Facilitating Collaboration and Research in Sex and Gender Differences and Women's Health: Year One Experiences

Librarians at the University of Florida Health Science Center Libraries partnered with faculty to promote awareness of and access to research on women's health and sex and gender resources in an outreach project funded by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women's Health. The project featured elements that facilitated cross-disciplinary collaboration (using CoLAB Planning Series®, or CoLABs), instruction to various groups (including faculty, undergraduate students, graduate students, and professional students), collection development, and information dissemination. Librarians leveraged existing partnerships with faculty and built new ones. Success in this project demonstrates that libraries can partner effectively with their faculty on emerging trends and new initiatives.     

A Review of: “HMO/PPO Directory. Mackenzie,Leslie”

This column describes a collaboration between faculty members in an Allied Health program and academic librarians to provide information literacy instruction to students enrolled in an evidence-based practice course. The process of collaboration is described beginning with the inception of the idea to collaborate, which grew out of an informal conversation between librarians and Allied Health faculty. Implementation of the project is described as well as future plans for the collaboration. The column also discusses initial impressions of student outcomes as well as plans for a more rigorous study of those outcomes.     

Centralized vs. Decentralized Models in Interlibrary Loan Access

ABSTRACT

In fall 1997, the University of Washington Bothell Library piloted a home-grown Electronic Reserves project to better meet the needs of its non-traditional population, consisting largely of returning, working, and/or commuting students. As the number of students commuting from greater distances increased, the need to provide remote access to course materials 24-hours a day became essential. Since no additional funding was received, the pilot began with only four classes. This enabled librarians to become familiar with the technology without being overwhelmed by demand. In-class demonstrations were provided, and quarterly surveys were distributed to students and faculty participating in the project. Results were analyzed over several quarters to determine the benefits to students and faculty. By fall 1998, 33 courses or 80% of reserves were available electronically. Issues that developed from the pilot included: (1) increased printing in the library and computer labs, (2) development of training classes for students; and (3) staff reorganization to provide the service.     

The Digital Literacy Partnership Website: Promoting Interdisciplinary Scholarship Between Faculty,Students, and Librarians

ABSTRACT

In 2013, the Center for Digital Scholarship at Miami University was established and coincided with the redesign of the Children's Picture Book Database, which had a successful web presence for nearly 20 years. We developed the Digital Literacy Partnership (DLP) website project in order to upgrade the project to Omeka as a new digital management tool and to establish a second resource called the Health Literacy Database. Over time, the project grew to include three databases with the mission to promote the contributions of literacy, health, and technology on learning. In this case study, we describe the role of academic libraries in supporting faculty and student design projects; share the history and mission of the DLP project; and explain the digital team of faculty, librarians, and undergraduate students. We also outline the production of public health eBooks targeted to children and adults with low literacy skills; the social marketing decisions we made from web usage statistics; and the technical lessons learned throughout this collaborative digital project.     

India

Abstract

The University of Florida (UF), Smathers Libraries has a centralized electronic reserve service, supported by Docutek's ERes software, to serve the needs of onsite and distance education courses. At the same time, the Health Science Center is experiencing explosive growth in distance education courses, particularly in pharmacy, nursing, occupational therapy, audiology, and forensic toxicology. Because the UF Health Science Center Libraries (HSCL) did not have an electronic reserve system and the library automation system did not offer a satisfactory option, the HSCL implemented ERes for their patrons in the six colleges they serve: Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, and Health Professions (Rehabilitation Counseling, Physical Therapy, Clinical Psychology, Communicative Disorders, Health Services Administration, and Occupational Therapy). This joint venture has given both the HSCL staff and Smathers staff the opportunity to collaborate, yielding many benefits for the Libraries, faculty, and students. The ultimate goal is for the Libraries to share the same policies and procedures and to have a seamless transaction for the faculty and students who utilize them. This article will not only address the issues that led to the implementation of ERes and “how we did it,” but will also discuss the positive changes of such a project.     

Four birds with one stone: collaboration in collection development

This paper reports on a collections development project undertaken by the Kent State Libraries and the School of Library & Information Science. The goal of the project was the re-drafting of collection profiles in anticipation of a changeover to a new vendor, Yankee Book Peddler (YBP). Collaboration was actually four-fold involving librarians, MLS students taking the collections course, faculty representatives from most academic units, and representatives of YBP. Participants met on several occasions to review titles purchased and to prepare new profiles. Personnel from YBP provided instruction for librarians and students in use of the company’s online selection management software, and students prepared both instructions for faculty representatives in the use of this software and reports on other aspects of the project. The paper assesses progress made and the overall value of the project to all concerned. It also anticipates potential future collaborative efforts that will serve both work and educational environments.     

Faculty–library collaborations in digital history: A case study of the travel journal of Cornelius B. Gold

ABSTRACT

In this article, the authors present a case study on a teaching and learning initiative in digital humanities at Connecticut College. The article outlines a project in which students in a midlevel history course collaborated with library staff and faculty to develop a digital exhibition on a nineteenth-century journal in the College's collection. The cooperative approach and institutional support that the team received provided an effective and flexible means for achieving common goals. As students applied emergent technologies to college collections, they were able to conduct meaningful research and bring archival resources to new audiences.     

High school peer tutors teach MedlinePlus: a model for Hispanic outreach.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to introduce the MedlinePlus Website to the predominantly Hispanic residents of the Lower Rio Grande Valley region of Texas by partnering with a health professions magnet high school (known as Med High). METHODS: Community assessment was used in the planning stages and included pre-project focus groups with students and teachers. Outreach methods included peer tutor selection, train-the-trainer sessions, school and community outreach, and pre- and posttests of MedlinePlus training sessions. Evaluation methods included Web statistics; end-of-project interviews; focus groups with students, faculty, and librarians; and end-of-project surveys of students and faculty. RESULTS: Four peer tutors reached more than 2,000 people during the project year. Students and faculty found MedlinePlus to be a useful resource. Faculty and librarians developed new or revised teaching methods incorporating MedlinePlus. The project enhanced the role of school librarians as agents of change at Med High. The project continues on a self-sustaining basis. CONCLUSIONS: Using peer tutors is an effective way to educate high school students about health information resources and, through the students, to reach families and community members.     

Use of a Pre-Assessment Tool to Start a Meaningful Dialogue: New Paradigms in Library Instruction

In 2009, the Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library started a library instruction dialogue with the medical students and faculty from the Emory School of Medicine. These discussions exposed a gap among faculty, students, and librarians in their perceptions of information processing. Follow-ups with the Associate Deans for Student Affairs and Medical Education led to the decision to administer an online assessment of the incoming student body and a complete redesign of the library orientation program. The aim of using self-assessment methodology in the framework of an orientation program was to set the students' foundation for self-discovery and introduce them to self-learning.     

Learning to Teach in a New Medium

Abstract

The development of a new method of providing instruction involves many different issues. This paper examines a pilot project in which videoconferencing was used to provide library instruction to students at remote campuses. The librarians initiating this new service confronted the issues of training, adaptation of instruction techniques to the new format, and collaboration with faculty and administrative staff. They also dealt with administrative issues such as scheduling classes and facilities and staff scheduling. This paper examines how this cross-departmental project developed and was supported, how the initial training was conducted, and how existing class outlines were adapted. Also discussed are the lessons learned from the initial sessions. Varied administrative and collaborative challenges face the library, faculty, and departmental administrators as this project moves from pilot project status into a regular and required part of the curriculum.     

Free or Fee Based Library in the Year 2000

ABSTRACT

With the rapid rise in distance education and online courses, the need to provide effective library services to the faculty and students involved in online courses is vitally important. Traditional services cannot always be transferred easily to the online environment and may need to be modified, or new services may need to be created to meet the needs of online users. This article examines the needs and wants of faculty involved in offering online courses. A Web-based survey was administered to faculty teaching an online course within the past 2 years at the authors’ organization. Faculty were asked a series of questions including their use of current library services, their emphasis on students using library services, and the services and resources they would like the library to provide in the future. Questions for the survey were inspired by LibQual comments received during our 2005 and 2007 surveys as well as comments received from both faculty and students while teaching and participating in online courses. Faculty who took the survey teach in a variety of disciplines and have different experience levels with teaching online courses. Results of the survey will be presented along with inferences from the current literature. The audience will be invited to share their innovative service ideas. Participants will gain ideas for updated or new services to faculty teaching online courses.     

University of Central Florida Librarians on Location

Abstract

Librarians on Location is an innovative project implemented at the University of Central Florida and is designed to move reference service out of the library to meet the needs of students. At two campus locations outside of the library, librarians use a wireless laptop to provide reference service and demonstrate library resources. The intent is to proactively meet the information needs of those students and faculty who might otherwise remain unaware of the extensive resources provided by the library. The nature of the project also addresses differing information-seeking styles in an informal setting. Because of the location in different buildings on campus, the project enhances the library's visibility to faculty, administrators, and students. Librarians on Location is one part of an ongoing and innovative outreach program at the University of Central Florida Library.     

Integrating an Informationist Into Graduate Education: Case Study With Preliminary Results

An informationist taught, consulted, and mentored graduate students enrolled in a graduate research project course in Health Informatics. An observational cohort study was conducted to determine the effect of an early (first term) and continued (subsequent term) exposure of course-integrated instruction, individual consultations, information resource mentoring, and educational collaboration partnership on the development of information literacy, research skills, and integrative competencies in graduate students. Student progress was assessed by survey, class performance, and faculty feedback. The course-integrated lectures, consultations, mentoring, and educational partnership between the informationist and academic advisors increased the students’ course performance, information literacy, and research skills in graduate students.     

Development and assessment of specialized liaison librarian services: clinical vs. basic science in a veterinary medicine setting

In 1998, the University of Florida Health Science Center Libraries (HSCL) developed and implemented a Liaison Librarian Program, dedicated to providing customized, subject-specific services to the faculty, students, clinicians, researchers, staff, and administrators of the six Health Science Center Colleges (Dentistry, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine). Subject- and role-specific (clinical vs. basic sciences) liaisons were assigned. This paper describes the HSCL liaison program, exemplified by the liaisons' work with the College of Veterinary Medicine. Preliminary program evaluation, a pilot project developed to discern the needs of the veterinary medicine clientele and facilitate awareness of liaison services, and subsequent re-evaluation of patron awareness and satisfaction are also discussed.     

Use of a pre-assessment tool to start a meaningful dialogue: new paradigms in library instruction

In 2009, the Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library started a library instruction dialogue with the medical students and faculty from the Emory School of Medicine. These discussions exposed a gap among faculty, students, and librarians in their perceptions of information processing. Follow-ups with the Associate Deans for Student Affairs and Medical Education led to the decision to administer an online assessment of the incoming student body and a complete redesign of the library orientation program. The aim of using self-assessment methodology in the framework of an orientation program was to set the students' foundation for self-discovery and introduce them to self-learning.     

The Library as Service-Learning Partner: A Win–Win Collaboration with Students and Faculty

ABSTRACT

This case study of a quarter-long collaborative service-learning project, repeated over several quarters, involves technical communication students and librarians at Eastern Washington University. The librarians needed to promote RefWorks, while the technical communication faculty needed a client with a computer-based tool for students to learn and then teach to others. Working in teams, fifty-eight students planned and executed fifteen RefWorks workshops for students. The majority of students liked using RefWorks and gave successful presentations to their peers. This project increased awareness and usage of RefWorks while also affording librarians a student-centered perspective on teaching and using this tool. In this win–win collaboration, students learned useful skills in addition to developing a sense of community with the library.     

Visualizing diversity: the Oregon Health & Science University Educational Use Photo Diversity Repository

Background:Health science education needs images that represent both the diversity of patients served and the diversity of its students and clinicians. To begin to address this need, a nurse educator and librarian collaborated to launch the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Educational Use Photo Diversity Repository. This online resource provides educators of health professional students with access to photos of pathophysiological conditions in skin of various colors so their students can increase their awareness of issues related to health and diversity and prepare themselves for more effective clinical work with their future patients.Case Presentation:The OHSU Educational Use Photo Diversity Repository became a university-wide project, leveraging the thoughts of an image advisory board, clinicians, faculty members, administrators, and students. Key considerations were given to the workflows used to submit photos as well as the controlled vocabulary for submitting images. The repository was started with photos already in existence, with future plans to have images taken specifically for the repository.Conclusions:This repository is playing an important role as OHSU and the health sciences in general reflect on the role of systemic racism in health care and clinical education. Negotiating issues of consent, patient health information, and privacy around using different technologies to take photos is a complex and ongoing process. The repository provides opportunities for closely examining these processes and creating improvements that result in more equitable education.     

Multimedia Bootcamp

Abstract

As students entering college, graduate, and professional schools have increased needs and preferences for multimedia in instruction, faculty need to learn appropriate techniques for integrating technology into their educational duties. Instructional designers at the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library at the University of Virginia developed and implemented aMultimedia Bootcamp to help faculty and their support staff develop the skills necessary to integrate technology into teaching.     

Combining History of Medicine and Library Instruction: An Innovative Approach to Teaching Database Searching to Medical Students

Library faculty members at the Health Sciences Library at the LSU Health Shreveport campus offer a database searching class for third-year medical students during their surgery rotation. For a number of years, students completed “ten-minute clinical challenges,” but the instructors decided to replace the clinical challenges with innovative exercises using The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus to emphasize concepts learned. The Surgical Papyrus is an online resource that is part of the National Library of Medicine's “Turning the Pages” digital initiative. In addition, vintage surgical instruments and historic books are displayed in the classroom to enhance the learning experience.