Public libraries are increasingly offering health and medical information services as part of their problem-solving support. This study investigated the collections and usage statuses of libraries in four prefectures to examine how effectively they provide citizens with access to books on health and medical information. Specifically, we conducted a random sample of 10,000 books from the national bibliography and explored the relationship between book collection, usage, and the selection tools employed by libraries in Chiba, Kanagawa, Wakayama, and Kochi Prefectures. The findings revealed that the number of books available for lending increased substantially when libraries of different types were incorporated into an interlibrary loan network. In addition, prefectural libraries and libraries of other types demonstrated a tendency to maintain collections of high-quality books. Our results also indicate that materials with more recent publication dates were borrowed more frequently and high-quality books were circulated relatively often. It was found that prefectural libraries play a pivotal role in providing citizens with access to books, such as providing reliable books within the prefecture and building a system for interlibrary loans.

　This study provides an overview of academic library support for undergraduate research in the US and Canada based on a literature review. Undergraduate research is defined as research and inquiry conducted by undergraduate students. It arose from the experiences of universities and colleges in the US. Consequently, several countries and disciplines are paying attention to it.
　American and Canadian academic libraries offer various services for undergraduate research, such as supporting courses that promote undergraduate research; assisting in educational programs, including undergraduate research programs and honors programs; facilitating the presentation and dissemination of student works through conferences, journals, and institutional repositories; and awarding high-achieving students who used library resources for their research. Librarians act as mentors for students and collaborate with faculty and other units of their institutions. Support for undergraduate research has been linked to current trends in academic libraries, including information literacy and scholarly communication.