Health sciences libraries in the United States: new directions

This article is the third in a series in this regular feature. The intention of the series is to look at important global developments in health science libraries. These articles will serve as a road map, describing the key changes in the field and exploring factors driving these changes. The present article by the current president of the Medical Library Association outlines two important developments in the United States. The topics chosen for consideration are national initiatives in the United States impacting health sciences libraries and librarians and enhanced roles for U.S. health sciences librarians in providing support for research. J.M.     

New directions in health sciences libraries in China

This article briefly describes the services provided by Chinese health science libraries and the factors which influence service provision. Driven by new technologies and national initiatives, the key services delivered by Chinese health libraries in the last 10 years have been research support services (such as research impact assessment, support for data management), evidence‐based medicine, systematic reviews, the promotion of health information literacy, and the development of institutional repositories. J.M.     

Videodisc technology trends in academic health sciences libraries

This paper describes a national survey designed to determine trends in videodisc use, development, and production in academic health sciences libraries throughout North America. In the winter of 1989, 131 four-page survey instruments went to library directors in academic health sciences institutions. Of these, 63 (48%) survey forms were completed and returned. Survey results indicated a wide range of videodisc technology use and development and a growing production of both Level I and Level III videodiscs within academic health sciences libraries. Videodisc technology delivery for student use was centralized within many medical libraries, although videodisc development was not centralized within academic health sciences centers. Most libraries (67%) have purchased videodisc technology and over one fourth (28%) are repurposing a videodisc within their institution. Over one fourth (25%) of respondents have already begun to develop their own videodisc software, and almost one fourth (24%) of respondents have a Level III videodisc in production. Clearly the use and development of videodisc technology for biomedical instruction is expanding within academic health sciences libraries.     

Hospital libraries in the United States: historical antecedents

The hospital health sciences library of today that reaches out to the world knowledge base through electronic networks bears little resemblance to its forebears. Yet to understand the challenges and future directions of the hospital library it is necessary to examine how it began and how it has evolved in more than 200 years. This paper identifies five developmental periods in which major strides were made: the colonial years through the 19th century; World War I to the Great Depression; World War II and the 1950s; the 1960s--the Great Society and the Medical Library Assistance Act; and the 1970s, an era of growth for hospital libraries.     

Survey of audiovisual standards and practices in health sciences libraries

A survey of audiovisual (AV) practices in health sciences libraries was conducted by the Audiovisual Standards and Practices Committee of the Medical Library Association. The objective was to determine the variety and extent of AV practices currently in use in health sciences libraries, as a preliminary step toward developing AV standards.     

Accuracy of telephone reference service in health sciences libraries

Six factual queries were unobtrusively telephoned to fifty-one U.S. academic health sciences and hospital libraries. The majority of the queries (63.4%) were answered accurately. Referrals to another library or information source were made for 25.2% of the queries. Eleven answers (3.6%) were inaccurate, and no answer was provided for 7.8% of the queries. There was a correlation between the number of accurate answers provided and the presence of at least one staff member with a master's degree in library and information science. The correlation between employing a librarian certified by the Medical Library Association (MLA) and providing accurate answers was significant. The majority of referrals were to specific sources. If these "helpful referrals" are counted with accurate answers as correct responses, they total 76.8% of the answers. In a follow-up survey, five libraries stated that they did not provide accurate answers because they did not own an appropriate source. Staff-related problems were given as reasons for other than accurate answers by two of the libraries, while eight indicated that library policy prevented them from providing answers to the public.     

Active learning: its role in health sciences libraries

Active learning is a method of instruction which involves the students/attendees in the learning process by having them participate and reflect on that experience. It is a process which has received much publicity in the educational literature and is being incorporated in many fields within the health sciences. Health sciences librarians are beginning to incorporate active learning into instruction sessions, and a number of techniques being used in other settings could also be adopted. Examples are offered for using active learning in teaching the use of indexes, end-user database searching, Internet navigation, and problem-based learning.     

美国高校图书馆中的移动流通自助服务

调研移动流通自助服务模式,即读者利用其个人电子设备（如智能手机等）及移动应用程序实现流通借阅的自助服务模式及其应用现状和问题。对50余个美国高校图书馆工作人员进行问卷调查,结果显示尽管移动流通自助服务的概念被普遍认可,但实现仍需时日。调查中,超过1/3（占35%）的图书馆设有自助服务台,一半以上（占51%）的图书馆工作人员对自助服务应用程序有所了解,但有超过2/3（占70%）的图书馆近期没有考虑设置移动流通自助服务。本研究提供的信息和数据将有助于为高校及公共图书馆是否使用移动流通自助服务提供决策支持,以应对读者与日俱增的数字阅读习惯及其对移动服务的需求。     

Electronic publishing: implications for health sciences libraries and librarians

Increasingly we hear of "electronic publishing" in the form of books and journals made available as databases, either through traditional online services or through electronic message services. This paper explores its potential impact on the medical library community and on the relationship between end user and librarian. The librarian's new roles as intermediary, facilitator, and advocate for end users are examined. The question of developing expertise for evaluating information as well as facilitating access is addressed.     

A profile of health sciences libraries in Southeast Asia.

This paper reports the results of a survey undertaken by the World Health Organization of health sciences libraries in Southeast Asia. It includes information on clientele, budget, personnel, collections, lending policy, dissemination of information, and reference services. The survey indicates that the collections in most of the health sciences libraries in Southeast Asia are deficient and that services provided to readers are inadequate. Recommendations for improvement are outlined.     

The changing continuing education role of health sciences libraries

Libraries have always organizationally supported the continuing education (CE) objectives of their respective institutions. As CE experts increase their understanding of the learning process and the factors that make CE opportunities successful, it is important that health sciences librarians use this knowledge to enhance their positions as key players in the CE field. This paper surveys the literature related to the roles of health sciences libraries in CE, reports an informal survey of health sciences librarians, and identifies innovative services that integrate the library with the lifelong learning processes of its users. Four distinct support areas are identified in which the library relates to CE (resources, content, education, and information management), illustrating traditional library CE roles and suggesting new opportunities. To be successful in improving the library's role in CE, librarians must attend to their own lifelong learning needs, increase collaboration with educators and CE providers, participate in research that addresses the learning and information assimilation processes, and actively involve the library in the quality filtering process.     

Institutional repository software platforms at undergraduate libraries in the United States

For primarily undergraduate institutions, institutional repositories can become effective tools for communicating and showcasing faculty and student research, facilitating open access initiatives, or supporting new scholarly communication practices. Choosing the right software platform is crucial to the success of a repository initiative. The literature suggests that there are only two or three software platforms heavily used in undergraduate libraries. This article aims to give a landscape of the repository platforms used in sixty-seven undergraduate libraries in the United States in late 2013; it also includes the results of a short survey about current institutional repository software platforms and users/administrators’ satisfaction.     

An investigation of the educational needs of health sciences library manpower. 3. Manpower supply and demand in health sciences libraries

An investigation of the manpower requirements of health sciences libraries and of educational programs appropriate to these manpower needs was begun in March 1968. To date, 4,727 libraries have been identified as being used by 14,000 health sciences institutions and programs. Of this total, 2,628 are hospital libraries; 1,328 are health sciences libraries and collections located outside of hospitals; and 771 are academic or public libraries.Within these libraries some 14,938 persons are directly involved, either full- or part-time, in the delivery of health sciences library services. Of the total work force, 5,861 persons are employed in hospital libraries and 9,077 are employed in health sciences libraries and collections. The ratio between professional and nonprofessional employees is 1:2; professional and nonprofessional status was assigned by the chief librarian. Survey data indicate a 7 percent manpower shortage in positions classified as professional, and a 3 percent shortage in positions classified as nonprofessional.