspire and educate medical library personnel, and to implement the exchange of library materials and services.
• Florida Library Association - The state chapter of the American Library Association whose purpose is to promote the establishment, maintenance, and support of adequate library services for all people of the state; to cooperate with public and private agencies with related interests; and to support and further professional interests of the membership of the Association.
• Florida and Caribbean Chapter - Special Libraries Association
• Miami Health Sciences Library Consortium (MHSLC) - The mission of the Miami Health Sciences Library Consortium is to provide, share or exchange timely, high quality information, resources or continuing education, individualized to meet the specific needs of its members.
• Southern Chapter - Medical Library Association - A professional organization made up of health science librarians from the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
• Tampa Bay Medical Library Network (TABAMLN) - A Tampa Bay area medical library consortia whose scope encompasses not only interlibrary loans but also continuing education and all pertinent issues related to the field of health science librarianship.

Library School

Florida State University School of Information Studies
Shores Building
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2100
Phone: 850-644-5772
Fax: 850-644-9763
Email: grad@lis.fsu.edu

University of South Florida School of Library and Information Science
4202 East Fowler Avenue
CIS 1040
Tampa, FL
Phone: 813-974-3520
Fax: 813-974-6840
Email: lis@cas.usf.edu

Specific Populations

(General Resources, Florida Resources, African American, Asian American, Hispanic, Native American)

General Resources:

• Health Professional Shortage Areas - This resource from the HRSA Bureau of Health Professions defines the health professional shortage area designation criteria and offers database searching by state and county.
• Minority Health - Sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, this resource provides links to Foundation reports as well as state-by-state statistical information.
• The Minority Health Archive - The Minority Health Archive, created in collaboration with the Center for Minority Health and the University Library System at the University of Pittsburgh, is an online archive of print and electronic media related to the health of the four nationally recognized racial groups (Blacks/African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders). The Minority Health Archive provides the opportunity not only to research and gather various documents in a variety of subject areas, but also a resource to deposit other related materials not already posted to the archive.
• Minority Health Data Portal - a one-stop shop geared toward assisting researchers, academics, and health professionals with locating minority health data. The Web-based site will feature federal, public and private minority health research and data sources that identify data gaps and opportunities for linkages.
• Minority Health Resources - A subject guide from the University of Maryland, Health Sciences and Human Services Library with links to general and population-specific health information resources.
• National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) 2005 - The 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) tracks disparities in both quality of and access to health care in the United States for both the general population and for congressionally designated priority populations.
• Office of Minority Health - A division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services whose mission is to improve and protect the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will eliminate health disparities.
• Population Group Topics - This resource from the National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus provides links to topic sheets for a number of population groups.
• Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Status - A fact sheet on health disparities from the Centers for Disease Control.

Florida Resources

• Closing the Gap - An initiative that works to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in Florida. It provides grants to local counties and organizations with the intent to increase community-based health promotion and disease prevention activities.
• FloridaHealthStat - Reports & Guides: Combating Health Disparities - A resource for comprehensive consumer healthcare information from Florida government health and human service agencies.
• Florida - Minority Health - A state health profile from the Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts Online.
• Florida Office of Equal Opportunity and Minority Health - This office is responsible for assurance of statewide provision of equal opportunities in employment and statewide provision of equally accessible and effective health care in Florida's minority and special needs populations.

African American

• African American Health - This MEDLINEplus topic sheet provides links to a variety of health information resources for and about African Americans.
• African-American Health Resources - Links to national African-American health resources compiled by the Maryland DHMH Health Disparities Initiative.
• Black Health Care - A culturally oriented and ethnically focused comprehensive internet-based health and medical information provider dedicated to addressing the special health problems of African Americans.
• The Black Population in the United States - Detailed demographic information on the African American population from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Asian American

• Asian-American Health - This MEDLINEplus topic sheet provides links to a variety of health information resources for and about people of Asian and Pacific Island descent.
• Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum Links and Resources - This site provides links to health organizations and programs for Asian and Pacific Islanders.
• Asian and Pacific Islander Populations - Detailed demographic information on U.S. Asian and Pacific Islander populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Hispanic

• Hispanic-American Health - This MEDLINEplus topic sheet provides links to a variety of health information resources for and about Hispanic-Americans.
• Hispanic Population in the United States - Detailed demographic information on the U.S. Hispanic population from the U.S. Census Bureau.
• National Alliance for Hispanic Health - This site includes information about the Alliance , health news, and other topics of interest. Resources on the site include Health Fact Sheets, Hispanic Health Needs Assessment, and Funding Leads.

Native American

• American Indian and Native Alaskan Populations - Detailed demographic information on U.S. American Indian and Native Alaskan populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Indian Health Service - The IHS is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that operates a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 1.6 million of the nation's estimated 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. The IHS Nashville Area Office coordinates services in the southern and eastern United States.
• Native American Health - This MEDLINEplus topic sheet provides links to a variety of health information resources for and about people of Native American descent.
• Native Health Databases - Produced by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, the web site provides an extensive listing of American Indian health resources. It also includes links to pre-defined expert searches, health funding resources, health administration sites, consumer health sites, and Native American resources.

Additional Resources

• FedStats provides access to statistics prepared by over 100 federal agencies. Statistics are available on a state and community level.
• FirstGov provides a search engine and topical indexes for US state and federal information. To search for information on a particular state, use the form in the upper left corner.
• The National Library of Medicine - The following NLM products may be useful to you and are available on the web at no cost: ClinicalTrials.gov , NLM Gateway , MedlinePlus , PubMed and TOXNET . A full listing of NLM's online resources is available on their Health Information page.
• State and Local Government on the Net provides links to government information on a state and local level for the fifty states, as well as selected US-associated areas such as Guam.

Disaster Preparedness/Relief Resources

• General Disaster Preparedness/Relief Information/Resources (links to Outreach Section of site)
• Florida Disaster.org
• Florida County Emergency Management Contacts
• Florida Emergency Preparedness Association

RML State Contact

Toni Yancey, Outreach Exhibits Coordinator, tyancey@hshsl.umaryland.edu

Miss Yancey exhibits, teaches, and manages the state and national exhibits for the SE/A Region. She also supports subcontracts and awards in FL, GA, NC, SC, VA, and WV.

Do you have further questions? Call us at 1-800-338-7657 and Choose 1 for Regional Network Office .