You can go your own way: Conducting a signage audit in a health library.

BACKGROUND: The Library and Knowledge Services at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust has been at its current location since 1975 and, in September 2020, it was deemed necessary to examine the library environment and assess the signage. OBJECTIVES: The main objective was to conduct a methodical assessment of all the current library signage in order to improve the library environment, wayfinding, and clarity. METHODS: A methodical signage audit was conducted by library staff, photographing signs, assigning them to categories, and creating a signage map. RESULTS: In total, 58 different signs were counted in the library. Of these, 22 signs were deemed satisfactory, 4 should be moved to a more appropriate location, 15 should be updated with a branded design and better messaging, and 17 were recommended for removal. DISCUSSION: The results demonstrated that there were three main areas where signage could be improved: reducing the quantity of signs, updating the language and design, and the use of ad hoc signage. CONCLUSION: By assessing the signs and assigning categories and types, areas were identified as problem points that were impacting the library user's experience and small changes were implemented to improve the library environment.

Medical library systems and services: Bangladesh scenario.

This study highlights the present status of medical libraries in Bangladesh. It mainly focuses on the four key areas of medical libraries: Medical Library Services, Research4Life from Bangladesh perspective, Institutional Repository (IR), and Library Automation status. The research study also explores the various key challenges faced by the medical libraries in Bangladesh and finally provides necessary recommendations like a sufficient library budget, implementation of  an Integrated Library System (ILS), skilled manpower, more participation in information networking and resource sharing, sound ICT environment, online collection development for the overall development of medical libraries in Bangladesh.

Librarian involvement in systematic reviews was associated with higher quality of reported search methods: a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: Systematic reviews (SRs) are considered the gold standard of evidence, but many published SRs are of poor quality. This study identifies how librarian involvement in SRs is associated with quality-reported methods and examines the lack of motivation for involving a librarian in SRs. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We searched databases for SRs that were published by a first or last author affiliated to a Vancouver hospital or biomedical research site and published between 2015 and 2019. Corresponding authors of included SRs were contacted through an e-mail survey to determine if a librarian was involved in the SR. If a librarian was involved in the SR, the survey asked at what level the librarian was involved and if a librarian was not involved, the survey asked why. Quality of reported search methods was scored independently by two reviewers. A linear regression model was used to determine the association between quality of reported search methods scores and the level at which a librarian was involved in the study. RESULTS: One hundred ninety one SRs were included in this study and 118 (62%) of the SRs authors indicated whether a librarian was involved in the SR. SRs that included a librarian as a co-author had a 15.4% higher quality assessment score than SRs that did not include a librarian. Most authors (27; 75%) who did not include a librarian in their SR did not do so because they did not believe it was necessary. CONCLUSION: Higher level of librarian involvement in SRs is correlated with higher scores in reported search methods. Greater advocacy or changes at the policy level is necessary to increase librarian involvement in SRs and as a result the quality of their search methods.

Assessing the quality of services at an academic library.

Customers usually have high expectations on the services they receive. The LibQUAL model was employed in this study to investigate the quality of services at an academic library. The participants were chosen from the five colleges in a university using simple random sampling. Two hundred participants were chosen from each college. In all, 1000 participants (including faculty members, postgraduate and undergraduate students) were selected for the study. The study revealed that users knew and used the library's services. The researchers delivered the questionnaires to the respondents at the library. The results showed that the library service quality (LSQ) fell short of users' expectations. There was a statistically significant difference in LSQ between gender of users. The users' expectations of the library's level of service were out of sync or mismatch. The variations could be attributed to differences in information needs of users. This requires the library to assess its services from users' perspective regularly. The use of the LibQUAL model provides useful information that library management can employ for developing service quality measurement scale and planning for service quality. The study also provides information about services that needs improvement, so that library staff could manage users' expectations and satisfaction in a better way. University authorities expect good return of investment made into the development of the library. Therefore, libraries should improve upon their services to boost the image of the Universities.

Assessment of Library Services in Pediatric Hospitals in the United States and Canada.

This study reports on a 2022 survey of pediatric hospital librarians in the U.S. and Canada to assess the status of staffing, resources, and services in their libraries. The report compares the data against the MLA Hospital Library Caucus Standards (2022) and the Canadian Hospital Library Association Standards (2020). The report also provides a comparison of the libraries' rankings using the Regional U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospitals and Magnet status. This approach is intended to determine how librarians and library services at hospitals that are recognized by the above programs differ from those that are not recognized.

De-contextual communication: Factors influencing usage intentions of metaverse technology in digital library services.

This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the usage intentions of metaverse technology in digital library services within higher learning institutions, using the unified system information theory. To achieve this, an online survey was conducted among university staff and students, utilizing a link-scale measurement. Various factors affecting the usage intention of metaverse technology in library services were computed through transformation models such as UTAUT, DM, ISS, and TTF. Subsequently, the model parameters were empirically tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to identify the significant factors influencing the usage intention of metaverse technology. The results of the study reveal that users' intentions to use metaverse technology in digital library systems are influenced by perceptions of system use, perceived interaction, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Notably, these influences vary depending on the user's intended task. These findings provide valuable insights into the factors that affect the adoption and usage intentions of metaverse technology in the context of digital library services in higher learning institutions. This research contributes to enhancing understanding and guiding future strategies for leveraging metaverse technology effectively in educational environments.

A decade of systematic reviews: an assessment of Weill Cornell Medicine's systematic review service.

Background: The Weill Cornell Medicine, Samuel J. Wood Library's Systematic Review (SR) service began in 2011, with 2021 marking a decade of service. This paper will describe how the service policies have grown and will break down our service quantitatively over the past 11 years to examine SR timelines and trends. Case Presentation: We evaluated 11 years (2011-2021) of SR request data from our in-house documentation. In the years assessed, there have been 319 SR requests from 20 clinical departments, leading to 101 publications with at least one librarian collaborator listed as co-author. The average review took 642 days to publication, with the longest at 1408 days, and the shortest at 94 days. On average, librarians spent 14.7 hours in total on each review. SR projects were most likely to be abandoned at the title/abstract screening phase. Several policies have been put into place over the years in order to accommodate workflows and demand for our service. Discussion: The SR service has seen several changes since its inception in 2011. Based on the findings and emerging trends discussed here, our service will inevitably evolve further to adapt to these changes, such as machine learning-assisted technology.

Diseño e implementación de la biblioteca virtual de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de Bayamo

Las páginas web constituyen un medio facilitador del conocimiento. El trabajo se realizó con el objetivo de diseñar e implementar una biblioteca virtual para favorecer el proceso de gestión de la información del Departamento de Información Científica-Técnica y Biblioteca de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de Bayamo. Para el desarrollo del contenido del sitio se emplearon: observación, encuestas y entrevistas. Para desarrollar el producto se llevaron a cabo cinco procesos: planificación inicial del sitio, definición, diseño y estándares, puesta en marcha y plan de mantenimiento. Para la confección de la página se empleó el gestor de contenidos WordPress, así como PHP, MySQL, Apache, XAMPP y Windows como lenguaje de programación, motor de bases de datos, servidor Web, paquete de software libre y sistema operativo respectivamente. Se concluye que la implementación de la biblioteca virtual, facilita el proceso de gestión de la información, despierta el interés por la investigación y contribuye a la alfabetización informacional de los usuarios de salud que ingresen a la web. Facilitará la visibilidad, la gestión técnica bibliotecaria; la divulgación, difusión, y uso de los servicios y recursos de información disponibles.

Web pages constitute a means of facilitating knowledge. The work was carried out with the objective of designing and implementing a virtual library to favor the information management process of the Department of Scientific and Technical Information and the Library of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Bayamo. Observation, surveys and interviews were used in the development of the content of the site. Five processes were carried out to develop the product: initial planning of the site, definition, design and standards, commissioning, and maintenance plan. To create the page, the content manager WordPress was used; PHP, MySQL, Apache, XAMPP and Windows were used as the programming language, database engine, Web server, free software package and operating system, respectively. It is concluded that the implementation of the virtual library facilitates the information management process, awakens the interest in research, and contributes to the information literacy of health users who enter the web. It will facilitate visibility, library technical management, disclosure, dissemination, and use of available information services and resources.

Innovative public library services during the COVID-19 pandemic: Application and revision of social innovation typology.

Public libraries needed to quickly address the new challenges brought by COVID-19 to continue their services. This study aimed to understand innovative public library services during the pandemic and provide a typology that represent their services. Twitter messages of 12 large public libraries were analyzed to identify library services. A total of 751 Tweets were coded with thematic tags by service types and innovative approaches. Using the social innovation typology by Winberry and Potnis (2021), their typology was revised to show public libraries' innovative services under the emergency circumstances. The findings suggested significant differences within social innovation categories and newly emerged themes. The revised social innovation typology developed from Twitter data during the pandemic includes nine major categories of public libraries' innovative service types and provides updated insights into how public libraries continue to serve as important community resources using innovative approaches. The revised typology will be useful for future research in describing future innovation and assessing the endurance of pandemic-era service innovations.

Listening to Learners to Prepare for the Future: A Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Benchmarking Survey.

In 2022, a benchmarking survey was completed to gage learner satisfaction with library services, spaces, and resources across 10 Mayo Clinic Libraries. The discussion for this project began around a previously published survey of what medical students wanted from their library. Librarians were asked if Mayo Clinic Libraries could do a similar survey, as a full survey of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science had not been done. Overall, the findings were positive and provide a baseline for future surveys.

Assessment of Library Services at Top-Performing Pediatric Hospitals in the Southeast United States.

The authors compare and contrast the structure and function of librarians and library services using a convenience sample online survey of pediatric hospitals in the Southeast based on the rankings from the Regional U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospitals and Magnet status. This approach is intended to determine how librarians and library services at hospitals that are recognized by the above programs differ from those that are not recognized.

COVID-19 and Innovation in Medical Library Services: A Scoping Review of Case Studies.

The services of medical libraries and information centers has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to identify the innovative services of medical libraries and information centers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scoping review, PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, ProQuest, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA) databases were searched to identify case studies and case series. After screening the identified studies, 18 studies were selected. The results showed that the main users of medical libraries and information centers during COVID-19 were health care providers and recipients, researchers, organizational staff, and ordinary library users. Innovative services during the COVID-19 were also provided in these libraries, including distance education services, virtual information services, virtual guidelines, providing information resources, and evidence-based response to treatment teams. To provide these new services, medical libraries used traditional, semi-traditional, and modern information and communication technologies such as telephone, email, online library platforms, e-learning, and social networks. Medical libraries and information centers changed the way they provide services in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. Analyzing the services provided during this period can provide a model for policymakers, and medical librarians and information professionals to improve their services. The information presented here can be used to inform library services during future, similarly critical situations.

Health sciences librarian research and instruction services in pandemic information environments.

This study examined research and instruction services provided by academic health sciences librarians in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 205 respondents (N = 205) completed an anonymous online survey about academic health sciences librarian involvement in providing research and instruction services during the global pandemic. In-depth literature searching services (86%, n = 176), curated COVID-19 research through guides (66%, n = 135), and systematic review consultations (53%, n = 109) were reported as the top three research services in demand. Librarians supported online teaching and learning at their institutions by providing online instruction for a course (92%, n = 189), facilitating access to licensed resources (73%, n = 150), and identifying open access and open educational resources (62%, n = 127). Overall, this study contributes to understanding pandemic-responsive academic library services to meet the unique needs of health sciences education and research in evolving COVID-19 pandemic information environments.

Transforming and extending library services by embracing technology and collaborations: A case study.

Technology advances and collaborations with information technology and computer science groups have enabled library services to expand into new domains. Listening to user needs, eliminating administrative burden and saving users time remain strong foundations on which to build new library services enabled by technology. Examples of what is now possible is described, including service to user groups, successes, failures and challenges. Although technology advances have enabled library service enhancements to all user groups, special emphasis on new library services in support of the research enterprise is discussed. As Lindberg and Humphreys predicted in 2015, the research enterprise's need for responsible curation of research data has created new opportunities for library services and examples of those services are discussed. As technology continues to advance, new library services are expected to emerge. These may include regulatory and compliance services. By developing these services with user feedback to save users time and expedite their work, and in collaboration with technology experts, libraries can expect to offer sustainable and valued services for years to come.

Transformation of libraries during Covid-19 pandemic: A systematic review.

Purpose: This study analyze academic library services during Covid-19 pandemic (2020 and 2021), as well as the challenges they face, emerging library roles, and the most effective communication tools. Method: A systematic review of the relevant literature was undertaken following PRISMA guidelines. The relevant literature was retrieved from four major scholarly databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), and Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA)). The relevant 23 studies were included fulfilling inclusion criteria. A quality assessment of the included studies was also performed. Findings: The findings revealed that Covid-19 pandemic is certainly effecting and transforming libraries, their services and management. The library services during Covid-19 pandemic, their fundamental challenges, emerging roles, and available preferable communications tools are the categories in this study to better understand the pandemic-transformation. Implications: The practical and policy implications are that libraries must establish infrastructure and improve accessibility in order to provide the best possible support to modern library users who access resources remotely in this rapidly evolving digital environment. Organizational policymakers and library directors should prepare emergency and disaster management plans. The libraries should ensure their presence on social media and make use of their library websites.

Advancing nursing students' transition to scholarship: embedding a librarian into the Advanced Nursing Research course.

Background: Nursing students often prioritize learning clinical skills rather than research skills, possibly inhibiting their growth as scholars. Supporting nursing students' learning of information literacy skills has been shown to impact nurses' involvement with research after graduation. This suggests a need for developing innovative information literacy teaching strategies that can enable nursing students to better understand the process of research and how to apply research to practice. Case Presentation: This article describes the implementation of the embedded librarian project at the course level at the University of Memphis. A librarian was integrated into the Advanced Nursing Research course, a semester-long course for graduate nursing students, for the fall 2020 semester. This case shares the embedded librarian project's implementation and evaluation strategies. Conclusions: The embedded librarian project aided students' acquisition of information literacy skills at the University of Memphis. Students reported that the embedded librarian project helped them complete assignments for their research course. Using an embedded librarian service within the graduate nursing curricula model may enhance scholarship among future nurses.

Nexus between integrating technology readiness 2.0 index and students' e-library services adoption amid the COVID-19 challenges: Implications based on the theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND: The advent of the pandemic COVID-19 has resulted in a global crisis that resulted in the closure of universities and educational institutions worldwide. This study aims to explore the determinants of students' intention towards e-library services usage amid the challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reviews the technology-oriented individual attitude based on four dimensions of the technology readiness 2.0 index factors, which affect medical students' perspectives. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors provided a self-administered questionnaire to medical students to investigate their e-library adoption attitude during the COVID-19 crisis. The authors distributed 542 questionnaires, received 361 complete responses and analyzed the data through path modeling/partial least squares structural equations modeling technique (PLS-SEM) with the smart PLS software version 3.3.3. The structural equation-modelling tool permits the estimation of results. RESULTS: The main finding revealed that medical students have a positive and explicit approach to use the services available at the e-library. Technology use and online services helped students continue their educational needs in the advent of the current pandemic COVID-19. Attitude and subjective norms have significant influence and are strong predictors of intention. However, due to inadequate support for the government side, the perceived behavioural control has an insignificant impact on intention. This paper indicated one of the pioneers investigating the determinants of e-library adoption among medical students based on technology-oriented personality traits, employing the four dimensions of the technology readiness 2.0 index during the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSION: The study's findings provide useful insight that offers valuable insights to implement specific strategies from the government officials to address medical students' uncertainties and increase the technology adoption amid the COVID-19 pandemic in medical education for developing nations.

Graduate students in public health predict their actual usage of different library services and resources quite accurately.

BACKGROUND: Public health students need to use different resources to those used by other health science students. OBJECTIVES: To compare how users expect to interact with library resources and services with how they reported actual interactions and expected future usage, to inform library planning. METHODS: During first semester orientation, a paper questionnaire was administered to graduate students (n = 25), followed by an end of semester questionnaire in a mandatory public health course. Differences (orientation vs. actual and actual vs. predicted future) were analysed using chi-square tests. RESULTS: Most graduate students utilized library resources as frequently as they anticipated at the semester's start. Regarding which library resources they would use, respondents' predictions during orientation were accurate. Respondent confidence in their abilities to use the library resources rose by the semester's end, and the group's expectations of using electronic books in the future semester increased significantly. DISCUSSION: Graduate students had realistic expectations when predicting their library resource usage and difficulties and most expected to value the quiet space as much as they did. CONCLUSION: Such tracking of group expectations, experience and predicted usage helps library managers' plan where support is required.

The impact of COVID-19 on reference services: a national survey of academic health sciences librarians.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the scope and adaptive nature of reference services provided by academic health sciences librarians over a one-year period (between March 2020 and March 2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: In March 2021, academic health sciences librarians in the United States were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey about their experiences providing reference services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online survey was developed, pretested, and distributed to various listservs. RESULTS: A total of 205 academic health sciences librarians and other information professionals with health sciences liaison responsibilities in the US (N=205) responded to the online survey. The scope of reference services provided during the COVID-19 pandemic included email-based reference services (97%), virtual reference (89%), telephone (80%), text-based (33%), and in-person (31%). The most common types of COVID-related reference questions included COVID-19 treatments (53%), safety precautions (46%), vaccines (41%), and prevalence (38%). Additionally, the identification of challenging reference questions and examples of misinformation were provided by respondents. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the survey characterize the evolving nature and scope of academic health sciences reference work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Librarians reported an increase in reference questions during the pandemic and are answering them in creative ways despite barriers (e.g., limited time and reduction in resources). There is an opportunity for librarians to continue to address COVID-related misinformation. Overall, these findings provide useful insight for library practitioners and administrators planning reference services during public health crises.

Standards of practice for hospital libraries and librarians, 2022: Medical Library Association Hospital Libraries Caucus Standards Task Force.

The Hospital Library Caucus of the Medical Library Association (MLA) follows the practice established in 1953 of developing quality indicators and best practices in the newly developing and fast-changing world of hospital libraries. As these libraries increased in number and prominence, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAHO) included in 1978 a hospital library standard developed in collaboration with MLA. Subsequent changes in JCAHO, then The Joint Commission (TJC) knowledge management criteria as well as technological changes in the curation and delivery of evidence-based resources influenced standards changes over the years. The 2022 standards mark the most recent edition, replacing the 2007 standards.