Impact of a consumer health information specialization (CHIS) sponsorship program on the ability of public library staff to provide consumer health information

Objective:In 2018, the Network of the National Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) launched a sponsorship program to support public library staff in completing the Medical Library Association''s Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS). The objectives of our study were to: (1) determine whether completion of the sponsored specialization improved ability to provide consumer health information; (2) identify new health information services, programming, and outreach activities at public libraries; (3) investigate benefits of the specialization; and (4) determine the impact of sponsorship on obtaining and continuing the specialization.Methods:We used REDCap to administer a 16-question survey in August 2019 to 224 public library staff who were sponsored during the first year of the program. We measured competence in providing consumer health information aligned with the eight Core Competencies for Providing Consumer Health Information Services [1] as well as new activities at public libraries, benefits of the specialization to public library staff, career gains, and the likelihood of continuing the specialization based on funding.Results:More than 80% of 136 participants reported an increase in core consumer health competencies, with a statistically significant improvement in mean competency scores after completing the specialization. Ninety percent of participants have continued their engagement with NNLM, and more than half offered new health information programs and services. While more than half planned to renew the specialization or obtain the Level II specialization, 72% indicated they would not continue without NNLM sponsorship.Conclusions:Findings indicate that NNLM sponsorship of the CHIS specialization was successful in increasing the capacity of public library staff to provide health information to their communities.     

论高校图书馆精细化管理的价值、途径和目标

文章从价值、途径和目标三个方面探讨高校图书馆精细化管理问题。高校图书馆实行精细化管理的价值体现在图书馆过程管理和目标管理中;可以通过制度管理精细化、资源管理精细化和服务管理精细化等途径实现高校图书馆精细化管理;其本质和目标是实现图书馆的人性化服务。文章还就通过精细化管理实现高校图书馆人性化服务的可能性和现实性以及存在的问题进行了分析研究。     

Collection development at the University of Agriculture library,Abeokuta, (UNAAB) Nigeria

This study focuses on collection development in the library of the University of Agriculture from 1983 through 1993. The metamorphosis through which the university has passed is highlighted to show the effects of policy instability on collection development efforts. Methods used for gathering facts and figures for the study included a questionnaire distributed to staff and students, interviews, and official records searches. The study showed that over the years, resources for collection development have been declining in real terms leading to a reduction in the student-book ratio from 1:40 in 1983 to 1:9 in 1993. Problems confronting collection development such as escalating costs of foreign currency, import restrictions, and the politics of resource allocation are also highlighted. Strict compliance with the National Universities Commission's (NUC) funding standard for university libraries is recommended.     

Using the resources of the public library in market planning in starting a business: A hypothetical case

How public library resources may be used in starting a business can be illustrated by a hypothetical “case.” This can be effective in familiarizing oneself with library resources in a relevant context. Every starting small business is going to be different, but the resources will be the same. This case is also envisioned as a training tool.     

The information needs of perioperative staff: a preparatory study for a proposed specialist library for theatres (NeLH)

AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To undertake an information-needs analysis of operating theatre staff in order to inform the development of a specialist library of the National Electronic Library of Health (NeLH). SETTING: Three hospitals in an NHS Trust in a rural county in the north of England. METHODS: In-depth interviews, during which staff were questioned in regard to their job roles and information needs, information-seeking behaviour, access to computers, use and perceptions of the NeLH, and what they would like from a specialist library. RESULTS: Information needs were found to concern direct care, professional and academic development, medical devices knowledge and administration. Currency and speed of delivery were the key information requirements. Poor communication appeared to be a major problem for many staff and inhibited efficient information exchange. When using the Web, both clinical and non-clinical staff searched in a similar fashion to health consumers generally, despite their need for highly specialist information. Most respondents reacted warmly to the idea of the proposed National Electronic Library for Theatre Staff (NeLTS) and made several practical suggestions for suitable material. However, access was problematic for nurses and might prove to be an obstacle to take-up of the Specialist Library. CONCLUSIONS: Communication difficulties, the fragmentation of data in the field and the consequent difficulties of finding information point to the need for an NeLTS. However, for this library to embrace and succeed with all the various groups that constitute the operating theatre staff, issues of access and digital literacy need to be addressed.     

Bibliographic control of medical illustrations--a case study in the development of a library subsystem: I. Project planning

The need to provide bibliographic access to a collection of original medical illustrations led the Library of the University of California, San Francisco, to search for a bibliographic control system and, not finding a satisfactory one, to develop one of its own, Part 1 of the report details the planning for such a development, including the need for bibliographic control of illustrations, the goals of the proposed system, design decisions and changes required, the type of system chosen, special subjects indexing needs, the required output, and staffing and budgetary needs.     

Developing the tasks-toward-transparency (T3) model for research transparency in open science using the lifecycle as a grounding framework

An increasingly data-intensive research environment has highlighted the need for greater research transparency to facilitate integrity and trust in open science and in the conduct of research more widely. The initial findings of faculty researchers' behaviors and practices toward research transparency, using the research data lifecycle as a grounding framework are reported. Four focus group sessions were conducted with faculty researchers in different disciplines, including natural sciences, social sciences, engineering, and different transparency practices were captured using the researchers' own language. Four generic transparency components were identified: action verb, object, task, and stage in the research lifecycle. The inter-relationships between specific transparency components were visualized using network visualizations. The network visualizations suggest that the lifecycle stages of Process/Visualize/Analyze and Publish/Preserve/Archive are key points for transparency, where ‘data’ play a critical role demonstrated by the multiple node-edge relationships. Based on the findings, a conceptual model, termed the Tasks-Toward-Transparency (T3) Model, was developed. This model may inform researcher practices and support research stakeholders whose role is to articulate and deliver transparency advocacy, policy, training programs, and services.     

Community outreach library services in the UK: a case study of Wirral Hospital NHS Trust (WHNT)

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The study evaluates the Community Outreach Library Service at Wirral Hospital National Health Service Trust (WHNT). It considers the information seeking behaviour and information needs of primary care staff, and service effectiveness in meeting those needs. METHODS: A literature review established the current context and areas of best practice. The investigative case study used postal questionnaires to 250 primary care staff and an interview with the Community Outreach Librarian. FINDINGS: Themes emerged from the literature regarding information seeking behaviour, information needs, and meeting user needs through effective service delivery. Outreach services have value in terms of improving information skills and providing services at point of need. Time is a major constraint for both users and service providers. CONCLUSIONS: Investment is needed from appropriate funding sources to support the provision and marketing of outreach library services. Librarians benefit from sharing best practice. The continued evaluation of outreach library services is recommended.     

Institutional repositories (IRs) in universities of Pakistan: Issues and emergent framework for remedies

This paper assesses the issues affecting the development of institutional repositories (IRs) in Pakistan along with presentation of an emergent framework for the development of IRs. The contribution is based on a sequential mixed methods research approach. In first phase the study opted a cross sectional survey with a structured questionnaire followed by a focus group of university librarians in 2nd phase to collect qualitative data on the phenomenon. The study found that IRs was a developing phenomenon at an infancy and did not emerge as a mandatory component of campus infrastructure in universities of Pakistan. Issues of awareness, willingness, motivation, administrative support, skills, finances, and collaboration were identified as major challenges affecting the development of IRs. The study proposed a framework for the development of IRs. The findings of the study have theoretical implications for researchers and practical implications for higher education policy makers, publishers, university administrators, and library administrators. The study may be generalized to other countries with similar economic and social context.     

Two representations of the research process: The preparing,searching, and using (PSU) and the beginning,acting and telling (BAT) models

Two representations of a three-stage diagrammatic model that holistically depicts the research process are presented. The representations incorporate elements culled from existing information-seeking behavior and information literacy instruction research, as well as evidence gathered from a study of third grade elementary school students, as they worked to fulfill a class project's requirements. Both representations are content independent, attribute equal importance to each of the three stages, and target the K-12 educational environment. The full representation, the preparing, searching, using (PSU) model, is intended for use by instructors and more advanced students. The model identifies elements inherent within the three stages of the research process including actions, affective behaviors, impact factors, learning, and reflection. The simpler representation, the beginning, acting, telling (BAT) model, which is embedded into the PSU, presents only the three main stages and the actions associated with those stages using a familiar graphic (a bat) and a mnemonic device to visually present the basic elements of the research process to younger elementary school students. The PSU model is designed to identify and address the unique information behaviors of students (affective, cognitive, and physical) and factors that may impact the research process. As a result, the representations can be used by educators, including information professionals and teachers, to inform instruction, such as lesson planning, development of assignments, resource location and evaluation, and the use of information, to fully exploit all aspects of the research process. The PSU model can also be used to teach more sophisticated concepts to older students by introducing more complex features gradually to the BAT model.     

Organizing the process of processing,storing, presenting,and searching electronic resources in a university library

The functioning properties of a university library in regards to its provision of electronic service to readers have been studied throughout extensive experimental exploitation. Additionally, the evolution of the automated library information system of the N.E. Bauman Yauza library at MSTU is considered. Requirements are proposed to achieve an effective automated system for the processing, storing, and searching of electronic information resources in a university’s library based on certain identified properties. The following key principles necessary for this type of system to function are developed: the stream typology for the completion of a modern university library, a uniform model of electronic information resources, the architecture of a subsystem for presenting and searching electronic resources, organizational methods for processing the most commonly received types of incoming documents for a library with the purpose of organizing effective electronic service for readers.     

"士先器识而后文艺"--略论图书馆学家、图书馆事业家刘国钧先生的人文眷注

文章从刘国钧先生的人文教养、图书馆事业观、图书分类探索、图书史观、图书馆工作实践等方面,探讨了这位卓越的图书馆事业家和富于原创性的图书馆学家深切而真挚的人文眷注。