Assessment of Health Literature Information Services in Indian Health Science Libraries

Abstract

The paper describes succinctly the historical development of Indian health science libraries. With this background it illustrates the outcome of a study conducted for the purpose of assessing the strengths and weaknesses of prevalent health literature information services such as bibliographical, current awareness, selective dissemination of information, MEDLARS/MEDLINE, indexing and abstracting, translation and reprographic of 240 medical libraries belonging to modern medicine (allopathy system) and recommends the suitable steps to be undertaken to optimize the utilization of available resources and services.     

Critical communication pedagogy and service learning in a mixed-method communication research course

ABSTRACT

Course: Mixed-Method Communication Research Methods

Objective: The purpose of this semester-long activity is to provide students with opportunities to cultivate mixed-method communication research skills through a social justice-informed service-learning format. Completing this course, students will be able to: recognize the unique strengths of quantitative and qualitative research methods; locate, evaluate, and utilize scholarly literature for a literature review; conduct an original research project using quantitative and qualitative research methods to gather and analyze data; and raise self and community awareness about a social issue through collaboration with a community organization.     

Shaping Expectations: Defining and Refining the Role of Technical Services in New Resource Rollouts

ABSTRACT

From trial to implementation, technical services staff play an important role in shaping awareness and expectations of new or updated electronic resources. With appropriate message control during the rollout process, technical services staff can positively influence understanding and awareness of resources while keeping co-workers’ and patrons’ expectations in check. At the same time, by embracing this public service role, technical services acts as a full partner with public services in mediating resources to patrons. This article explores technical services’ public-facing role by describing a protocol for managing rollouts that emphasizes timing internal and external communications, providing training and support materials, and maintaining accuracy and objectivity in all rollout communications.     

Building Political Support for Your Library Through Surfacing

Abstract

This column describes “surfacing”—a technique commonly used in political campaigns to raise awareness about a candidate or cause long before election day—and explores ways in which it applies to campaigns for library funding or initiatives. Surfacing is most effective during the earliest phase of a campaign to ensure that a candidate or cause is viable and has the resources needed to move the political agenda forward. EveryLibrary, a national organization dedicated to building voter support for libraries, has used the surfacing approach successfully, helping public libraries across the U.S. gather the resources they need to win or successfully move an initiative forward.     

IM and SMS Reference Services for Librarians (THE TECH SET #19), by Amanda Bielskas and Kathleen M. Dreyer

ABSTRACT

In an era where physicians rely on point-of-care databases that provide filtered, pre-appraised, and quickly accessible clinical information by smartphone applications, it is difficult to teach medical students the importance of knowing not only when it is appropriate to search the primary medical literature but also how to do it. This column will describe how librarians at an academic health sciences library use an unusual clinical case to make demonstrations of searching primary medical literature real and meaningful to medical students, and to illustrate vividly the importance of knowing what to do when the answer to a clinical question cannot be found in a point-of-care database.     

Using Contingent Medical Librarians to Address Workforce Staffing Dilemmas

Abstract

Experienced medical librarians have been recruited by Mayo Clinic to provide contingency staffing. Functioning as just-in-time librarians, a nontraditional staffing plan was introduced in 2016 to affordably lessen stressors caused by fluctuating demands for library services such as literature searching. Contingent medical librarians were also needed to provide staffing coverage during the absences of existing full-time librarians, particularly Mayo’s librarians employed as solo librarians working in hospital and smaller academic libraries. A four-year, nontraditional staffing plan which incorporates contingent medical librarians has proved to be a helpful, affordable, and sustainable staffing alternative for the libraries at Mayo Clinic.     

Workplace harassment in university libraries: A qualitative study of female Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in Pakistan

PurposeThe existence of workplace harassment in a feminized profession such as Library and Information Science (LIS) cannot be ignored. There is limited literature on workplace harassment in the profession, especially in the context of the developing world. This study investigates the status of workplace harassment and the level of awareness about the relevant legislation among working women of Pakistan.MethodologyA qualitative research approach was used and data was collected through in-depth interview. Thirty-four female LIS professionals working in the university libraries of Lahore, Pakistan, were approached. However, eight were given consented to participate in the study.FindingsMost of the working females did not agree to participate in the study due to privacy concerns and the taboo nature of the topic in Pakistani society. The findings revealed the females had witnessed workplace harassment which they perceived as both physical and psychological in nature. The study also reports the respondents' level of awareness about harassment-related legislation and policies in the country as well as strategies to enhance it. It also highlights the barriers faced by them while reporting harassment issues.ImplicationThis study presents theoretical, practical, and policy implications related to workforce harassment faced by women working in LIS.     

Development of methodologic tools for planning and managing library services. IV. Bibliography of studies selected for methods and data useful to biomedical libraries

This selective bibliography is intended to serve as a guide to empirical studies reporting data and methods that can be used by medical librarians to assess their own efforts objectively and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of services they offer. The decision rules that governed selection of items for the bibliography are specified in detail. A total of 178 items published between 1915 and mid-1968 met the selection criteria. The list of items is supplemented by a keyword index derived from titles. Half the items are journal articles; a third of these articles appeared in the Bulletin, and most of the remainder in thirteen other library and information science journals. Most of the non-journal items are technical reports issued by the organization that conducted or sponsored the work. The characteristics of this literature suggest that few medical libraries, unless they are part of a university system that includes the collection of a library or information science school, are likely to have quick access to the literature base needed to support a comprehensive program of self-evaluation studies and the continuing education of their own staff. Regional medical libraries might well undertake to ensure both ready access to, and awareness of, literature on the scientific aspects of librarianship.     

African American Academic Librarians: An Evidence Map Case Study Using Rapid Review Methodology

ABSTRACT

This article explores rapid review and evidence mapping methodology to map library literature on the presence of, status of, or support for African American academic librarians. Rapid reviews include transparent steps and are completed in a short time frame. Evidence mapping is emerging as a way to summarize evidence. A chronological map indicated topics and impacts of papers. Additional analysis also showed four broad themes: diversity, recruitment, retention, and racism. In our view, rapid review and evidence mapping methods should be considered by academic librarians. Further research should look at racism that still seems apparent in academic libraries.     

A pilot study of the effects of faculty status for medical librarians in the United States

Objectives:Within many institutions, there are debates over whether medical librarians should be classified as faculty or professional staff, a distinction that may have considerable effect on the perception of librarians within their local institutions. This study is a pilot exploration of how faculty status may affect the professional experiences of academic medical librarians within their local institutions.Methods:Surveys were sent to 209 medical librarians listed as having some instructional function at Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accredited medical institutions in the United States. Survey responses were captured using Qualtrics survey tool and analyzed for frequencies and associations using SPSS version 27.Results:Sixty-four medical librarians at academic medical institutions completed the survey developed for this study. Of the respondents, 60.9% indicated that librarians at their institution have faculty status, while 71.9% believe that librarians at their institution should have faculty status. Ninety percent of librarians with faculty status reported that they are expected to generate scholarly materials, compared to 28% of those without faculty status.Conclusions:Many medical libraries offer faculty status to librarians. While many medical librarians are active in instruction, research, and other activities normally associated with faculty status, it is not clear if faculty status impacts how librarians are perceived by other health care workers within their institutions.     

Personal librarian programs in medical and academic health sciences libraries: a preliminary study

Objective:This preliminary study examined how personal librarian programs are implemented within medical and academic health sciences libraries. Increasing awareness of these programs and how they are implemented could create a larger and more accessible knowledge base for establishing best practices that similar libraries can look to when creating their own programs.Methods:To characterize existing programs, a twenty-two-item survey was sent to MEDLIB-L, AAHSL-ALL, ARCL-HSIG, and PSS-Lists email listservs in October 2018 to reach a broad audience of medical and academic health sciences librarians. Survey responses were analyzed using Qualtrics and Excel.Results:Of the 2,882 potential email recipients, 49 survey sessions were recorded, and a total of 38 survey sessions were completed (1.3% response rate). Of the 38 completed responses, representatives of 12 libraries (31.5%) reported that a personal librarian program had been implemented at their institution. For implementation, eight libraries involved 1–5 librarians, and four involved 6–10. Librarians were assigned 50–100 (n=6), 101–150 (n=1), or 151 or more (n=1) students each. The identified programs served medical students (n=11), nursing students (n=7), health professions students (n=7), dental students (n=2), and students in other fields (n=4). Services provided and communication methods were also identified.Conclusions:The personal librarian programs identified by the survey were uniquely structured to best meet the needs of their users, though similarities in implementation existed across institutions. Medical and academic health sciences libraries can look to these libraries as practical examples when starting their own personal library programs.     

Evidencing the Case for Preventive Conservation: the Role of Collections Care Documentation

ABSTRACT

Collections care describes actions taken to prevent or limit the deterioration of moveable cultural heritage and ‘collections care documentation’ (CCD) refers to the recording and retention of information relating to those activities. This paper describes the findings of a survey and targeted interviews with staff from a number of U.K. museums, archives and libraries. The results suggest that, while there is much good practice, some organisations face difficulties instituting a framework for CCD which covers all their activities effectively.

Large and small organisations have varying challenges to face; the former with specialist staff working in separate departments and the latter with staff who carry out activities relating to preventive conservation but who may not have specialist knowledge. An efficient documentation structure, which is resilient and relevant to the organisation, can support and improve communication as well as raise awareness of the reasons for and methods of preventive conservation. This paper looks at the reasons why even basic practices can sometimes be difficult to achieve and presents ideas for identifying and overcoming barriers. As preventive conservators argue that specified actions influence the long-term sustainability of collections the evidence that allows verification those claims needs to be retained. In order to do this, a greater focus on what data to collect and why will enable the sector to align CCD with specific research questions.     

Extraction of Zinc Corrosion from Beneath a Paint Layer: A Case Study

ABSTRACT

Conservation of an oil painting on a zinc support is a complex challenge that has not been covered in the literature. Oil paint and zinc support rarely form a working combination because of their chemical properties. This article discusses the conservation of an oil painting on a zinc support that was found in extremely bad condition due to harsh environmental conditions it had been exposed to. The object had to be consolidated due to flaking paint and cleaned of surface dirt and support corrosion products. Finally, the object had to be physically strengthened due to the weakness of the support. This process required conservators to combine methods from several different fields of the conservation discipline. Methods employed in the conservation process came less from the literature, due to the lack thereof, and more from the everyday experience of the department and vernacular working practices. The overall methodology of the process has been reconstructed and critically evaluated in the broader field of conservation ethics and the discipline as a whole.     

Library Support for Distance Learners

Abstract

In 2001, Texas Tech University Library surveyed faculty who taught distance learning courses. This article reports the findings of the survey. Implicit in the article is the belief that a clear understanding of the needs and expectations of faculty serves as a foundation on which librarians can build a solid program of support for distance learners. This clear understanding may also serve as the basis for better strategies to educate faculty on how librarians can help improve distance learning courses. Unfortunately, what faculty think about library support for distance learning courses is not always clearly understood. To a significant extent, this limited understanding is due to the dearth of information in the professional literature on the subject. More surveys need to be completed and the results published so that distance learning librarians can better understand faculty and better inform them, optimizing support for distance learners.     

How Are Teacher-Librarians Finding Resources for Coursework?

Abstract

Providing distance learners access to library services does not automatically translate into usage of those resources. The literature on information-seeking behaviour of distance learners has indicated that they prefer to use local resources, as well as Web-based resources. This study investigates perspectives on library services and available resources for distance learners in the Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning program at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. The findings suggest that distance learners in this program tend to rely on local and familiar resources, have a lack of awareness or understanding of certain library services provided to them, rely heavily on electronic full-text availability, and may feel isolated from fellow students, resulting in low collaboration in the process of accessing information. The researchers suggest developing effective marketing strategies and collaborating with faculty to promote usage of library services provided to distance learners.     

Helping Public Library Patrons Find Medical Information-The Reference Interview

Abstract

Public libraries are often the first access point for additional information resources on health and medical topics. We, as librarians, must be aware of our role in the information seeking process, and communicate with the patron effectively in order to direct them to appropriate resources. Particular attention must be given in the reference interview, including adequate follow-up support and consideration for protecting confidentiality. This paper discusses elements of the reference interview and describes measures that can be taken to avoid personal liability while directing patrons to health information resources.     

Healing Hearts,Enriching Minds

Summary

The growing emphasis on storytelling for instruction in a variety of settings and subjects also raises the question of training for storytellers: How is storytelling itself taught, and what research exists to aid in the development of pedagogy for storytelling? This paper will address storytelling in the context of use as an instructional tool and the development of a storytelling project specifically designed for its utilization of multicultural literature and implementation of activities to support that focus.