Using focus groups to guide development of a public health Web site

This paper explores a project funded through the National Network of Libraries of Medicine to enhance effective use of the Internet by public health professionals. The processes and outcome of an effort to develop a statewide Web site for public health professionals are described. A series of focus groups was conducted as a preliminary data-gathering tool to evaluate the information needs of the target population. Results of the focus group provided a valuable framework upon which to build a successful schema for Web site development.     

FROM THE LITERATURE: Terry Henner,Column Editor

This article explores automated task services, a type of website that allows users to create rules that are triggered by activity on one website and perform a task on another site. The most well-known automated task service is If This Then That (IFTTT), but recently a large number of these services have sprung up. These services can be used to connect websites, apps, business services, and even devices such as phones and home automation equipment. This allows for millions of possible combinations of rules, triggers, and actions. Librarians can put these services to use in many ways, from automating social media postings to remembering to bring their umbrella when rain is in the forecast. A list of popular automated task services is included, as well as a number of ideas for using these services in libraries.     

FROM THE LITERATURE: Terry Henner,Column Editor

ABSTRACT

In spring 2015, a 45-question survey was e-mailed to 585 medical students at the University at Buffalo (UB) in order to gauge their use of library spaces, resources, equipment, and services at UB’s Health Sciences Library and plan for a library space located within a new medical school building. Students’ self-reported use of the library during the academic year is presented along with the features they would like to see in their ideal library space. The responses generated in the survey are a barometer of current use and will be used in the planning process.     

Bridging the distance: bibliographic instruction for remote library users

Electronic information resources are proliferating, library collections are increasingly accessible via the Internet, and the number of end users who access library resources remotely is on the rise. Changes in user behavior drives a corresponding change in the way instructional programs must be delivered to meet the needs of remote library users. This paper discusses some technologies currently available for remote instruction, assesses their use, and offers views on future trends.     

Free MEDLINE and implications for library operations

The widespread availability of free MEDLINE systems on the Internet raises issues about the continued need to allocate library funds for commercial, fee-for-service MEDLINE vendors. This paper explores the evolution and acceptance of free MEDLINE, looking in particular at NLM's PubMed system. Results of a survey on librarian perceptions of PubMed are discussed. The new generation of PubMed software is evaluated in the context of end-user needs and educational goals of medical libraries.     

Promoting Race Pedagogy in Higher Education: Creating an Inclusive Community

ABSTRACT

The current study reports outcomes of a professional development model intended to strengthen faculty members’ cultural competence and skills for teaching about diversity and inclusion. Creating Inclusive Communities (CIC) was developed collaboratively by faculty from across social science disciplines based on a theoretical framework emphasizing learning principles, critical consciousness, and White racial identity development. This study examined the outcomes of the model on student cultural competence based on pre-post survey analysis. Findings indicate that students perceived a benefit from course activities related to race pedagogy and showed statistically significant results in two of three courses. These findings indicate that the infusion of an inclusive model, including in courses not directly related to diversity topics, has potential benefits to students. Additionally, the impact is strengthened through a more integrated approach over the course of the semester.     

Drone Class: Keeping Coursework Current as Technology Advances

Today’s students prioritize employment; they want to be sure that there will be work for them upon graduation. Film and media students, in particular, need a long list of computer software and film equipment skills on their resumes, especially newer technologies that professionals in the workforce have not yet mastered. Consider, in this regard, the development of aerial photography, a staple of conventional filming. Just as students can elect to specialize in camera technology or motion graphics, they may soon choose to hone their drone operator skills. Colleges with an emphasis on ensuring viable employment for graduates would be wise to offer drone training for all types of students, from engineering and robotics, to agriculture and aid work. They need to choose the training that will truly best serve their students.