Evaluating a historical medical book collection.

BACKGROUND: After several years of storing a large number of historical medical books that had been weeded from the general collection, the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center developed a set of evaluation criteria to determine whether the material should be kept and included in the library catalog or discarded. The purpose of this article is to share lessons learned in evaluating and processing a historical medical book collection. The authors share how we determined review criteria as well as cataloging and processing procedures. CASE PRESENTATION: Best practices for evaluating, cataloging, and processing historical library material were determined through a literature search and then reviewed and adapted for application to this project. Eight hundred sixty-two titles were selected to add to the catalog and were added to a shelving location in our offsite storage facility. CONCLUSIONS: These materials are now discoverable in the library's catalog for library users who are interested in historical research, and the materials have been processed for easy retrieval as well as preservation purposes.

Supporting the library and information needs of UWE health and social care students on placement.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to explore the library and information needs of health and social care students whilst on placement. METHODS: Both desk and primary research were conducted and included an online questionnaire to students and semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 252 students from a variety of programmes, equivalent to a 10% response rate. The results indicate a wide range of factors impacting on the library and information experiences of students. Whilst differences in the availability of a physical library in hospital or community locations still exist, these are mitigated by technology and a preference for home study. A significant result is that 77% (n = 193) of students on placement study at home, using a variety of Internet-connected devices. This highlights a marked change in practice and underlines the need for mobile-compliant e-resources and accessible at-a-distance services. CONCLUSION: As a result of this research, practical recommendations on how library support can be improved were developed including enhanced collaboration and learning with NHS colleagues, and knowledge sharing with other departments within the University who support our students.

Combining resources, combining forces: regionalizing hospital library services in a large statewide health system.

After a reduction in full-time equivalents, 2 libraries in large teaching hospitals and 2 libraries in small community hospitals in a western US statewide health system saw opportunity for expansion through a regional reorganization. Despite a loss of 2/3 of the professional staff and a budgetary decrease of 27% over the previous 3 years, the libraries were able to grow business, usage, awareness, and collections through organizational innovation and improved efficiency. This paper describes the experience--including process, challenges, and lessons learned--of an organizational shift to regionalized services, collections, and staffing. Insights from this process may help similar organizations going through restructuring.

Rethinking the core list of journals for libraries that serve schools and colleges of pharmacy.

The Core List of Journals for Libraries that Serve Schools and Colleges of Pharmacy is a guide for developing and maintaining pharmacy-affiliated library collections. A work group was created to update the list and design a process for updating that will streamline future revisions. Work group members searched the National Library of Medicine catalog for an initial list of journals and then applied inclusion criteria to narrow the list. The work group finalized the fifth edition of the list with 225 diverse publications and produced a sustainable set of criteria for journal inclusion, providing a structured, objective process for future updates.

Preservando a memória em saúde: projeto de intervenção na coleção de periódicos da Biblioteca FAMED/HCPA

Os periódicos científicos têm sido fontes de divulgação e pesquisa em diversas áreas do conhecimento, como a da saúde, sendo armazenados em bibliotecas/centros de documentação. A Biblioteca FAMED/HCPA, por exemplo, dispõe de um imenso volume deste tipo de publicação, destacando-se aquelas revistas editadas no Rio Grande do Sul, perfazendo um total de doze títulos. No entanto, por serem originalmente publicadas utilizando o suporte papel, os fascículos têm sofrido a ação dos diversos agentes de deterioração, tanto humanos e biológicos quanto físicos/ambientais. Essa realidade pode acarretar a perda de várias informações significativas, relacionadas à história da saúde no Rio Grande do Sul, produzindo um impacto nas questões de preservação da memória institucional e social. Diante disso, este projeto de intervenção foi desenvolvido, procurando elaborar um plano de ação para a preservação destes doze títulos de periódicos, pertencentes ao acervo histórico da Biblioteca FAMED/HCPA.

Análisis de la producción científica española sobre abuso de sustancias en función de la colaboración entre disciplinas / No disponible

Objetivos: Se analiza la productividad y colaboración de disciplinas y especialidades en el área del Abuso de Sustancias en las publicaciones científicas firmadas por instituciones españolas (2001-2005). Metodología: A partir de las afiliaciones institucionales, en las que se hace constar habitualmente el departamento, servicio o unidad, se ha identificado y cuantificado la participación de las diferentes áreas del conocimiento en los trabajos recogidos en las bases de datos IME/Índice Médico Español, ISOC/Índice Español de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, SCI-Expanded/Science Citation Index-Expandedy SSCI/Social Sciences Citation Index. Resultados: En ISOC se han identificado 31 disciplinas y especialidades, con un 8,6% de documentos en colaboración entre las mismas. En IME 55 especialidades médicas, con un 10,89% de documentos en colaboración y en SCI-Expanded 62 especialidades y un 41,68% de documentos en colaboración. Conclusiones: a) El Abuso de Sustancias, Psicología, Psiquiatría, Epidemiología-Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública y Farmacología son las disciplinas y especialidades que presentan el mayor índice de productividad,a las que se suman, en el caso de los trabajos publicados en revistas extranjeras Bioquímica-Biología Molecular, Neurología y Neurociencia; b) los trabajos publicados en las revistas españolas recogidas en SCI-Expanded y en revistas extranjeras presentan índices de colaboración entre disciplinas mucho más elevados; c) las principales colaboraciones son las establecidas entre Abuso de Sustancias, Psiquiatría y Psicología, a las que se suman, en el caso de las revistas recogidas en SCI-Expanded las colaboraciones que establecen estas disciplinas con la Farmacología, Neurología y Neurociencia

Objectives: The analysis of productivity and disciplinary collaboration patterns for Spanish published scientific researchin the field of Substance Abuse (2001-2005). Methodology: From institutional affiliations we identified and quantified disciplinary participation in papers indexed in the IME / Índice Médico Español, ISOC/Índice Español de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, SCI-Expanded/Science Citation Index-Expanded and SSCI/Social Sciences Citation Index databases. Results: A total of 31 disciplines and specialities were identified in ISOC, with 8.6% of documents in collaboration between them; 55 medical specialities were identified in IME, with 10.89% of documents in collaboration between them; and 62 specialities were identified in SCI-Expanded, with 41.68% of documents in collaboration between them. Conclusions: a) Substance Abuse, Psychology, Psychiatry, Epidemiology-Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Pharmacology are the disciplines and specialities that present the highest productivity. To these can be added, in papers published in foreign journals, specialities such as Biochemistry-Molecular Biology, Neurology and Neuroscience; b) Papers published in Spanish journals indexed in SCI-Expanded and in papers published in foreign journals present much higher collaboration indexes between disciplines and specialities; c) The main collaborations between specialities are those between Substance Abuse, Psychiatry and Psychology. To these can be added, in the case of journals indexed in SCI-Expanded, those between these specialities and Pharmacology, Neurology and Neuroscience

The information trail of the 'Freshman 15'--a systematic review of a health myth within the research and popular literature.

QUESTION: How does health misinformation become part of the American and Canadian vernacular? DATA SOURCES AND SELECTION: Twenty-three databases were searched for articles discussing university freshmen weight gain. Research articles were examined for methodology, number and gender of the participants and weight gain. Popular press articles were reviewed for the types of information published: expert/anecdotal, weight gain, nutrition, exercise, health and alcohol. A timeline of article publication dates was generated. RESULTS: Twenty peer-reviewed, 19 magazine, 146 newspaper, and 141 university newspaper articles were discovered. Appearance of media articles about the 'Freshman 15' mirrored the peer-reviewed articles, yet the information did not reliably depict the research. Research indicated a weight gain of less than five pounds (2.268 kg), while half of the popular press publications claimed a 15-pound (6.804 kg) weight gain. The misinformation was frequently accompanied by information about achieving weight control through diet, exercise, stress reduction and alcohol avoidance. CONCLUSION: Understanding of how the concept of the 'Freshman 15' developed indicates that remediation efforts are needed. Collaborative efforts between health science and academic librarians, faculty and journalists to construct new paradigms for the translation of scientific evidence into information that individuals can use for decisions about health and well-being is suggested.

Realizing what's essential: a case study on integrating electronic journal management into a print-centric technical services department.

OBJECTIVE: To support migration from print to electronic resources, the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library at Yale University reorganized its Technical Services Department to focus on managing electronic resources. METHODS: The library hired consultants to help plan the changes and to present recommendations for integrating electronic resource management into every position. The library task force decided to focus initial efforts on the periodical collection. To free staff time to devote to electronic journals, most of the print subscriptions were switched to online only and new workflows were developed for e-journals. RESULTS: Staff learned new responsibilities such as activating e-journals, maintaining accurate holdings information in the online public access catalog and e-journals database ("electronic shelf reading"), updating the link resolver knowledgebase, and troubleshooting. All of the serials team members now spend significant amounts of time managing e-journals. CONCLUSIONS: The serials staff now spends its time managing the materials most important to the library's clientele (e-journals and databases). The team's proactive approach to maintenance work and rapid response to reported problems should improve patrons' experiences using e-journals. The library is taking advantage of new technologies such as an electronic resource management system, and library workflows and procedures will continue to evolve as technology changes.

The UK's SMARTAL Project: St MARTin's College health students Access to Learning resources whilst on placement.

BACKGROUND: St Martin's College pre-registration health students spend up to half their course on periods of placement, during which times they need to be able to access learning resources. The project aimed to replicate the Health and Education Northumbria Students Access to Learning resources (HENSAL) project. OBJECTIVE: To look at patterns of use and access to learning resources for health students on placement. METHODS: Questionnaires were distributed to students who had recently returned from a placement. Five Practice Placement Facilitators were interviewed to gain their views. RESULTS: There was a 60% return rate (n = 268) for the questionnaire. Most students thought access to learning resources was important yet these were not always available and varied according to placement type. Students still made regular use of the College library while they were on placement but had some difficulties. Students used electronic resources, tending to access them from home. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that there were issues which needed to be addressed by the College's Faculty of Health and Social Care, Library and IT services, the local NHS Trust libraries and the local Strategic Health Authority to improve access to and use of learning resources. The findings proved to be very similar to those of the HENSAL project.

Evaluation of web-based osteoporosis educational materials.

BACKGROUND: Many women are unaware of risk factors for and consequences of osteoporosis. Hence, patient education is an essential step in preventing and managing osteoporosis. Unfortunately, numerous studies have demonstrated a mismatch between the reading difficulty of typical patient education materials and the reading ability of many American adults. METHODS: We examined the readability and quality of web-based information on osteoporosis using the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) and DISCERN instruments. The three most widely used Internet search engines, Google, Yahoo, and MSN, were selected based on popularity according to Nielsen/Net Ratings. The search term osteoporosis was entered to generate the first 30 websites listed by each of the three search engines. Several websites appeared on all three search engines; we identified 27 unique websites. RESULTS: Overall, 51.9% of materials were rated by the SAM as not suitable. Most materials scored poorly for their reading level (82.6% were rated not suitable), with an average reading level at grade 11.5 +/- 2.8. The mean DISCERN score for overall description of treatment options was 35.7 +/- 18.0, indicating inadequate quality. Most materials had low quality in a number of indicators, including accuracy and biased presentation of information. CONCLUSIONS: Web-based osteoporosis information is written above the reading ability of most American adults, and much of it lacks adequate quality.