Non-librarian health professionals becoming librarians and information specialists: results of an Internet survey

OBJECTIVES: To obtain basic information about non-librarian health professionals who become librarians and information specialists. METHODS: The survey was a Web-based questionnaire. A non-random sample of persons was obtained by posting messages to several large Internet electronic discussion groups. Individuals who met the selection criteria and were willing to participate filled out a Web-based form designed using common gateway interface (CGI) programming. RESULTS: 118 forms were analyzed. Three subgroups of participants were identified and statistical comparisons among these groups were carried out for many of the quantitative questions. Information concerning reasons they left their original field; factors influencing their choice of the field of library and information science; reactions of family, friends, and colleagues; and interactions with patrons and other information about this group was obtained and summarized. A health sciences background was seen as helpful in the new career as information specialist. Most people were happy with their new profession despite negative reactions from colleagues, relatives, and, occasionally, patrons. Feelings of regret and abandonment of their patients were noted by some. Many persons did not know that peers had made similar career changes. CONCLUSIONS: A health sciences background imparts an expertise in both the vocabulary and subject matter of medicine that non-biomedical individuals would not ordinarily have. Although becoming a librarian may be perceived as a very positive career change for an individual, societal opinion and pressure can make such a career change difficult. Nevertheless, participants in this survey demonstrate a high level of satisfaction with their new careers and are quite happy with their work.     

Integrating information literacy into the education of public health professionals: roles for librarians and the library

Objective: The paper reviews the core competencies for public health professionals presented in the Institute of Medicine''s (IOM''s) report, Who Will Keep the Public Healthy: Educating Public Health Professionals for the 21st Century; describes improving information literacy (IL) as a mechanism for integrating the core competencies in public health education; and showcases IL as an opportunity for solidifying partnerships between academic librarians and public health educators.Methods: The IOM competencies, along with explicit examples of library support from a literature review of current IL trends in the health sciences, are analyzed.Results: Librarians can play a fundamental role in implementing the IOM''s core competencies in shaping public health education for the twenty-first century. A partnership between public health educators and librarians through a transdisciplinary approach is recommended.Conclusions: IL skills and competencies integrated into public health curricula through a collaborative partnership between public health educators and librarians can help integrate the IOM''s core competencies and improve public health education.

Highlights

• Exploring and solidifying transdisciplinary partnerships with public health educators and librarians through curriculum-integrated information literacy (IL) is one avenue to continue successful education of public health professionals.

Implications

• Librarians can be considered public health collaborators essential to the twenty-first century education of health professionals.
• Future research is required to effectively evaluate the best practices of curriculum-integrated IL into public health education.
• Transdisciplinary research is advantageous for achieving the shared goal of educating public health professionals.

     

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.     

Business information sources for health sciences librarians.

As the health care industry becomes more business oriented, health sciences librarians will encounter more patrons seeking business information. Administrators and managers of health care facilities are primarily in need of business information. This paper discusses those resources with which health sciences librarians must be familiar to successfully meet the challenges of these new demands. It identifies traditional and online sources, and emphasizes business sources geared to the health care industry. The business managers of the health care facility represent a new patron market for the health sciences librarian.     

"参考馆员"、"学科馆员"与"核心馆员"刍议

文章对参考馆员、学科馆员与核心馆员的概念进行了辨析,进而论述了三者的关系及其对图书馆工作的作用.     

Education for information professionals in the UK

During the last 10 years, there have been significant changes in LIS education in the United Kingdom. In this paper we have analysed the current provision of education for information professionals at 16 universities in the United Kingdom and set this against the trends and changes of the past decade. In addition to documentary sources, we have conducted a brief survey of the LIS education providers. We conclude that there has been a shift towards postgraduate education for information professionals. We also note that there has also been significant expansion of undergraduate education in information management, almost none of which has been in the form of courses accredited by the principal UK professional body, CILIP.     

Genetic information resources: a new field for medical librarians

The Human Genome Project is generating unprecedented quantities of new genetic information. The new discipline of bioinformatics has created many new molecular biology databanks to store the results of the Human Genome Project. This data is expected to be the information source for biomedical science in the 21st century. As molecular biology research moves out of the laboratory and becomes molecular medicine, a growing number of people need access to genetic information. Medical students, healthcare practitioners and patients need help in finding appropriate information. Medical librarians should know how to search key genetic information resources and should have a basic understanding of the type of information contained in each.     

* New opportunities for NHS librarians and information scientists

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与时俱进对馆员信息素养的要求与培养 --从总书记的题词谈起

结合总书记为图书馆题词之时代背景,着重阐述信息时代图书馆员信息素养必须与时俱进,要求馆员必须树立信息服务意识,掌握信息导航能力,遵守信息伦理规范,并对提高图书馆员信息素质的若干举措进行探析。     

Charting a path for health sciences librarians in an integrated information environment

[This corrects the article on p. 421 in vol. 81.].     

数字环境下图书馆员信息素质培养策略研究

通过对212所高校图书馆网站的馆员信息素质学习栏目建设情况进行调查,从栏目设置、培训内容、培训方式等方面进行了分析。在此基础上,提出要从职业道德、业务素质和学术素质三方面培养高校图书馆馆员的信息素质,并强调高校图书馆馆员信息素质培养网上平台的建设策略：一是注重平台的互动性;二是提供课程资源共享;三是提供网上模拟考试系统。     

Preparing public librarians for consumer health information service: A nationwide study

A nationwide survey study was conducted to gain understanding as to how to prepare public librarians for consumer health information service. Findings indicate that the popular health information needs encountered by public librarians cover a wide variety of topics, including the human body, a medical/health condition, a disease, a medical concept, and fitness/diet/nutrition. The top two challenges faced by public librarians when providing consumer health information service are difficulty in interpreting patrons' questions and lack of knowledge about available and trusted/appropriate medical/health information sources. Public librarians wish to receive training on a number of topics that could help address the challenges they face, and the most favorable training format for them, among all the options provided in the survey, is the self-paced online tutorial. This study constitutes the basis for establishing training requirements and developing training programs to meet the needs of public librarians. Their mastery of the necessary skills, knowledge and competencies via training will lead to effective and efficient delivery of consumer health information service in public libraries, and ultimately generate optimal patron experiences.