Health sciences libraries in Germany: new directions

This feature is part of a series about medical library services in various countries. It gives an overview of the state of and selected current developments of medical library services to support research, education and clinical practice in Germany. Findings from an online survey and issues of access to health information are discussed in relation to the German health care system.J.M.     

Extending library services by using a new technology

The University of Kentucky Medical Library Extension Service is an experimental program attempting to stimulate medical library use among medical professionals by offering medical information to all health practitioners. The purpose of the program, sponsored by the Ohio Valley Regional Medical Program, is to encourage the establishment of medical libraries in community hospitals and to develop cooperative relationships among those institutions capable of providing medical library services.The University of Kentucky program, through cooperation with other sections of the OVRMP, is endeavoring to make the medical library the center for a variety of clinically oriented information services.Through a WATS line, this Extension Service offers medical library services, drug information, and bibliographic support to OVRMP.It is anticipated that a substantial number of health professionals will become accustomed to medical library services and that health services provided to the citizens of the region will thereby be improved.     

The medical libraries of Vietnam--a service in transition.

The medical libraries of Vietnam maintain high profiles within their institutions and are recognized by health care professionals and administrators as an important part of the health care system. Despite the multitude of problems in providing even a minimal level of medical library services, librarians, clinicians, and researchers nevertheless are determined that enhanced services be made available. Currently, services can be described as basic and unsophisticated, yet viable and surprisingly well organized. The lack of hard western currency required to buy materials and the lack of library technology will be major obstacles to improving information services. Vietnam, like many developing nations, is about to enter a period of technological upheaval, which ultimately will result in a transition from the traditional library limited by walls to a national resource that will rely increasingly on electronic access to international knowledge networks. Technology such as CD-ROM, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and satellite telecommunication networks such as Internet can provide the technical backbone to provide access to remote and widely distributed electronic databases to support the information needs of the health care community. Over the long term, access to such databases likely will be cost-effective, in contrast to the assuredly astronomical cost of building a comparable domestic print collection. The advent of new, low-cost electronic technologies probably will revolutionize health care information services in developing nations. However, for the immediate future, the medical libraries of Vietnam will require ongoing sustained support from the international community, so that minimal levels of resources will be available to support the information needs of the health care community. It is remarkable, and a credit to the determination of Vietnam's librarians that, in a country with a legacy of war, economic deprivation, and international isolation, they have somehow managed to provide a sound basic level of information services for health care professionals.     

Consumer health information services in the hospital setting

Before planning for provision of Consumer Health Information Services, the librarian and administration must anticipate the problems encountered in sharing funds, personnel, space, and materials with an existing medical or patient education library. Establishing new space within or outside the hospital, or participating in community projects which meet consumer health information needs, are important considerations for planners. This article sets forth the place of some CHI services in the hospital setting, and how they relate to other library services. Differences between hospital library support for Patient Education and for Consumer Health Information services are discussed.     

Medical and health informatics services during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic should be virtual,tailored, responsive and interactive: a case study in Belgium

This is part of a new series in this regular feature regarding trends in the provision of information by health science libraries. By sharing expertise and drawing together relevant trends the series intends to serve as a road map for both health science librarians and health informatics professionals. This article shows how a medical and biomedical research library changed practices, and reassessed user needs for the COVID‐19 emergency. Discusses changes to online education (and collaborative working) to provide user‐friendly services, researcher support tailored to need and re‐visioning library space. J.M.     

The Public Library and the Problem of Hospital Libraries for Patients–The Case of Israel

ABSTRACT

Providing information to the health consumer is one of the main tasks of our modern information society. This information falls into two categories: medical information, and supportive information such as literature and poetry. This article discusses the problematic situation of libraries and of information for patients in Israeli hospitals, and raises the question of the public library being a possible solution to help people in need get the information they are entitled to. The conclusions are based on a survey conducted in 1994. The results are rather disappointing: only 26.3% of the hospitals have library services for patients; most of them are managed by volunteers who have no training in professional librarianship. Also, in terms of book acquisition policy, library activities, and criteria for lending books, most of the results indicate that much needs to be done to improve the situation and help the health consumer receive information and support through the library. As it is clear that the situation in hospitals is not going to change in the near future, it is suggested that the public library serve as a helping resource outside the hospital and by that action it would not only contribute to society but expand its functions and strengthen its position in the community.     

A rural virtual health sciences library project: research findings with implications for next generation library services

PURPOSE: The Shared Hospital Electronic Library of Southern Indiana (SHELSI) research project was designed to determine whether access to a virtual health sciences library and training in its use would support medical decision making in rural southern Indiana and achieve the same level of impact seen by targeted information services provided by health sciences librarians in urban hospitals. METHODS: Based on the results of a needs assessment, a virtual medical library was created; various levels of training were provided. Virtual library users were asked to complete a Likert-type survey, which included questions on intent of use and impact of use. At the conclusion of the project period, structured interviews were conducted. RESULTS: Impact of the virtual health sciences library showed a strong correlation with the impact of information provided by health sciences librarians. Both interventions resulted in avoidance of adverse health events. Data collected from the structured interviews confirmed the perceived value of the virtual library. CONCLUSION: While librarians continue to hold a strong position in supporting information access for health care providers, their roles in the information age must begin to move away from providing information toward selecting and organizing knowledge resources and instruction in their use.     

The Regional Medical Library Grant Program of the National Library of Medicine

Recognizing the utility of a regional medical library system in improving the availability of existing and future medical library resources in the country, the Congress included provisions for the support of such a system in the Medical Library Assistance Act. Grants will be made to major medical libraries which have the potential to provide supportive services to other libraries within a geographic area encompassing a major fraction of the nation's health professional manpower. Approximately ten of these regional libraries will receive these grants. Support for the system and consequently the extension of the services of the system will of necessity by implemented in a stepwise fashion. The central function of a regional medical library is to provide back-stopping interlibrary loan service and also to provide access to MEDLARS services for the region. Additional services for the region will include traditional reference service, training, surveillance of regional needs, announcement services, support for programs of continuing education for the health professions, and certain central technical processing for the region.     

Serving Community Faculty Through a Dedicated Liaison

Community-based medical schools rely heavily on volunteer faculty to provide medical education. Volunteer faculty consist of health care professionals, primarily physicians, who commit to educating medical students and residents. While these volunteer faculty are typically unpaid, many medical schools provide some benefits to them for volunteering their time. One such benefit, although rarely noted in library or medical education literature, is access to academic medical library resources and services. This article highlights a library services liaison model dedicated to the support of volunteer faculty at a community-based medical school.     

Literature Awareness Among Health Staff in Developing Countries

Abstract

Health professionals, although in principle a highly information-conscious group, are frequently observed to be poor users of literature and library services. The main reason for this lack of literature awareness is the tradition of oral transmission of knowledge found in a number of Third World countries. Since the practice of modern medicine is not conceivable without constant support from the professional literature, either for reference or continuing education purposes, it is suggested that national or regional programmes be launched to promote literature awareness, notably among medical and nursing students. This requires the active participation of faculty staff as well as policy and financial commitments of the governments concerned. Failure to heighten the literature awareness of coming generations of physicians and nurses, and in general to improve the situation in the sector of health information support could have serious consequences on the quality of medical care in large parts of the developing world.     

图书情报一体化的理论基础探讨

图书情报一体化工作实践需要图书情报一体化理论的支持,而图书情报一体化的理论基础可用“一个轴心、三条原则、一组模型”来概括：一个轴心是“信息资源-知识传播-信息服务”;三条原则是“信息资源是基础”、“知识传播是关键”、“信息服务是目的”;一组模型即定量数学模型。     

The impact of IAIMS at Georgetown: strategies and outcomes.

Integration of multiple information systems of a medical center will change the way physicians work and practice medicine in the future. Several major steps must be taken by an institution to make this a reality. Since 1983, Georgetown has been engaged in an Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS) project to bring together multiple sources of information that reside on different computers and database systems. Georgetown is developing a Biotechnology and Biomedical Knowledge Network that includes informational and clinical databases, scholar workstations, instruction on computer use, a campuswide network with local area network nodes, and a modular approach to systems integration. The IAIMS project, spearheaded by the medical library, has enabled a broad spectrum of health professionals to benefit directly from new, dynamic information services. The network is heavily used; in 1991, more than 2,100 individual users conducted more than 148,500 computer functions and more than 104,000 searches. There is economy of scale in high-volume use. Overall, the average search cost is $1.57; for high use databases the cost is $0.38, and for low use, it is $9.41. As described in this paper, IAIMS offers a cost-effective means of enhancing patient care by improving information services to physicians. At Georgetown, IAIMS has advanced the concept of integration, accelerated use of computers in education, increased user acceptance of advanced technologies, and established cost factors for providing information resources. While progress made in improving the transfer of medical information is impressive, it is clear that IAIMS requires several more years of support to achieve full implementation.     

中美医学图书馆比较研究

通过对比研究中国、美国医学图书馆及图书馆员的基本情况、需求及服务等,指出我国医学图书馆、图书馆建筑、图书馆协会及图书馆馆员存在的优势及不足,强调我国医学图书馆的管理应更科学化,信息服务工作应更主动、深入,医学图书馆协会应搞得更活,井注意引导我国医学图书馆的工作与国际接轨。     

Information in primary health care

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Migration to an electronic journal collection in a hospital library: implications for reference service

This article provides a perspective on the migration to an electronic-only journal collection in a hospital library and its effect on reference services, information-seeking, and library use patterns. Bellevue Hospital Center in New York, NY is one of the first major teaching hospitals in the United States to begin a fundamental shift to a current, electronic-only journal collection. This article describes the process and develops a model for use by other hospital libraries, with commentary on the impact on reference services to library users. Key findings are that physicians, residents, and nurses have come to expect electronic journal collections and use the Internet in the hospital library to access electronic journals. Similar to many academic health sciences libraries, the reference desk in a hospital library has become more like a technical support desk. Users who contact the library have questions about access to the library's electronic resources or about searching techniques. In the future, medical reference librarians will continue to assist searchers who cannot find what they are looking for and will assist those who repeatedly get results that do not match their information needs.     

Effectiveness of information skills training and mediated searching: qualitative results from the EMPIRIC project

OBJECTIVES: To explore library staff and health professionals' views on the effectiveness of information skills training and librarian mediated searching as methods of providing information for patient care. This is the second article describing the Effective Methods of Providing InfoRmation for patIent Care (EMPIRIC) project. The first paper, in a previous issue of this journal (Brettle et al. The costs and effectiveness of information skills training and mediated searching: quantitative results for the EMPIRIC project. Health Information and Libraries Journal 2006, 23, 239-247) describes the quantitative results. METHODS: A questionnaire survey to library staff and health professionals in the North West. Data was collected on perceptions of services, satisfaction and service usage. Statistical data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Both information skills training and mediated searches are perceived by library staff and health professionals to be effective. There is strong support for mediated searches carried out on behalf of the health professional and information skills training to enable them to carry out their own searches. The results provide insights into the effectiveness of the services and the factors that make them effective. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence and stakeholders views support the provision of both information skills training and mediated search services. Both services are valued by users who see them as complementary methods of obtaining information depending on their needs at different times.     

Developing a Cancer-Focused Library Survey — Assessing the Current Environment and Planning for the Future

The primary goal of this project is to understand how each National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center library, and all libraries that support cancer research, function within their institutions. Through an in-depth survey focused on three major areas (staff, content and tools procurement, and user services), the research team hopes to determine how a cancer-centric library can be successful in supporting quality patient care, research excellence, and education. Additionally, the survey will examine the necessary minimum staffing levels for librarians and information professionals based on organizational size and degree of research focus. The survey will seek out the new skills librarians will need to deliver optimal services. The survey will also explore how content libraries purchase reflects and maps to constituents’ current medical and research activities. Libraries within a research intense environment have a responsibility to align with researchers and health care professionals to provide resources and services that support their workflows. Cancer libraries need to be attuned to their institutions’ missions, whether that includes excellent patient care, research endeavors, or cutting-edge educational programs. The information gathered from the survey will provide data for this research team to define the vision and standards of excellence for a cancer specialized research library.     

Informing the public health

Why with an increase in the amount of health information, and ways of accessing it, so many people experience poor health? What is the role of health library and information professionals in improving public health? These questions are of great interest to me. There are many examples of initiatives, particularly in the public library sector, which address health issues, however they are often very local and best practice is not always shared. Clearly changing the health status of a population requires more than information, but information is clearly an essential component. If health information is to be effective in improving public health then we need to address health literacy, and this is where health library and information professionals can play a significant role. Through this journal and the other activities of the Health Libraries Group I hope we can share good practice and explore new ways that health library and information workers can improve the health of individuals and communities.     

The contribution of hospital library information services to clinical care: a study in eight hospitals

Hospital health sciences libraries represent, for the vast majority of health professionals, the most accessible source for library information and services. Most health professionals do not have available the specialized services of a clinical medical librarian, and rely instead upon general information services for their case-related information needs. The ability of the hospital library to meet these needs and the impact of the information on quality patient care have not been previously examined. A study was conducted in eight hospitals in the Chicago area as a quality assurance project. A total of 176 physicians, nurses, and other health professionals requested information from their hospital libraries related to a current case or clinical situation. They then assessed the quality of information received, its cognitive value, its contribution to patient care, and its impact on case management. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents asserted that they would definitely or probably handle their cases differently as a result of the information provided by the library. Almost all rated the libraries' performance and response highly. An overview of the context and purpose of the study, its methods, selected results, limitations, and conclusions are presented here, as is a review of selected earlier research.     

Public health practitioners' information access and use patterns in the Maryland (USA) public health departments of Anne Arundel and Wicomico Counties

PURPOSE: To increase understanding of the information needs and use of public health practitioners. SETTING: From June 2005 to May 2006, the library offered a course in public health information resources to eighteen practitioners in two counties, access to the library's licensed electronic resources through a tailored web portal, and consulting services. EVALUATION METHOD: We combined usage statistics from the web portal, self-report and observational data collected during training and shadowing of participants. CONCLUSIONS: The data from this project indicate that usage of licensed information resources and services is infrequent but broad ranging. A few users register at the high end of the usage range, but one use of one high quality article can have a significant impact on policy decisions. Time and competing responsibilities often constrain the retrieval and use of resources for evidence-based decision making and an informationist or power-user model may be more appropriate than training all practitioners to integrate searching into their workflow. This study indicates (i) that evidence-based public health practice requires seamless and broadly based information access; and (ii) that the currently existing patchwork does not support the level of use or take into account the time constraints of information needs for public health practice.