Economic and political factors have had far-reaching effects on hospital libraries in the last decade, but quantitative evidence of these changes is not readily available. Through periodic evaluation surveys within its multistate region, the Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library Service, the Regional Medical Library for Region 7 of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (formerly the Regional Medical Library Network) has monitored hospital library changes over the years. This paper compares data from a 1989 survey with similar information gathered in 1984. Longitudinal analysis was performed on responses from 188 hospitals that responded to both the 1984 and the 1989 survey, as was cross-sectional analysis of all responses from both surveys. Results showed a small decrease in the number of hospitals with separate library collections. Staffing patterns had changed considerably, with a drop of approximately one entire full-time salaried equivalent per library and a decrease in libraries managed by a librarian with an M.L.S. The libraries that provide all of a set of predefined core services and resources decreased from 61% in 1984 to 44% in 1989. Libraries with M.L.S. staff were more likely to have core services than those without professional staff.

The changing status of hospital libraries 1984 to 1989: characteristics and services in Region 7 of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.

In "Establishing a Psychiatric Library," by Phyllis Rubinton, M.L.S., in the May 1983 issue (pages 444-450), the correct volume number in Appendix 1 for "Reading About Psychoanalysis" in the British Journal of Psychiatry is volume 139. In Appendix 3, the Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic should have been listed as a bimonthly publication.

Establishing a Psychiatric Library

The aim of the present study is to annalyse the situation of Biomedical Libraires in Spanish Hospitals, in order to establish a basis for the organization of a cooperative network of information services providing adequate coverage of users requirements.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-94-011-1668-8_40.pdf

Current Situation of Biomedical Libraries in Spain--1991

THIS PAPER WILL REVIEW current practices and emerging trends in mental health librarianship as they have developed with the growth of the mental health field. Mental health librarians are defined here as professionals who provide library service in both public and private mental health and/or health sciences institutions, agencies and organizations. The mental health field is here considered as the totality of the subject. The mental health system relates to the provision of services. “The challenge of providing quality care for the mentally ill is a major public health and social policy issue. The evolving design and structure of the mental health system results from the complex interplay of an array of political, social, fiscal, and professional forces.”’

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/7223/librarytrendsv30i4c_opt.pdf?sequence=1

The Mental Health Librarian: A Member of the Team.

DEVELOPING STANDARDS FOR health sciences libraries is difficult because of the variety of libraries providing services to individuals in a health care setting. These include academic, hospital and special libraries (e.g., pharmaceutical companies). Even within these categories, one can see a great deal of variation. For example, an academic health sciences library may serve one or two programs in the allied health field, a medical school, or a health sciences center serving a multitude of academic programs. Among hospital libraries there is a great deal of difference between the large teaching hospital with extensive responsibilities for graduate medical education and the hospital responsible for health care delivery in a rural community. Service standards are defined as a level of excellenceor adequacy in the performance of library service, and will be the scope of this paper. They may be identified as standards, guidelines, norms, requirements, principles, and/or lists. Service standards may be qualitative (e.g., the informational, educational and research-related needs shall be met) or quantitative (e.g., x number of seats per number of enrolled students). Traditionally, standards were quantitative and looked at the budget, staff, collection size, and physical facilities. The current trend is to develop qualitative standards which are derived from a philosophical point of view. This paper will first discuss the standards that have been instrumental in improving hospital library service. It will then discuss the standards in academic health sciences libraries, and finally will review

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/7252/librarytrendsv31i1l_opt.pdf?sequence=1

Standards for Health Sciences Libraries

Hospital libraries are considered to be the basic unit of the medical information system. A major statewide effort was begun in 1978 to introduce and support legislation in the New York State Legislature which would encourage hospitals to establish and maintain libraries that meet minimum services standards. Included in this legislation is the concept that the Commissioner of Education in consultation with the Commissioner of Health shall have the power to establish standards for hospital libraries. The Ad Hoc Committee for the Promotion of Hospital Library Services, Western New York Library Resources Council, proposes The Standards for Professional Health Sciences Library Services in Hospitals of New York State to clarify and to strengthen existing hospital library standards. These standards differ specifically from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals standards in that they place equal and specific emphasis on eleven points: administration, qualifications of library staff, continuing education of library staff, requirement for a library advisory committee, required library services, required library resources, library space requirements, library budget, library network and consortium membership, documentation of library policy, and continued evaluation of the needs of the hospital for library service. Detailed interpretations are provided. An appendix describes the qualifications of a hospital library consultant.

A P Hutchinson

Papers

Proposed standards for professional health sciences library services in hospitals of New York State.