Health Literacy Resource Preservation Hub

Health literacy professionals have long relied on trusted public resources to support their work. Many of these materials were developed by federal agencies and made widely available for education and practice.
 
As access to some of these resources changes or disappears, it is becoming harder to find, use, and share materials that meet health literacy standards.
 
In response, health literacy professionals have begun working together to identify practical ways to preserve access to these materials and support continued use in practice. One of these efforts, the Resource Preservation Impact Workgroup, brought together professionals across the field to share challenges and develop practical solutions.
 
One of the first outputs from this work was a guide focused on locating and preserving patient and consumer health information from U.S. government websites. The guide reflects shared experiences across the field and offers strategies that can be used in real time.
 
This page builds on that work. It brings together the guide, foundational health literacy resources, and practical tools to support the ongoing preservation of resources.
 
On this page, you can:
  • Locate and preserve trusted materials
  • Understand how to use archived content responsibly
  • Access core health literacy frameworks that continue to guide the field
 
This is a living resource. It will continue to grow as new tools, materials, and contributions emerge.

Featured Guide: Locating Patient and Consumer Information from the U.S. Government Websites

This guide provides practical strategies for locating archived health information, tracking changes to existing materials, and using content responsibly in practice. It was developed by the Resource Preservation Impact Workgroup and led by Jeff Yancey, PhD, MCHES.

Key strategies

Finding materials that have disappeared

  • Use the Wayback Machine to access archived versions of websites
  • Search federal web archives through the Federal Depository Library Program
  • Explore large scale archives like Common Crawl for advanced use

Checking for changes in existing materials

  • Review content directly to assess relevance for your audience
  • Use text comparison tools to identify what has changed
  • Monitor websites over time using change detection tools

Creating or adapting your own materials

  • Many federal resources are free to use, but confirm copyright guidance before reuse
  • Work with your organization’s legal and communications teams when needed
  • Be transparent when using older or archived materials that may not reflect current guidance

Foundational Health Literacy Resources

These documents continue to shape health literacy practice across settings. They can support your work when developing materials, training teams, or strengthening organizational approaches.

Ten Attributes of a Health Literate Health Care Organization

A widely used framework that outlines how organizations can make it easier for people to find, understand, and use health information and services.

Learn More

National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy

A national framework that identifies key strategies to improve health literacy across systems, organizations, and communities.

Learn More

Federal Plain Language Guidelines

Practical guidance for writing and designing information so it is clear, understandable, and usable.

Learn More

AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit, 3rd edition

A set of tools to help organizations simplify communication and confirm understanding for all patients.

Learn More

Practical Tools and Strategies

Finding archived resources

  • Wayback Machine (web.archive.org)
  • Federal Depository Library Program Web Archive
  • Common Crawl

Monitoring changes

  • Text comparison tools (such as document comparison features or diff tools)
  • Website monitoring tools (such as change detection services)

Using materials responsibly

  • Check copyright and reuse guidance before sharing materials
  • Be clear when content is archived or may not reflect current guidance
  • Review materials to ensure they are appropriate for your audience

You Do Not Have to Do This Alone

Many people are navigating these same challenges. There are communities and professionals who can help:

Librarians
Librarians, including those with Consumer Health Information Specialization, can help locate and evaluate materials.

Professional organizations
Your professional networks may already be discussing these challenges and sharing solutions.

Health Literacy Solutions Center
Use this space to ask questions, share resources, and learn from others across the field.

Online communities
Some professionals are also connecting through platforms like LinkedIn, Reddit, and other forums to exchange information and strategies.

Contribute to This Work

If you have a resource to share, have identified materials that are no longer available, or have strategies that others could use, we invite you to contribute.

Together, we can help preserve access to trusted health information and support the field as it adapts to a changing environment.

To share a resource or idea, email us at editor@iha4health.org.