- 1.Librarians lack a strong sense of identity.
- 2.The profession of librarianship lacks an adequate body of underlying theory.
- 3.Library schools and the library profession have been weak in regulating themselves.
- 4.Library schools have been slow to respond to technological changes.
- 5.The time is ripe for major changes in the curricula of library schools.
- 1.(1) The need for national and international levels of information policies.
- 2.(2) The need to identify the components of information science that are library-related.
- 3.(3) The identification of the role of libraries in the changing information environment.
(1)?Explain the four fundamental elements of Cohen’s framework for creating memorable anecdotes.
(2)?Identify the four elements of Cohen’s framework in sample scientific presentations.
(3)?Provide examples of how to apply Cohen’s framework to communicate complex information.
(4)?Identify one or two complex concepts in their subject area that would benefit from a narrative approach.
(5)?(Optional) Use Cohen’s framework to create a narrative relevant to their subject area.
Objectives:
This study examined the information-seeking behaviors of basic science researchers to inform the development of customized library services.Methods:
A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted on a sample of basic science researchers employed at a university medical school.Results:
The basic science researchers used a variety of information resources ranging from popular Internet search engines to highly technical databases. They generally relied on basic keyword searching, using the simplest interface of a database or search engine. They were highly collegial, interacting primarily with coworkers in their laboratories and colleagues employed at other institutions. They made little use of traditional library services and instead performed many traditional library functions internally.Conclusions:
Although the basic science researchers expressed a positive attitude toward the library, they did not view its resources or services as integral to their work. To maximize their use by researchers, library resources must be accessible via departmental websites. Use of library services may be increased by cultivating relationships with key departmental administrative personnel. Despite their self-sufficiency, subjects expressed a desire for centralized information about ongoing research on campus and shared resources, suggesting a role for the library in creating and managing an institutional repository.Highlights
- Basic science researchers rely on a small network of individuals in their institution and at other institutions to satisfy their information needs.
- Basic science researchers tend to ignore institutional boundaries when searching for information and do not necessarily view the library as the primary source of scholarly information.
- Basic science researchers use the interlibrary loan service regularly but otherwise rarely use traditional library services such as mediated literature searching and instruction.
Implications
- The library must establish a presence in researchers'' work environments, rather than expect them to seek out library resources and services.
- The increased emphasis by funding agencies on clinical translational science may impact the information needs of basic science researchers in the future.
- Libraries have an opportunity to capitalize on their positive reputation and basic scientists'' desire for more centralized information to create new information resources and services such as institutional repositories.
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What are the information needs of wheelchair-bound young people?
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What are their perceptions of libraries and library services?
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What are the problems they face in using library facilities and services?
Objective:
The research studied the status of hospital librarians and library services to better inform the Medical Library Association''s advocacy activities.Methods:
The Vital Pathways Survey Subcommittee of the Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians distributed a web-based survey to hospital librarians and academic health sciences library directors. The survey results were compared to data collected in a 1989 survey of hospital libraries by the American Hospital Association in order to identify any trends in hospital libraries, roles of librarians, and library services. A web-based hospital library report form based on the survey questions was also developed to more quickly identify changes in the status of hospital libraries on an ongoing basis.Results:
The greatest change in library services between 1989 and 2005/06 was in the area of access to information, with 40% more of the respondents providing access to commercial online services, 100% more providing access to Internet resources, and 28% more providing training in database searching and use of information resources. Twenty-nine percent (n = 587) of the 2005/06 respondents reported a decrease in staff over the last 5 years.Conclusions:
Survey data support reported trends of consolidation of hospitals and hospital libraries and additions of new services. These services have likely required librarians to acquire new skills. It is hoped that future surveys will be undertaken to continue to study these trends.Highlights
- Data support reported trends in the decrease in the number of hospitals and hospital libraries.
- About 44.0% of hospitals had some level of onsite library service in 1989, compared with between 33.5% and 29.1% of hospitals in 2005/06.
- More electronic services and resources, such as Internet access and online materials, are being offered by hospital libraries, in addition to more traditional services
- Library staffing appears to be more unstable today than in 1989, with more libraries reporting a decrease in the number of staff.
Implications
- Hospital libraries continue to change in response to changes in the health care environment as health care administrators respond to financial pressures, library staff are downsized, degreed librarian positions are eliminated, and reporting structures change.
- MLA must continue to track the status of hospital librarians and libraries in light of the changing environment with surveys and other means, in partnership with others such as the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.
Objective:
The research conducted a large-scale, multisite study on the value and impact of library and information services on patient care.Methods:
The study used: (1) 2 initial focus groups of librarians; (2) a web-based survey of physicians, residents, and nurses at 56 library sites serving 118 hospitals; and (3) 24 follow-up telephone interviews. Survey respondents were asked to base their responses on a recent incident in which they had sought information for patient care.Results:
Of the 16,122 survey respondents, 3/4 said that they had definitely or probably handled aspects of the patient care situation differently as a result of the information. Among the reported changes were advice given to the patient (48%), diagnosis (25%), and choice of drugs (33%), other treatment (31%), and tests (23%). Almost all of the respondents (95%) said the information resulted in a better informed clinical decision. Respondents reported that the information allowed them to avoid the following adverse events: patient misunderstanding of the disease (23%), additional tests (19%), misdiagnosis (13%), adverse drug reactions (13%), medication errors (12%), and patient mortality (6%).Conclusions:
Library and information resources were perceived as valuable, and the information obtained was seen as having an impact on patient care.Highlights
- Library and information resources were perceived as valuable, and the information obtained was seen as having an impact on patient care.
- Electronic access to information resources from multiple locations has increased the ability of health professionals to use these resources for improved patient care.
- The roles of librarians are diversifying to include management of electronic resources, user instruction and support, specialized research and clinical information search services, and involvement in institution-level quality improvement.
- It is possible to conduct a large-scale, multisite study on the value and impact of library services on patient care.
Implications
- Ongoing studies of the value and impact of library and information resources will be important for advocacy and quality improvement.
- Community-Based Participative Research methods hold promise as a way of ensuring the relevance of future research.
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Reducing the cost of retaining the scholarly record through shared distribution of commitments;
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De-duplicating efforts;
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Developing and promoting evidence-based best practices;
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Increasing the effectiveness of communication with end-users and funders;
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Tackling large-scale projects and research that are out of reach for individual shared print programs. This shared stewardship of collection is critical as local resources are depleted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and access to print for digitization increases.
- 1.(i) institutional level, and
- 2.(ii) network or national level.
Purpose:
A systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize what is known about informationists, highlight program models, and suggest areas for future research.Methods:
Articles retrieved through database searching were reviewed for relevance. Informationist case reports were identified and coded according to an attributes checklist. Data from other retained publications were synthesized under broad themes. The few research studies found were reviewed for level of evidence.Results:
Of 113 papers reviewed, the study identified 7 classic and 8 emerging informationist programs. Two major models are apparent, clinical and research, with priorities differing according to program maturity. The literature synthesis also brought together current thinking about informationist qualifications; practice roles; setting characteristics; education and training; organizational, programmatic, and service provider success factors; and challenges and barriers. Program outcomes to date are reported, and future research topics suggested. Specific findings will assist informationist program planners.Conclusions:
While the informationist concept remains in the early adopter stage, it appears that domain knowledge, continuous learning, and embedding (working in context) are essential to success. The need for librarians to transition to greater specialization and libraries to emphasize customized service was underscored. A research agenda focused on information management, dissemination, behaviors, and economics is proposed.Highlights
- After years of emphasizing the generalist librarian, health sciences librarians must become more specialized, paralleling the health care environment in which they work.
- An embedded informationist is more likely to achieve credibility, acceptance, and sustainability than an impersonal information service provided at a distance.
- Subject expertise is essential for the informationist.
- Model informationist programs with the greatest stability are library funded.
- Because informationist programs are inherently targeted to small groups, multisite studies are necessary to achieve robust evaluation.
Implications
- A library starting an informationist program should review existing models, identify local needs, set program objectives, and then select the most appropriate approaches for its users.
- Programmatic emphasis should be placed on both technical and service excellence.
- Organizational commitment is needed for knowledge integration into practice and for the informationists'' lifelong learning.
Objectives:
The research sought to determine if first-year medical students consulted and cited resources specifically highlighted during library instructional sessions.Methods:
Students attended a library resources instructional session. Resources that pertained to the students'' assignment were demonstrated and discussed. The students created a report including citations from relevant literature. The citations were analyzed and categorized as: a resource discussed at the instructional session, a resource found on the course LibGuide, a library resource, course material, or some other resource. All citations were subcategorized as print or electronic.Results:
Three years (2008–2011) of data analyzing 2,983 citations showed that 49.55% of all citations were from resources discussed during library instructional sessions; 21.86% came from resources with links on the course LibGuide; 77.51% were from library resources; and 90.68% came from electronic resources.Conclusion:
Students cited resources specifically highlighted during library instructional sessions for their assignments. The percentage of all citations coming from resources highlighted during the instructional sessions or found on the course LibGuide indicates that library instruction had an impact on the students'' work.Highlights
- Review of the literature shows that instruction about library resources accompanied by clear guidelines on scholarly research methods and resources provided by course instructors have the biggest impact on the quality of cited materials in student bibliographies.
- Graduate medical students cited library resources more frequently than nonlibrary resources for their assigned coursework.
- Graduate medical students cited materials and resources specifically highlighted during library instructional sessions for their assigned coursework.
Implications
- Instruction about library resources tailored to medical students'' assignments impacts the resources that the students consult and cite for their assignments.
- Using the information gathered from citation analysis to modify teaching plans can impact the effectiveness of library instructional sessions.
Objective:
The research identified the skills, if any, that health preprofessional students wished to develop after receiving feedback on skill gaps as well as any strategies they intended to use to address these gaps.Methods:
A qualitative approach was used to elicit students'' reflections on building health information literacy skills. First, the students took the Research Readiness Self-Assessment instrument, which measured their health information literacy, and then they received individually tailored feedback about their scores and skill gaps. Second, students completed a post-assessment survey asking how they intended to close identified gaps in their skills on these. Three trained coders analyzed qualitative comments by 181 students and grouped them into themes relating to “what skills to improve” and “how to improve them.”Results:
Students intended to develop library skills (64% of respondents), Internet skills (63%), and information evaluation skills (63%). Most students reported that they would use library staff members'' assistance (55%), but even more respondents (82%) planned to learn the skills by practicing on their own. Getting help from librarians was a much more popular learning strategy than getting assistance from peers (20%) or professors (17%).Conclusions:
The study highlighted the importance of providing health preprofessional students with resources to improve skills on their own, remote access to library staff members, and instruction on the complexity of building health literacy skills, while also building relationships among students, librarians, and faculty.Highlights
- After receiving feedback on skill gaps, most preprofessional health students intend to develop their information literacy skills.
- Some students report that a trip to the library is a barrier to using library resources.
- Students see the need to build their information evaluation skills, knowledge of citations and plagiarism, and library skills, which they differentiate from Internet skills.
- Students are more likely to identify librarians as sources for assistance in finding information than faculty or peers after receiving individual feedback explaining the role of libraries and library staff members.
Implications
- Students'' health information competencies can be built through assessment and feedback that reveals skill gaps, highlights misconceptions, and offers ideas on how to improve.
- Access to professionally designed self-study resources is needed for students who intend to develop health information competencies on their own.
Key points
- The Open Discovery Initiative (ODI) was created in 2011 to improve participation among content providers in the then‐novel web‐scale discovery services.
- The issues addressed by the ODI included metadata standards, content indexing, and availability of licensed content in discovery services.
- After adoption of the recommended practice in June 2014, a new Standing Committee has been formed to address unfinished business and implementation.
- A challenge for the ODI is finding the right balance between the needs of commercial partners and library customers.
- Access to Research is an online service for local libraries across the UK.
- Many large STM publishers have provided free walk‐in access to their content.
- The initiative is in response to a recommendation in the government‐commissioned ‘Finch Report’ on improving access to publically funded research.
- The service has just completed a 2‐year pilot, and toward the end of the pilot, research was commissioned to understand its impact.
- The research demonstrated the value of the service to local library users, so publishers’ local libraries have decided to continue providing the service.