Reinventing a health sciences digital library--organizational impact

What is the organizational impact of becoming a digital library, as well as a physical entity with facilities and collections? Is the digital library an add-on or an integrated component of the overall library package? Librarians see sweeping environmental and technological changes. The staff members feel exhilarated and challenged by the pressures to adapt quickly and effectively. Librarians recognize that a Web presence, like other technology components, must be continuously enhanced and regularly re-engineered. The Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is reinventing its digital presence to better meet the needs of the community. This paper provides a case study focusing on major changes in planning processes, organizational structure, staffing, budgeting, training, communications, and operations at the Health Sciences Library.     

Map Room to Data and GIS Services: Five University Libraries Evolving to Meet Campus Needs and Changing Technologies

Programs for geospatial support at academic libraries have evolved over the past decade in response to changing campus needs and developing technologies. Geospatial applications have matured tremendously in this time, emerging from specialty tools to become broadly used across numerous disciplines. At many universities, the library has served as a central resource allowing students and faculty across academic departments access to GIS resources. Today, as many academic libraries evaluate their spaces and services, GIS and data services are central in discussions on how to further engage with patrons and meet increasingly diverse researcher needs. As library programs evolve to support increasingly technical data and GIS needs, many universities are faced with similar challenges and opportunities. To explore these themes, data and GIS services librarians and GIS specialists from five universities—the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Texas A&M, New York University, North Carolina State University, and California Polytechnic State University—with different models of library geospatial and data support, describe their programs to help identify common services, as well as unique challenges, opportunities, and future plans.     

AHEC library services: from circuit rider to virtual librarian. Area Health Education Centers

The North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Library and Information Services (NC AHEC LIS) Network provides library outreach services to rural health care providers in all nine AHEC regions of North Carolina. Over the last twenty-five years, the AHEC and university-based librarians have collaborated to create a model program for support of community-based clinical education and information access for rural health care providers. Through several collaborative projects, they have supported Internet access for rural health clinics. The NC AHEC Digital Library--under development by NC AHEC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, East Carolina University, and Wake Forest University--will further extend access to electronic biomedical information and resources to health professionals in a statewide digital library.     

AHEC library services: from circuit rider to virtual librarian

The North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Library and Information Services (NC AHEC LIS) Network provides library outreach services to rural health care providers in all nine AHEC regions of North Carolina. Over the last twenty-five years, the AHEC and university-based librarians have collaborated to create a model program for support of community-based clinical education and information access for rural health care providers. Through several collaborative projects, they have supported Internet access for rural health clinics. The NC AHEC Digital Library—under development by NC AHEC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, East Carolina University, and Wake Forest University—will further extend access to electronic biomedical information and resources to health professionals in a statewide digital library.     

Meeting Information Needs through Global Partnerships: A Roadmap to Becoming a Global Health Sciences Library

Abstract

Supporting global health priorities through the development of robust health science librarianship partnerships is of significant importance. Increased demand for synthesizing evidence-based information, collating quality resources, and increasing research productivity to improve human health requires integration of library and information science skills and expertise. The Health Sciences Library (HSL) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), exists to be an indispensable partner in health information and knowledge, teaching and learning, and research. As global efforts at UNC expanded, the HSL sought to ensure that our global engagement strategy and integration were aligned with campus priorities and partner needs. The HSL created a global research partnership plan: identify resources that improve efficiency, increase access to information, build in-country capacity and expertise—all while strengthening collaborations across multiple countries. Creating a meaningful and sustainable engagement strategy was central to envisioning our path forward and can be used as a framework for consideration by librarians in similar settings.     

Information skills for distance learning

In spring 1997, the Education Services department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Health Sciences Library (HSL) developed six Web-based tutorials designed to teach information skills. This paper describes how the modules were created.     

Information Skills for Distance Learning

Abstract

In spring 1997, the Education Services department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) Health Sciences Library (HSL) developed six Web-based tutorials designed to teach information skills. This paper describes how the modules were created.     

Academic Engagement in the Library Commons

Abstract

Beginning in July 2002, the Health Sciences Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill underwent an 11 million dollar renovation. During three phases of the renovation, parts of the collection were inaccessible to patrons. In order to continue to make the library's collection available, library staff created a paging system. Patrons submitted requests for needed library materials using paper and electronic forms and library staff retrieved the requested items. The paging service was modified three times based on prior experience. Patrons were generally satisfied with the service. The renovation ended in December 2004.     

A Library and a Radio Show: The Story of a Successful Partnership at 10 Years and Counting

Your Health® Radio is a weekly one-hour radio show about consumer health produced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Family Medicine. It provides practical, health-related news and information to listeners in an easy to understand style. Hosted by a family medicine physician faculty member and co-hosted by other health professionals, it airs on a local radio station. Since 2009, Health Sciences librarians have collaborated on the show, bringing their expertise in information discovery and organization, consumer health, and health literacy to this consumer health endeavor. In the process, the librarians and libraries have also benefitted.     

Extending the hand of knowledge: promoting mobile technologies

The widespread use of handheld computers and other mobile devices in the healthcare environment and their potential for providing access to information has prompted health sciences librarians everywhere to learn more about this technology. Early in 2001, the Health Sciences Library (HSL) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill began exploring ways to support mobile computing. This paper describes the four basic approaches taken by the librarians that helped establish the HSL as a leader in the area of mobile technologies.     

Making the Common Uncommon?

Abstract

Many libraries have entered into cooperative or consor-tial agreements to reap the cost benefits of electronic purchases, to share a library system vendor, or to divide collection-building responsibilities. However, among such cooperating libraries the formal coordination of approval plan profiles has seldom been attempted. Many questions need to be answered before a group of libraries could enter into a cooperative approval plan. Would the political and administrative costs of designing and maintaining a cooperative profile be sufficiently offset by a broadened overall collection among cooperating libraries? To what degree do libraries acting independently achieve the same approval plan results that a formal coordination of profiles would generate?

The Triangle Research Libraries Network (Duke University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) is comprised of four geographically-close institutions that have been building cooperative collections for more than 50 years. Some of their agreements have been quite formal and others have been quite informal.

This study looks at the degree of approval plan overlap among TRLN libraries; at circulation data for these overlapping titles; and at lists of titles not acquired within the consortium. The results may inform the question of whether separate, uncoordinated approval plans already meet the need of the TRLN consortium, or if consortial approval plan cooperation might benefit the group.

An examination of monographs in four selected Library of Congress classes supplied to the TRLN libraries by Yankee Book Peddler over a six month period in 1997 provided data to examine issues surrounding a consortial approval plan. The degree of overlap among the four institutions was defined, and circulation statistics showed whether books acquired by multiple libraries had a high level of use. A list of YBP titles not acquired by any of the libraries during the same timeperiod wasalso analyzed, to examine whether formal cooperation might have usefully broadenedtheoverallcollection.     

Show Me the Value! Constructing an Analytical Tool for Assessing a Consortial Serials Package

ABSTRACT

In early 2014, the Electronic Resource Committee (ERC) of the Triangle Research Libraries Network, which includes Duke University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, began work to replace a database previously used to assess the value of consortially negotiated serial packages with a more accessible tool. Over the course of the next two years, the ERC collaborated with Matthew Harrington, a library technician at North Carolina State University, to create a Microsoft Access database capable of presenting title-level analyses, collection-level graphs, and institutional-level comparisons in addition to the higher-level summary statistics stemming from its original purpose. The database incorporates built-in functions to look for data integrity issues, reconcile title lists, and calculate what the package might look like with a different title set. This presentation focuses on the design and construction of this database tool in the context of its original intention, namely to show value. Therefore, rather than presenting an analysis of the data, I intend to demonstrate what can be done to transform data into information that displays value.     

“Hidden Treasures”: Librarian Office Hours for Three Health Sciences Schools

The changing needs of students and faculty have prompted UNC Chapel Hill's Health Sciences Library to reconsider the delivery of library services. Several years of outreach and office hours have yielded an array of “hidden treasures,” or secondary outcomes, of both online and in-person office hours. The online office hours are tailored for the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Public Health. This article examines the benefits that go beyond simple consultation statistics and encompass more qualitative aspects of success resulting from increased outreach, goodwill, and stronger library-departmental partnerships.     

A Down Under Reference Experience

Summary

In the summer of 1999, the author, a library science student pursuing his master's degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, travelled to Australia to do a field experience at the University of Sydney Law Library. This article talks about his experience, discussing, among other issues, his experiences behind the reference desk and difficulties in learning how to research Australian law.     

A library-based bioinformatics services program

Support for molecular biology researchers has been limited to traditional library resources and services in most academic health sciences libraries. The University of Washington Health Sciences Libraries have been providing specialized services to this user community since 1995. The library recruited a Ph.D. biologist to assess the molecular biological information needs of researchers and design strategies to enhance library resources and services. A survey of laboratory research groups identified areas of greatest need and led to the development of a three-pronged program: consultation, education, and resource development. Outcomes of this program include bioinformatics consultation services, library-based and graduate level courses, networking of sequence analysis tools, and a biological research Web site. Bioinformatics clients are drawn from diverse departments and include clinical researchers in need of tools that are not readily available outside of basic sciences laboratories. Evaluation and usage statistics indicate that researchers, regardless of departmental affiliation or position, require support to access molecular biology and genetics resources. Centralizing such services in the library is a natural synergy of interests and enhances the provision of traditional library resources. Successful implementation of a library-based bioinformatics program requires both subject-specific and library and information technology expertise.     

Libraries,Development, and Implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda: A Regional Workshop held in Montego Bay, 16–18 February 2017

The Global Postcards column is pleased to present a column dedicated to examining ways that libraries are promoting and supporting the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our first article, by column editor Robin L. Kear, provides a look at one of IFLA's regional workshops for their International Advocacy Program that helps libraries understand how to promote their role in development goals. Next, Roseline Bawack from the University of Yaoundé shares how academic libraries in Cameroon are working to achieve the SDGs. Then, Magnus Osahon Igbinovia and James Afe Aiyebelehin summarize the 2017 Nigerian Library Association meeting that addressed ways that libraries can support development goals.

If you would like to send a submission for a future Global Postcards column, please contact either of the column's co-editors: Jacqueline Solis, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, jsolis@email.unc.edu, and Robin L. Kear, University of Pittsburgh, rlk25@pitt.edu.     

重大公共安全突发事件中图书馆应急服务专家笔谈

面对重大公共安全突发事件,公共图书馆该如何应对?如何建立起一个科学合理的图书馆应急服务体系和服务机制?魏大威和廖永霞介绍了国家图书馆在面对2019新冠肺炎疫情这一重大公共卫生安全突发事件过程中所采取的一系列应对举措,并提出应对重大公共卫生安全突发事件还需要图书馆不断健全应急机制、完善应对策略、强化自身能力,才能更充分地做好服务保障;柯平指出,建立图书馆应急服务机制,包括应急保障机制、联动机制和信息共享机制,并提出了关于图书馆应急服务机制的十个方面的建议;张智雄结合中国科学院武汉文献情报中心组织开展的以COVID-19科研动态监测为代表的应急情报服务工作的体会,总结了面对重大公共安全突发事件中专业图书馆应急服务组织的几点认识,强调在重大公共安全突发事件下专业化的情报组织整编有着重要的社会价值;王有强结合国际图书馆界相关实践经验,提出应该充分发挥图书馆文献信息资源优势,在重大突发公共安全事件应急管理的决策、研究、宣传等方面充分发挥文献支撑服务作用;滕五晓提出,图书馆是我国公共服务体系中的重要组成部分,需要用系统思维构建以读者为本、以能力提升为宗旨的图书馆应急服务;周璐调研报道了新冠疫情暴发后国内公共图书馆开展应急服务情况,指出公共图书馆作为市民服务的公共机构,建立起一个科学合理的应急服务体系至关重要。     

Leadership and Social Justice

ABSTRACT

Leaders have tremendous influence not only in their organizations but for the profession and within the communities they serve. Librarianship has strong core values that are the foundation of our services but librarians also create an environment that supports diversity of opinions. How does a library leader balance social justice while serving the broad needs of a community? Is there an inherent conflict between personal perspectives and the encompassing multiple viewpoints? Library leaders may face difficult decisions in determining social justice issues within their libraries considering personal beliefs, institutional responsibilities, and community impacts. Every library leader has opportunities to address social justice issues within libraries and in so doing, will advance community goals of inclusiveness of all members.     

Can the Library Contribute Value to the Campus Culture for Learning?

What value can academic and research libraries contribute to the campus culture for learning? How can these value contributions be measured? This paper offers the campus culture for learning as a new frame of reference for measuring the library's contribution to learning. It examines various means of assessing the role a library plays in a campus learning culture. It identifies related outcome assessment goals, and the means of measuring performance are suggested.