In response to reported closings of and staff reductions at hospital libraries, the Medical Library Association (MLA) and the Hospital Libraries Section of MLA agreed to study the state of hospital libraries and librarians under the auspices of the Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians. The task force's Health Sciences Librarian in Medical Education Task Force (METF)* was charged with reviewing the accreditation standards regarding libraries for residency programs and with working with national organizations to integrate library services, education, and staff into the requirements for training medical students and residents.

/pdf/the-health-sciences-librarian-in-medical-education-a-vital-36e15fxyht.pdf

The Health Sciences Librarian in Medical Education: A Vital Pathways Project Task Force

In 2010 the Health Sciences Libraries Group (HSLG), a special interest group of the Library Association of Ireland (LAI), commissioned a review of the status of health librarianship and libraries in Ireland (SHELLI) (Harrison, Creaser & Greenwood 2011). The aims of the review were to gain a broad understanding of what was happening in practice in the Republic of Ireland, to acquire knowledge about international best practice, and to inform strategic plans to develop and sustain health libraries and librarianship in Ireland. The review was timely, given the socioeconomic situation prevailing in Ireland, the wider changes in the Irish health and public sector, and the six year gap since the publication of the government report Health information: a national strategy. This paper highlights the main findings of the review which was undertaken by the Department of Information Science and the Library and Information Statistics Unit (LISU), Loughborough University, during 2010-2011.

The status of health librarianship and libraries in the Republic of Ireland (SHELLI): a mixed methods review to inform future strategy and sustainability.

Objectives: To assess the current landscape of hospital libraries by collecting benchmarking data from hospital librarians in the U.S. and other countries. Since the last MLA benchmarking survey in 2002 hospital libraries have faced significant changes including downsizing, position and library elimination, and hospital mergers. This survey will provide information to inform the development and implementation of effective advocacy for hospital libraries. Methods: A web-based, anonymous survey was designed to collect information from hospital librarians representing stand-alone hospitals and hospital systems. The 57question survey was distributed via select listservs, targeting the US and Canada but open to any country. The topic areas covered hospital/health system, library, and library staff demographics; library characteristics and scope of service; interlibrary loan and document delivery; library funding; and library budget. Hospital library benchmarking surveys, including the previous MLA surveys, were reviewed and applicable questions were added. Results: There were a total of 180 respondents, but the total number of responses for each question varied. Select results are as follows: of the responding libraries, 67.2% were part of a hospital system; 24.4% had merged with or were bought by another hospital or health system and, of those, 77.1% had acquired 1-5 hospitals in the last 10 years; 77.9% were not for profits; over half (55.2%) had <5,001 FTE in the organization; 56.9% had one library; 47.7% had 1 FTE librarian, 34.9% had 2-5; 82.1% did not or were not able to use social media; 60.7% didn’t have strategic plans; 66.1% belonged to a consortium; 48.2% provided up to 250 search requests a year; 66.3% did not receive funding outside of their organization; 32.5% had budgets for print books totaling less than $1,000; 30.1% had budgets, excluding salaries, of less than $100,000 and 9.7% had budgets over $1M.

/pdf/benchmarking-study-of-hospital-libraries-15g22cgmkr.pdf

Benchmarking study of hospital libraries

Introduction Patients have different rights, one of which is their right to access health information. The aim of this study was to identify patients' rights to benefit from consumer health information services using a qualitative method. Materials and methods The research method was qualitative using a Delphi technique. The statistical population consisted of 12 specialists in the field of medical library and information science and researchers and healthcare professionals. Eight dimensions and 42 items of patients' rights were identified and were approved by Delphi panel. Results Regarding patients' rights to benefit from consumer health information services, eight dimensions including the right to health knowledge, the right to access to health information, the professional behavior of medical librarians with patients, content richness, information seeking skills, awareness of new services and products, the ease of using health information centers, and the professional behavior of healthcare professionals with patients were identified and approved. Conclusion Decreasing the gap between the health literacy of healthcare professionals and patients is one of the duties of medical librarians and health information professionals. Establishing of patient rights in the area of utilizing health information services is an important step in improving the quality of services received by patients.

Identification of patients' rights to benefit from consumer health information services: A Delphi study

Growing Opportunities in the Hospital Library: Measuring the Collection Needs of Hospital Clinicians (Growing Opportunities) was implemented at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center's Health Science Library in Burbank, California. The library embarked on this project to determine how its collection could better suit the needs of the hospital's clinicians. The goal was to streamline the collection by canceling underutilized journal titles, thereby making funds available to purchase more electronic resources. The library used usage statistics and surveys to make these decisions. Growing Opportunities resulted in the cancellation of 14 print journals, the addition of two electronic ones, and a collection more tailored to the library's users.

Growing Opportunities in the Hospital Library: Measuring the Collection Needs of Hospital Clinicians

The Medical Library Association’s Standards for Hospital Libraries 2002 has been developed as a guide for hospital administrators, librarians, and accrediting bodies to ensure that hospitals have the resources and services to effectively meet their needs for knowledge-based information. Specific requirements for knowledge-based information include that the library be a separate department with its own budget. Knowledge-based information in the library should be directed by a qualified librarian who functions as a department head and is a member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals. The standards define the role of the medical librarian and the links between knowledge-based information and other functions such as patient care, patient education, performance improvement, and education. In addition, the standards address the development and implementation of the knowledge-based information needs assessment and plan, the promotion and publicity of the KBI services, and the physical space and staffing requirements. The role, qualifications, and functions of a hospital library consultant are outlined. The health sciences library is positioned to play a key role in the hospital. The increasing use of the Internet and new information technologies by medical, nursing, and allied health staffs, patients and the community require new strategies, strategic planning, allocation of adequate resources, and selection and evaluation of appropriate information resources and technologies. The Hospital Library Standards Committee has developed this document as a guideline to be used in facing these challenges together.

Linné Girouard

Papers

Standards for hospital libraries 2007: Hospital Libraries Section Standards Committee.