Continuing professional development in Australian health libraries

This article provides an outline to current issues in continuing professional development within the Australian health library sector. The role of the Australian Library and Information Association is explored, and other providers of CPD activities and their relevance to health librarians are discussed.     

Technology and informatics in Australian health libraries

Australia is no different to any other country in that information technology (IT) and the speed of its advancement has a huge impact on health care and therefore on health libraries. Australian health librarians are valuable members of health care teams and strive to integrate services and resources across hospitals. This article looks at the role Australian health libraries play in the broader health information landscape and the importance of information governance and health informatics as a tenet of the work undertaken by libraries. Of particular focus in this is the Health Libraries Australia/Telstra Health Digital Health Innovation Award, offered annually, to help focus on particular technological challenges. Three cases studies are explored demonstrating impact on the systematic review process, inter-library loan system automation and a room booking service. Also discussed are the ongoing professional development opportunities, which help upskill the Australian health library workforce. Australian health libraries also face many challenges with piecemeal IT systems across the nation, resulting in lost opportunities. Also, many Australian health services do not have a qualified librarian on staff, which undermines information governance. However, resiliency shines through with strong professional health library networks working to challenge the status quo in an effort to improve the application of health informatics.     

Evaluating suppliers for South Australian public libraries: The PLB principal suppliers agreement

The article reports upon the reasons for the drafting of a tender document, the Principal Suppliers Agreement, at the South Australian Public Libraries Branch. It discusses the need to be accountable to funding authorities by documenting the basis on how major suppliers to public libraries are selected. The contents of the agreement, the process of evaluating suppliers and the implementation of the agreement are described. The consequences of issuing the tender for both the institution and the companies and the evaluation of suppliers are also considered.     

Online health information in South Korean public libraries: Developing evaluation criteria

Public librarians in South Korea assist users in obtaining information on a variety of topics. However, health-related information and services have a lower profile than other services due to a perceived lack of librarian expertise in searching and evaluating health resources. Although public library users are actively seeking health information, it has become critical for both public librarians and users to develop skills for using and evaluating Internet health resources. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify a set of useful criteria to evaluate online health web sites for both librarians and library users. From a comprehensive literature review, 33 criteria related to health website evaluation were identified. Using this set of criteria, South Korean public librarians and users were asked to rate the importance of each criterion in surveys. A strong consensus was found between the two groups. The top 10 most highly rated criteria from both groups were identified and compared. The results led to the development of an initial set of 12 evaluation criteria for health websites. It is expected that the final set of criteria will be used by public librarians to recommend the best health websites to their users. Although the study was conducted in South Korean public libraries, the findings are applicable in providing evaluation services of health websites to libraries worldwide.     

图书馆与网络书店书目捡索系统的比较及分析

对国家图书馆使用的书目检索系统和大型网络书店当当的书目检索系统在检索功能、检索结果、用户管理等几个方面进行了比较,并对比较结果进行分析.指出目前图书馆书目检索系统存在的问题以及由此引发的思考.     

图书馆与网络书店书目检索系统的比较及分析

对国家图书馆使用的书目检索系统和大型网络书店当当的书目检索系统在检索功能、检索结果、用户管理等几个方面进行了比较,并对比较结果进行分析。指出目前图书馆书目检索系统存在的问题以及由此引发的思考。     

澳大利亚大学图书馆观感及对我国大学图书馆的启示

文章介绍了澳大利亚大学图书馆诸多方面的情况,并对我国大学图书馆的工作提出了建议.     

Seniors connect: a partnership for training between health care and public libraries

Kaleida Health Libraries, in partnership with the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, presented "Seniors Connect: A Health Information Project." The program was funded by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the Kaleida Health Foundation. The purpose of the project was to teach African-American and Hispanic senior citizens or their caregivers residing in the city of Buffalo how to search the Internet to find quality, accurate, understandable health information. Attendees were taught to distinguish quality information from inaccurate, misleading, and fraudulent material. A total of fourteen training sessions were offered. The Seniors Connect program was initiated with health fair at each branch library, conducted by Kaleida Health staff, to provide an opportunity for participants to learn about health care services available in their community; observe demonstrations of health information searches on the Internet; learn about new treatment modalities for diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid abnormalities, and hypertension; and interact with area health care providers and library staff. The sessions were highly rated by attendees and many participants expressed their gratitude for a program geared specifically toward seniors.     

Acquisitions expenditure by Australian libraries: Report of a survey

Based on a questionnaire survey of Australian academic, special and public libraries, this study seeks to determine the amount that Australian libraries spend on various types of materials. It presents detailed quantitative data on the acquisitions expenditure of the various library sectors in relation to selected categories of materials, and it draws broad conclusions about the present state of acquisitions expenditure and library spending in Australia.     

Resource sharing among Australian libraries: A distributed national collection

Resource sharing among Australian libraries is longstanding and takes a number of forms including interlending, the sharing of bibliographic information through the Australian Bibliographic Network, shared storage facilities, and reciprocal borrowing schemes. Most recently, the Australian library community has elected to define and more formally develop the concept of a distributed national collection. Further development of the concept will involve five elements: bibliographic control, collections, access, preservation, and national coordination. Infrastructure needs include a national conspectus, national access to holdings information, an effective interlending system, and creation of a national preservation office.     

A pilot survey of user satisfaction with the online search service in South West Thames Regional libraries

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Collection management in Australian academic libraries: An American perspective

This paper discusses collection management in Australian academic libraries. The author's sabbatical project was interviewing over 30 academic librarians in October/November of 1992 in eight of the largest research university libraries in Australia. These librarians gave their opinions on selection, acquisition, assessment, budget allocation, cooperative arrangements, and resource sharing. This paper also explores the recent changes in the higher education system in Australia and its impact on Australian universities and libraries, as well as the part Australia's distance from suppliers plays in procurement of materials.     

Marketing and health libraries

AIM: To present an overview of the concepts of marketing and to examine ways in which they can be applied to health libraries. METHODS: A review was carried out of literature relating to health libraries using LISA, CINAHL, BNI and Google. RESULTS: Marketing is seen as a strategic management activity aimed at developing customer relationships. Concepts such as the 'four Ps' (product, price, place and promotion), marketing plans, the marketing mix, segmentation, promotion and evaluation are identified and discussed in relation to health libraries. CONCLUSION: In increasingly complex health service and information environments, the marketing and promotion of library services is becoming more important if those services are to justify the resources given to them. Marketing techniques are equally applicable to physical and digital library services.     

Market orientation: a concept for health libraries

OBJECTIVES: This paper is the result of exploratory research forming part of ongoing study into the value and relevance of market orientation as a strategic option for library managers. The aim of the study is to gain an understanding of the concept of market orientation relative to the health library sector. METHODOLOGY: A focus group was used to gather data from health librarians working at different levels in the sector. The data was coded and categorized by an expert panel and analysed using a taxonomic map developed during the study. RESULTS: Health library professionals define and understand market orientation in the same way as the concept is defined in the management literature. Their understanding of the concept is developing. A greater emphasis is given to some aspects of market orientation than others. CONCLUSIONS: There are implications for further research. Methods used to measure market orientation in other domains are likely to be relevant for libraries. Research should be extended to different sectors to explore any cross-sector differences. Fostering an organizational culture that supports market orientation has implications for service management and development.