Systems Librarianship Through the Lens of an Open Systems Framework in a Hospital Library Setting: A Case Report.

Systems librarianship, when merged with the position of informationist, evolves into the identity of the systems informationist in the hospital setting. The Health Sciences Library at Geisinger has successfully implemented a systems informationist role within an open systems framework. The duties of the systems informationist are framed here using: input for information-seeking behavior; throughput of clinical support for patient care; output by user experience in research and education; and feedback to elevate operational excellence. This case report contributes a focused approach to systems librarianship, providing examples for other hospital libraries that may be interested in developing their own Systems Services.

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.

Coronel (R) Enrique Blas Dos Santos (1907-1992): primer cronista del Hospital Militar: impulsor de las bibliotecas biomédica y cultural / Colonel (R) Enrique Blas Dos Santos (1907-1992: first chronicler of the Military Hospital: promoter of the biomedical and cultural libraries / Coronel (R) Enrique Blas Dos Santos (1907-1992): primeiro cronista do Hospital Militar: promotor das bibliotecas biomédicas e culturais

Al celebrarse este 25 aniversario de la revista Salud Militar nos importa recordarlo pues en parte se debe al coronel Enrique Blas dos Santos su existencia. No son sus funciones administrativas las que mueven este homenaje, sino su desvelo por preservar el patrimonio histórico de la institución e impulsar proyectos culturales en beneficio de todos los funcionarios del Servicio e incluso de sus familias.

Assessing Diversity in Hospital Library Collections.

Public libraries have conducted collection diversity audits, but this is the first known report of a diversity audit in the hospital library community. A two-part questionnaire was sent to hospital librarians to determine their use of diversity audits in collection management and to provide a tool for a preliminary assessment of their collections' diversity. Results of the questionnaire indicate that developing diversity within hospital library collections is important to these respondents. These librarians also support diversity in their library personnel, open access, researching critical gaps, and programming.

Hospital Libraries: Past, Present and Future.

Hospital libraries have a long and storied history in the United States. Since the 1700 s, they have provided vital resources to the medical community. Over time, hospital libraries have evolved regarding staffing, resources, and access, yet their mission has remained the same-they are expected to provide the best possible medical information to support patient care. Hospital librarians need to appreciate the history of their profession and the services they have provided in the past in order to sustain the value of their contributions well into the future. Looking at the history, as well as the present state of hospital libraries, helps hospital librarians shape their future. Advocacy is vital in a time when hospitals stretch their budgets as far as possible, hospitals consolidate and hospital libraries close.

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.

Integrating e-collections following the merger of two specialist hospital libraries: a case study.

BACKGROUND: Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust was formed in February 2017 following an acquisition. The Library and Knowledge Services (LKS) merged while operating across two hospital sites. A priority for the merged Library and Knowledge Service was to integrate e-collections. A literature review identified six papers reporting health libraries that had merged and integrated e-collections. OBJECTIVES: A priority for the merged Library and Knowledge Service was to integrate e-collections. METHODS: To ensure equitable and cost-effective access to an extended collection, an audit of pre-existing e-collections was conducted. Electronic licence agreements enabling cross-site access were negotiated. A new OpenAthens ID was created. RESULTS: The integration of e-collections enabled Trust staff access to a greater number of e-journals and additional e-content, and an overall cost-saving was achieved. DISCUSSION: This case study supports existing literature stating that integrating collections increases the number of e-journals. It further identifies cost-difference in acquiring cross-site access to e-journals compared to databases providing full-text e-journals and additional e-content. CONCLUSION: Integrating e-collections enables equity of access and value. A national co-ordinated approach to procurement of e-collections will further support equity and best value throughout NHS LKS.

Popping up in Unexpected Places: Posing a Pop-Up Library to Healthcare Staff.

Pop-up libraries have been a trending form of outreach by public and academic libraries during recent years but they are still a novel concept in clinical and hospital settings. Engaging with healthcare staff in common spaces with an inviting temporary display provides an opportunity to proactively raise awareness of library resources and services to non-library users while also piquing interest in a timely topic or special theme. Mayo Clinic librarians describe how a pop-up library was implemented as a unique form of outreach at the Rochester, Minnesota campus in early 2020.

Appraising the Community of Practice at a Hospital Library System Using a Critical Librarianship Lens.

The Kaiser Permanente health sciences librarians created inter-regional policies to standardize and guide the work of all librarians across regions. In response to the larger organization's emphasis on promoting diversity and equity in healthcare and the workplace, the library policies have evolved over time to include aspects of critical librarianship in the information services that the Kaiser Permanente librarians provide to their organization. The article describes how the inter-regional group of hospital librarians provide information services through a critical librarianship lens and provides examples of how other health sciences librarians can incorporate these principles to expand their services.

La biblioteca de hospital en Portugal: la visión de los bibliotecarios / Hospital libraries in Portugal: a librarian's view

El objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar la perspectiva profesional de los bibliotecarios y de las bibliotecas de hospital en Portugal y su proyección futura. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo, por medio de una investigación no experimental, basada en un método de análisis cualitativo. Para este estudio se utilizó una muestra de 13 profesionales que, de alguna manera, tienen una conexión/conocimiento con el trabajo desarrollado en las bibliotecas hospitalarias. Se buscó disponer de una muestra que cubriera el país de norte a sur para que los resultados pudieran ser representativos de la realidad portuguesa. Los resultados indican que los profesionales que trabajan en las bibliotecas del área de salud en Portugal consideran que no existe una formación profesional específica para este campo con características muy particulares frente a otras realidades bibliotecarias. Además, estiman que los profesionales de la salud que trabajan en bibliotecas deberían estar integrados a los equipos clínicos y de investigación de sus instituciones. Por otra parte, dada la importancia que tiene hoy la medicina basada en la evidencia, se hace necesario el desarrollo de nuevos roles que los bibliotecarios deben asumir. También consideran que corresponde al bibliotecario de la salud asumir los desafíos, invertir en la actualización y adquisición continua de habilidades, fortalecer su papel en las instituciones en las que se inserta, y justificar, de este modo, el valor añadido de la profesión(AU)

The purpose of the study was to identify the professional perspective of hospital libraries and librarians in Portugal and their future projection. A qualitative non-experimental descriptive study was conducted of a sample of 13 professionals related to / acquainted with the work of hospital libraries. The sample was intended to cover the entire country from north to south, so that the results obtained would be representative of Portuguese reality. Results show that professionals from health libraries in Portugal consider that no specific professional training is available for this field, which is characterized by very particular features unique to this library type. They also think that health professionals working at libraries should be incorporated into the clinical and research teams of their institutions. On the other hand, and given the current importance of evidence-based medicine, it is necessary to develop new roles to be undertaken by librarians. They also consider that librarians should accept the challenges, invest time and energy in permanent skill acquisition and update, and strengthen their role at their institutions, thus justifying the added value of the profession(AU)

From enhanced collaborations to space advancements: technologies to bring libraries (and librarians) full circle and into the future.

Since the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) Virtual Projects section was first announced in 2012, the virtual projects featured in the JMLA have expanded or improved library spaces, services, collaborations, connections, and future directions. Virtual projects selected by the JMLA Virtual Projects Section Advisory Committee have been both practical and responsive to library and patron needs and illustrate ways that librarians are leading their communities and services in new directions. Virtual projects highlighted in this year's section demonstrate innovative adaptations of technology into the modern medical library that strengthen collaborative commitments and clinical and research partnerships. They also illustrate how technologies support the idea of "library as place" by providing spaces for users to explore new technologies, as well as tools for space and service planning. This year's virtual projects fully embrace changes in learning, research patterns, technologies, and the role of the health sciences librarian and the library.

Data Collection System for Tracking Hospital Librarians' Productivity.

Librarians gather data on multiple aspects of their work. Much of the data collection revolves around the library's resources, but what may be passed over during this data collection is information on how librarians are expending their time and effort. A group of librarians from a community hospital system designed a Microsoft Access database to collect such data and has been recording librarians' efforts for more than three years. The librarians use the data in annual reports and can track trends to evaluate service priorities and maximize effective use of the librarians' time.

Hospital library closures and consolidations: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Health sciences libraries are being closed or are under threat of closure, but little is published that looks at context and causes or alternative library service delivery models such as affiliations or consolidations. There is also very little research about the effect of these changes on health care provider satisfaction, patient care, or hospital quality indicators. Preventing library closures is not always possible, but understanding some of the circumstances leading to the decision and implementation of a closure or consolidation could inform best practice management. CASE PRESENTATIONS: At a recent Medical Library Association joint chapter meeting, a panel of six librarians presented their cases of navigating a library closure or reorganization. Background information was given to highlight reasons that the decisions to reorganize or close were made. Following the case presentations, participants took part in discussion with audience members. Cases and discussion points were recorded for further research, publication, and advocacy. CONCLUSIONS: Several points from the cases are highlighted in the discussion section of the paper. An accurate reporting of US health sciences libraries and librarian staffing is needed. More needs to be written about new library service models and best practices for centralizing and maintaining library services. After a consolidation, remaining librarians will be expected to manage the effects of staff loss and site closures and so should be involved in planning and implementing these decisions. It remains to be determined how hospitals with librarians compare in patient care and other quality indicators against hospitals without librarians.

Creating value through outreach in a hospital setting: a case study from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Library.

BACKGROUND: Hospital libraries must often demonstrate value to users who are not aware of their services. Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) Library aimed to increase patient and staff awareness using innovative outreach methods through our involvement in a Summerfest health fair and a National Medical Librarians Month event. CASE PRESENTATION: At 2 hospital events, ZSFG Library staff and volunteers used a game show-style approach involving active learning to teach attendees about library resources and services. Across events, there were 300 attendees and 167 in-depth discussions of library resources with the librarian, including 54 demonstrations. After implementing these new outreach efforts, the number of attendees increased by over 240% and meaningful interactions increased by 1,300% from the previous year's event. Our value analysis indicates an overall positive effect with 14 minutes of total library staff time spent per meaningful interaction. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a spinnable wheel for asking participants library-related questions and a television monitor to demonstrate library resources greatly increased the number of attendees and fostered new staff connections, resulting in several in-service trainings and search requests. Future recommendations for outreach events include enlisting the help of volunteers to record attendance data, creating materials in multiple languages, and integrating library involvement into existing hospital events. These recommendations may decrease the amount of library staff time spent in return for each meaningful interaction, creating increased value for less time.

Taking the Pulse of the University of Tennessee Medical Center's Health Literacy Knowledge.

Low health literacy is well documented in East Tennessee. Before addressing the issue, librarians at the Preston Medical Library, University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, conducted a needs assessment of hospital staff to determine their knowledge of health literacy and the need for training. As a follow-up, library staff conducted training sessions for nurses through classes, small group meetings, and staff huddles. The result is an increased dialogue of health literacy at the hospital, along with new research projects, a forum, and a summit meeting.

Creating a web-based digital photographic archive: one hospital library's experience.

BACKGROUND: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit community hospital based in Los Angeles. Its history spans over 100 years, and its growth and development from the merging of 2 Jewish hospitals, Mount Sinai and Cedars of Lebanon, is also part of the history of Los Angeles. The medical library collects and maintains the hospital's photographic archive, to which retiring physicians, nurses, and an active Community Relations Department have donated photographs over the years. The collection was growing rapidly, it was impossible to display all the materials, and much of the collection was inaccessible to patrons. CASE PRESENTATION: The authors decided to make the photographic collection more accessible to medical staff and researchers by purchasing a web-based digital archival package, Omeka. We decided what material should be digitized by analyzing archival reference requests and considering the institution's plan to create a Timeline Wall documenting and celebrating the history of Cedars-Sinai. CONCLUSION: Within 8 months, we digitized and indexed over 500 photographs. The digital archive now allows patrons and researchers to access the history of the hospital and enables the library to process archival references more efficiently.

Meeting at the crossroads: collaboration between information technology departments and health sciences libraries.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this survey were to determine the nature and extent of collaboration between health sciences libraries and their information technology (IT) departments, to identify strengths and issues connected to this relationship, and to provide examples demonstrating exceptional collaborative success. METHODS: A fourteen-question survey was sent to a broad selection of health care and academic libraries through a variety of email discussion lists and was limited to one response per institution. Convenience sampling was used to collect the responses. RESULTS: An overwhelming majority of libraries described the relationship with their IT departments as good or excellent, and there were a variety of creative joint initiatives underway. Opportunities exist for continued and expanded library/IT collaboration. CONCLUSIONS: Good quality relationships between libraries and their IT departments are essential due to the interconnected nature of their services, and fortunately, this appears to be the norm at a variety of institutions. Mutual respect, open communication, realization of each department's mission, and responsiveness to each other's needs are part of what makes these relationships successful, which in turn leads to successful collaborative ventures that bode well for the future of both services.

La biblioteca del Hospital Psiquiátrico de Guantánamo: historia y perspectiva / The Library of the Psychiatric Hospital of Guantanamo: history and Perspective

Se realiza un estudio sobre la evolución histórica y las perspectivas que ha tenido la biblioteca del hospital psiquiátrico Luis Ramírez López de la provincia de Guantánamo posterior al año 1983. Los datos se obtienen de entrevistas realizadas a fundadores del hospital y la revisión de algunos trabajos investigativos realizados por trabajadores del centro y materiales de consulta para profundizar en el tema(AU)

A study is carried out on the historical evolution and perspectives of the library of the Luis Ramírez López psychiatric hospital in Guantanamo province after 1983. The data are obtained from interviews with founders of the hospital and the review of some investigative work Made by workers of the center and materials of consultation to deepen in the subject(AU)

Creating a library holding group: an approach to large system integration.

PURPOSE: Faced with resource constraints, many hospital libraries have considered joint operations. This case study describes how Providence Health & Services created a single group to provide library services. METHODS: Using a holding group model, staff worked to unify more than 6,100 nonlibrary subscriptions and 14 internal library sites. RESULTS: Our library services grew by unifying 2,138 nonlibrary subscriptions and 11 library sites and hiring more library staff. We expanded access to 26,018 more patrons. CONCLUSIONS: A model with built-in flexibility allowed successful library expansion. Although challenges remain, this success points to a viable model of unified operations.