ABSTRACT
The Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA) is a free, online global professional development program designed by librarians for librarians working in research-intensive environments. Developed through a unique partnership that includes a Library and Information Sciences academic program, research and health sciences libraries, and industry, the RDMLA's inception, development, and launch provide helpful insights into the creation of online professional development courses. The RDMLA team's experience building the course's curriculum with an instructional designer (ID) and evaluating the operation and usefulness of the course's content through usability testing provides valuable lessons learned for librarians constructing an online continuing education (CE) course.
Subject(s)
Curriculum , Data Management/organization & administration , Education, Distance/organization & administration , Education, Professional/organization & administration , Librarians/education , Libraries, Medical/organization & administration , Research Personnel/education , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , United StatesSubject(s)
Access to Information , Child Health Services/organization & administration , Health Education/organization & administration , Program Development/methods , Child , Community-Institutional Relations , Health Systems Agencies , Humans , Libraries, Medical , Massachusetts , Organizational Case Studies , Program Evaluation/methods , State GovernmentABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Movement towards evidence-based practices in many fields suggests that public health (PH) challenges may be better addressed if credible information about health risks and effective PH practices is readily available. However, research has shown that many PH information needs are unmet. In addition to reviewing relevant literature, this study performed a comprehensive review of existing information resources and collected data from two representative PH groups, focusing on identifying current practices, expressed information needs, and ideal systems for information access. METHODS: Nineteen individual interviews were conducted among employees of two domains in a state health department--communicable disease control and community health promotion. Subsequent focus groups gathered additional data on preferences for methods of information access and delivery as well as information format and content. Qualitative methods were used to identify themes in the interview and focus group transcripts. RESULTS: Informants expressed similar needs for improved information access including single portal access with a good search engine; automatic notification regarding newly available information; access to best practice information in many areas of interest that extend beyond biomedical subject matter; improved access to grey literature as well as to more systematic reviews, summaries, and full-text articles; better methods for indexing, filtering, and searching for information; and effective ways to archive information accessed. Informants expressed a preference for improving systems with which they were already familiar such as PubMed and listservs rather than introducing new systems of information organization and delivery. A hypothetical ideal model for information organization and delivery was developed based on informants' stated information needs and preferred means of delivery. Features of the model were endorsed by the subjects who reviewed it. CONCLUSION: Many critical information needs of PH practitioners are not being met efficiently or at all. We propose a dual strategy of: 1) promoting incremental improvements in existing information delivery systems based on the expressed preferences of the PH users of the systems and 2) the concurrent development and rigorous evaluation of new models of information organization and delivery that draw on successful resources already operating to deliver information to clinical medical practitioners.
