Legal Reference Service:

This article examines the duties and liabilities of legal reference librarians to provide legal information to all sorts of patrons. While some law librarians may be bound to provide extensive reference service to specific patrons as a result of laws or court decisions, most librarians are only under those requirements determined by the local library or its governing body. Inadequate legal advice, instead of good legal reference service, can result in librarian malpractice and liability, with varying degrees of harm to the patron as well. A proposed hierarchy of patrons, with differing levels of service to be rendered is proposed. The final section deals with alternative means of legal information delivery, which would take the burden away from law librarians.     

The Developing Reference Librarian:

The learning of librarians continues beyond the awarding of the MLS. Continuing professional development is necessary for librarians to anticipate and position themselves for the changing information field and changing client needs. Practitioners on all organizational levels must recognize and support the importance of this activity. Administrators are accountable for providing clear institutional values and job expectations, and for creating an environment and incentives that nurture professional development. Librarians have the individual responsibility to recognize personal strengths and developmental needs, to realistically assess career changes and educational opportunities, and to contribute to the professional development of their colleagues throughout the profession.     

天津市高校图书馆学科馆员数字能力现状研究

[目的/意义] 数字化科研环境下,数字能力是学科馆员必备的能力之一,探索性地选择天津市作为研究区域,利用欧盟数字能力框架编制问卷对天津市高校图书馆学科馆员数字能力进行研究。为学科馆员数字能力实证研究提供测量工具;为进一步建设高校图书馆学科馆员数字能力提供参考。[方法/过程] 采用问卷调查法、数理统计等方法,从浏览、查询及检索评价信息、存储和管理信息、交流共享、制作内容、安全隐私、知识产权、识别数字能力差距7个维度及用户的一般人口学特征来研究天津市高校学科馆员数字能力现状,除横向7个维度外,根据数字能力概念,即适应数字化环境所需的知识、态度和技能,纵向将数字能力问卷分为认知和技能两部分。[结果/结论] ①以欧盟数字能力框架为基础的天津市高校图书馆学科馆员数字能力问卷具有较好的信效度,证明该问卷可以作为该领域的测量工具;②根据调查结果,一定程度上可认为天津市高校图书馆学科馆员数字能力较高,且认知水平高于技能水平,使用新型数字工具(如绘制思维导图软件、情报分析图谱软件及专利分析软件)的能力较弱;③天津市高校图书馆正高级学科馆员在使用文献管理软件、数字笔记本、数据库提供的投稿功能等方面的能力有待提高。     

Bringing the Law to the Library: The Importance of Librarian Mediation in Access to Justice Services

Library access to justice programs and services help people who need legal information and who cannot afford an attorney. Librarian mediation is a critical component in the provision of access to justice services. However, the value of library mediation, or assistance with using library resources, is often unrecognized, particularly where members of the public are trying to access electronic legal information sources, online legal forms, and other law technologies. This article will explore the role of librarians in providing access to justice services from the perspective of the work of Richard Susskind, which emphasizes technological approaches to providing legal services. While there is a place for technology in access to justice services, there is also a valuable role that librarians play in contributing to access to justice.     

Medical information, health sciences librarians, and professional liability

As a gatekeeper to medical literature and a critical link in the delivery of information to physicians, the librarian's role raises the issue of the librarian's professional liability. The paper suggests several ways in which liability may attach to the librarian or the librarian's employers. Although the librarian's personal risk is negligible, the physician's exposure due to ineffective library work is substantial since the courts have held that a physician must keep abreast of progress in his field. Librarians can also become associated with professional liability actions as part of a case against a physician or hospital through the legal doctrine of vicarious liability. The paper concludes by suggesting several proactive steps for health sciences librarians to pursue to insulate themselves from professional liability and to insulate physicians and institutions from vicarious liability.     

The legal responsibilities of the health–care librarian

相似文献   

Ethical Principles and Liability Risks in Providing Drug Information

In providing drug information to various groups of users, librarians must be aware of situations or actions that may result in liability. This paper examines these issues with respect to various categories of users and types of questions. In addition, this paper addresses the role of professional ethics in medical reference.     

Controversial issues: female genital mutilation

As immigrant women from African countries enter the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Western Europe, western health care providers are beginning to see patients affected by the cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Unfamiliar with the practice, either medically or culturally, these providers are turning to medical librarians for information. Complicating the issue are the strong negative feelings most western health care workers have about FGM, which appears to them to be both barbaric and cruel. These feelings may conflict strongly with those of their immigrant patients, who regard the practice as normal and desirable. Both medical and cultural information are needed for the professional to provide treatment of medical conditions, while also establishing a good relationship with the FGM affected patient. This article identifies and describes the most important refereed journal article databases, available now over the Internet, providing both medical and cultural information on FGM, and the most useful Web sites for health professionals, librarians, and interested laypersons who need information about this difficult multicultural issue.     

Health check for Latvia: opportunities for information professionals in a new democracy

Background: This paper outlines developments in medical information in Latvia since independence from the former USSR in 1991, and analyses the health information gap faced by professionals. Objectives: To explore international initiatives and co‐operation in health information provision in Latvia; to describe the activities of Latvian medical librarians at national, regional and international level; to look at health information provision by specialist information centres; and to discuss the role of librarians in health information provision in public libraries. Methods: An extensive search was made of databases and medical library and health information centre staff were interviewed; a questionnaire survey of librarians was carried out. Results: International initiatives and co‐operation by medical librarians have extended their services at national, regional and international level. Health information portals exist, with online contacts and links to smaller health centres and organizations, but rarely employ qualified librarians or information professionals. Ninety‐three per cent of public librarians had provided health information, with 79% using the Internet. The most popular sources of health information were magazines, books, local pharmacies and the Internet, but mostly for healthy lifestyle, not medical problems. Conclusions: E‐health and medical informatics are high government priorities. Medical librarians are actively involved in these initiatives.     

Library workers' personal beliefs about childhood vaccination and vaccination information provision

This is a report on the impact of library workers'' personal beliefs on provision of vaccination information. Nine public librarians were interviewed about a hypothetical scenario involving a patron who is concerned about possible vaccination-autism connections. The analysis employed thematic coding. Results suggested that while most participants supported childhood vaccination, tension between their personal views and neutrality impacted their ability to conduct the interaction. The neutrality stance, though consonant with professional guidelines, curtails librarians'' ability to provide accurate health information. Outreach and communication between public and health sciences libraries can help librarians provide resources to address health controversies.     

Dissemination of Information in Developing Countries

Abstract

With the blooming of information in digital format, dissemination of information is becoming a big challenge for developing countries. It is not only due to the limited provision of personal computersin addition, the technological infrastructure and the ability to access information are also becoming major concerns in developing countries. This paper examines the situation in the Asian developing countries as an example to illustrate the difficulties with the dissemination of information. The availability of personal computers is not the only difficulty facing developing countries. The availability and popularity of the Internet, the telecommunication policies and environment of the countries concerned, the information literacy level of the users and the librarians, the popularity of the English language, the knowledge of searching information on the Internet, and the maturity of the electronic publishing market are all inter-related and have affected the success of information dissemination. Recent developments in tackling the problems are also described.     

Undertaking an information-needs analysis of the emergency-care physician to inform the role of the clinical librarian: a Greek perspective

AIM OF STUDY: The primary focus of this pilot study was to gain a better understanding of the information needs of emergency-care clinicians. The secondary focus was to compare the traditional current practice of information provision within other emergency departments in Greek hospitals, with the new model of clinical librarianship (CL). RATIONALE: Clinical staff in the emergency department deal with a variety of cases, they have no time to visit the library, but need information instantly in their place of work. Clinical decision making in the emergency department setting frequently requires the clinician to obtain additional sources of information and clinical librarians may facilitate this. STUDY DESIGN: The present study focused on two professional groups: medical librarians (group A) and clinicians (consultants, senior registrars, registrars, nurses (group B), working in the emergency departments of two Greek hospitals. The study was organized through a questionnaire survey and some in-depth interviews. RESULTS: This study showed that, for 100% of the clinicians in daily practice, the main information needs arise while treating patients, and that information would help in making patient-care decisions. Clinicians made little use of hospital libraries because they are usually under tremendous time pressure. The main outcome of the study was the use of a clinical librarian as an information provider. Clinical librarians supply information to assist decisions, based on this model. This extends the librarian's role in evidence-based medicine, giving much stronger attention to the relevant evidence in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: Nowadays, health services are facing organizational change. The introduction of new technology, and rapid growth of medical knowledge creates a demand for new ways of providing information. Clinical librarian programmes may deliver patients specific information in a timely manner. The mission of the clinical librarian is to facilitate access to quality information which is necessary for improving health, and to act as an informationist in the emergency department.     

Providing real-time resources in support of LGBTQ+ and HIV+ populations as information experts on the ECHO hub team: a case report

Background:Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a telehealth initiative that aims to reduce disparities in delivery of health care by leveraging technology and local expertise to provide guidance on specialized subjects to health care providers across the world. In 2018, a new ECHO hub convened in Indianapolis with a focus on health care for individuals in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) populations. This ECHO iteration was one of the first of its kind and would soon be followed by a new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ECHO as well.Case Presentation:In a novel approach, information professionals participated in the early planning stages of the formation of these ECHO teams, which enabled the provision of real-time medical evidence and resources at the point-of-need once the teams were launched. This case study demonstrates proof of concept for including health sciences librarians and/or information professionals in the ECHO as hub team members. In this case study, the authors describe and quantify the value added to the HIV and LGBTQ+ ECHO sessions by the medical librarians, as well as provide a template for how other telehealth initiatives can collaborate with their local health information professionals.Conclusions:Librarian involvement in Project ECHO over the past three years has been enthusiastically received. The librarians have contributed hundreds of resources to ECHO participants, helped build and curate resource repositories, and expanded the embedded librarian program to an additional two ECHO iterations. ECHO hub team members report high rates of satisfaction with the performance of embedded librarians and appreciate the provision of point-of-need evidence to ECHO participants.     

Information services for primary care: the organizational culture of General Practice and the information needs of partnerships and Primary Care Groups

In a primary-care led National Health Service it is imperative for librarians not only to develop user-centred services for health professionals based in the community but also to facilitate information management within Primary Care Groups. In this article recent research in the field is discussed, and challenges intrinsic to delivering information services to primary care are identified. Drawing on the experience of one Practice Librarian in the Aylesbury area, the importance of organizational culture is considered, along with its implications for making successful approaches to partnerships. Five factors that motivated these practices to contract the services of an independent librarian are identified. The information needs of Primary Care Groups are discussed and the essential characteristics of future service provision are noted.     

Digital Access to Cultural Heritage and Scholarship in the Czech Republic

ABSTRACT. This article looks at selected digital library projects in the Czech Republic, with a focus on two main domains of activity: digital preservation of cultural heritage, and providing digital access to scholarship through institutional repositories. With regard to digitization of national cultural heritage, the Czech Republic, largely through the leadership of the National Library, has established itself as one of the most active countries in the region. With regard to providing access to Czech research and scholarship, although there is quite a bit of interest among research institutions and universities, institutional repositories are currently in the exploratory stage and have not yet been widely implemented. Copyright laws are repeatedly cited by Czech librarians as one obstacle to improving access to digital resources in both spheres of activity.     

图书馆的"馆员沉默"现象及其破解对策

馆员沉默是指馆员对图书馆存在的问题选择沉默并保留观点,或者提炼和过滤自己的观点的一种行为。这种现象的存在是由社会文化、图书馆、馆长和部门主任、同事以及馆员自身的原因造成的,并对图书馆和馆员产生消极的影响。根据其形成机制,可以采取发挥图书馆组织文化的导向功能、建设学习型图书馆、革新图书馆管理模式、建立有效的沟通体系、创建馆员激励机制等应对措施,扭转"馆员沉默"现象。     

The Disaster Information Specialist: An Emerging Role for Health Librarians

ABSTRACT

This article describes the emergence of disaster information (DI) specialists, with particular focus on their presence in health libraries. Although literature on the subject of disasters and libraries is dominated by accounts of librarians preserving collections and ensuring continuity of library operations following a flood, fire, or other disaster event, the work of DI specialists extends beyond these traditional roles. DI specialists conduct outreach in the community, providing information services to emergency managers and other disaster workers. This article recounts a history of disaster information service in which public librarians served communities during disaster recovery periods, and health librarians became involved in organizational disaster planning activities. DI products from the National Library of Medicine are introduced in addition to federal funding opportunities for DI outreach projects. The development of the Medical Library Association's Disaster Information Specialization Program is presented, and the article shares recommendations for library administrators to encourage DI training for librarians and support the development of outreach services to disaster workers.     

Reducing Stressful Aspects of Information Technology in Public Services

Although information technology has made locating and organizing information faster and easier in many ways, it also constitutes a source of stress for both public services librarians and patrons. This study identifies a number of sources of technological stress, which include everything from poor typing skills to poor interface design. It also proposes several ways to reduce technological stress, such as implementing a system gradually, communicating with staff about what to expect, providing adequate training for librarians, creating proper documentation, choosing ergonomically sound hardware and software, selecting a well designed interface, and involving staff and patrons in system design.     

The True Benefit of Faculty Status for Academic Reference Librarians

Faculty status means having the same privileges of rank, promotion, tenure, compensation, leaves, and research funds as other faculty. Arguments against faculty status include that focusing on status detracts from librarians' mission of providing access to information; that the rigorous requirements of faculty status are not something that librarians are prepared or qualified to pursue; and that good librarians would be just as good without faculty status. These arguments can also be used in favor of faculty status, especially as it relates to increasing the quantity and quality of library and information science literature and contributions by academic librarians.