Objective:
This Association of Vision Science Librarians revision of the “Standards for Vision Science Libraries” aspires to provide benchmarks to address the needs for the services and resources of modern vision science libraries (academic, medical or hospital, pharmaceutical, and so on), which share a core mission, are varied by type, and are located throughout the world.Methods:
Through multiple meeting discussions, member surveys, and a collaborative revision process, the standards have been updated for the first time in over a decade.Results:
While the range of types of libraries supporting vision science services, education, and research is wide, all libraries, regardless of type, share core attributes, which the standards address.Conclusions:
The current standards can and should be used to help develop new vision science libraries or to expand the growth of existing libraries, as well as to support vision science librarians in their work to better provide services and resources to their respective users.The Association of Vision Science Librarians (AVSL)—whose more than 150 members represent ophthalmology, optometry, and industry libraries throughout the world—has defined standards for its libraries since 1976 1–3. AVSL recommends that vision science libraries (VSLs) have at least one active member in AVSL. Standards for this very specialized area of library service have evolved owing to the work of librarians who, since 1937, have been developing and refining standards for their libraries 4. The standards reported here reflect the changes that have taken place during the decade and a half since the last edition of these standards were published. Changes include recommended staffing and technology, and the addition of a section addressing online access to information.AVSL convened a task force to first evaluate whether a standards revision was needed. Once it was agreed to do so, the task force guided the process of the revision, which included member surveys and discussions at meetings over the span of two years.The standards are intended to provide qualitative information such as appropriate staffing levels and collection scope, which can be used to evaluate existing vision science libraries or to develop new vision science libraries. In addition, these libraries should reflect the purpose and mission of the institution to which each belongs, and each library should have policies in place that outline the various areas to support the education, research, and patient care information needs of their institutions. 相似文献Objective:
The research studied the status of hospital librarians and library services to better inform the Medical Library Association''s advocacy activities.Methods:
The Vital Pathways Survey Subcommittee of the Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians distributed a web-based survey to hospital librarians and academic health sciences library directors. The survey results were compared to data collected in a 1989 survey of hospital libraries by the American Hospital Association in order to identify any trends in hospital libraries, roles of librarians, and library services. A web-based hospital library report form based on the survey questions was also developed to more quickly identify changes in the status of hospital libraries on an ongoing basis.Results:
The greatest change in library services between 1989 and 2005/06 was in the area of access to information, with 40% more of the respondents providing access to commercial online services, 100% more providing access to Internet resources, and 28% more providing training in database searching and use of information resources. Twenty-nine percent (n = 587) of the 2005/06 respondents reported a decrease in staff over the last 5 years.Conclusions:
Survey data support reported trends of consolidation of hospitals and hospital libraries and additions of new services. These services have likely required librarians to acquire new skills. It is hoped that future surveys will be undertaken to continue to study these trends.Highlights
- Data support reported trends in the decrease in the number of hospitals and hospital libraries.
- About 44.0% of hospitals had some level of onsite library service in 1989, compared with between 33.5% and 29.1% of hospitals in 2005/06.
- More electronic services and resources, such as Internet access and online materials, are being offered by hospital libraries, in addition to more traditional services
- Library staffing appears to be more unstable today than in 1989, with more libraries reporting a decrease in the number of staff.
Implications
- Hospital libraries continue to change in response to changes in the health care environment as health care administrators respond to financial pressures, library staff are downsized, degreed librarian positions are eliminated, and reporting structures change.
- MLA must continue to track the status of hospital librarians and libraries in light of the changing environment with surveys and other means, in partnership with others such as the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.
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What are the information needs of wheelchair-bound young people?
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What are their perceptions of libraries and library services?
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What are the problems they face in using library facilities and services?
If you would like to send a submission for a future Global Postcards column, please contact either of the column's co-editors: Jacqueline Solis, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, jsolis@email.unc.edu, and Robin L. Kear, University of Pittsburgh, rlk25@pitt.edu. 相似文献
In library and information science, there is a strong emphasis on technical skills like indexing, database design, and information retrieval. This column shows the importance of interpersonal skills, which reference librarians have traditionally employed, to the current special library environment. Librarians increasingly recognize that people seek information and knowledge from each other just as much if not more so than from databases and documents. Given appropriate mechanisms, experts readily share their knowledge. Decision makers seek information selected and curated by a knowledgeable human being, not just raw data.
At the same time, successful organizations recognize that the most important part of information management is not the library but the librarian, who can employ information strategically. The special library community should worry less about library closures and more about ensuring that librarians understand the work of their clients and deliver relevant information at the appropriate time with context and interpretation, making them an integral part of organizational decision-making. 相似文献
The purpose of this comprehensive study is to conduct a cross-sectional observation of four Portuguese university libraries, thus contributing to the knowledge of this reality and achieving an overview of the administrative structure, resources, and user instruction in these university libraries. The overall contribution to the field is mainly a focus on the state of the art of university libraries in Portugal. 相似文献