1st Edition

Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship

Edited By M. Sandra Wood Copyright 2008
    522 Pages
    by Routledge

    522 Pages
    by Routledge

    Get the foundational knowledge about health sciences librarianship.

    The general term “health sciences libraries” covers a wide range of areas beyond medical libraries, such as biomedical, nursing, allied health, pharmacy, and others. Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship provides a sound foundation to all aspects of these types of libraries to students and librarians new to the field. This helpful guide provides a helpful overview of the health care environment, technical services, public services, management issues, academic health sciences, hospital libraries, health informatics, evidence-based practice, and more. This text provides crucial information every beginning and practicing health sciences librarian needs—all in one volume.

    Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship presents some of the most respected librarians and educators in the field, each discussing important aspects of librarianship, including technical services, public services, administration, special services, and special collections. This comprehensive volume provides all types of librarians with helpful general, practical, and theoretical knowledge about this profession. The book’s unique "A Day in the Life of . . . " feature describes typical days of health sciences librarians working in special areas such as reference or consumer health, and offers anyone new to the field a revealing look at what a regular workday is like. The text is packed with useful figures, screen captures, tables, and references.

    Topics discussed in Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship include:

    • overview of health sciences libraries
    • health environment
    • collection development of journals, books, and electronic resources
    • organization of health information
    • access services
    • information services and information retrieval
    • information literacy
    • health informatics
    • management of academic health sciences libraries
    • management and issues in hospital libraries
    • library space planning
    • specialized services
    Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship provides essential information for health sciences librarians, medical librarians, beginning and intermediate level health sciences/medical librarians, and any health sciences librarian wishing to review the field. This crucial volume belongs in every academic health sciences library, hospital library, specialized health library, biomedical library, and academic library.

      Section I: Introduction/Overview 1. Overview of Health Sciences Libraries and Librarianship  Mary Moore  2. The Health Care Environment  Logan Ludwig  Appendix 2. A. Selected Federal Legislation with Important Health Aspects, Including Health Care Information Policy Legislation  Section II: Technical Services  3. Journal Collection Development: Challenges, Issues, and Strategies  Laurie L. Thompson, Mori Lou Higa 4. Monographic and Digital Resource Collection Development  Esther Carrigan, Mori Lou Higa, Rajia Tobia  5. Organizing Resources for Information Access  Maggie Wineburgh-Freed  Appendix 5. A. Resource Bibliography for Organizing Information Section III: Public Services  6. Access Issues, Elizabeth R. Lorbeer, Cindy Scroggins 7. Information Services in Health Sciences Libraries  Elizabeth H. Wood  8. Information Retrieval in the Health Sciences  Elizabeth H. Wood  9. Marketing, Public Relations, and Communication  Patricia C. Higginbottom, Lisa A. Ennis  Appendix 9. A. Additional Readings  10. Information Literacy Education in Health Sciences Libraries Stewart M. Brower  11. Evidence-Based Practice  Jonathan D. Eldredge  12. Health Informatics  K. Ann McKibbon, Ellen Gay Detlefsen  Section IV: Administration 13. Management in Academic Health Sciences Libraries  Francesca Allegri, Martha Bedard  14. Management of and Issues Specific to Hospital Libraries  Dixie A. Jones 15. Library Space Planning  Elizabeth Connor  Section V: Special Topics 16. Special Services Provided by Health Sciences Libraries  Brenda L. Seago  17. Health Sciences Librarianship in Rare Book and Special Collections  Stephen J. Greenberg, Patricia E. Gallagher  18. Consumer Health Information  Catherine Arnott Smith  Glossary  Index 

      Biography

      M. Sandra Wood is Librarian Emerita, Pennsylvania State University. Her experience and interests are in general reference, management of reference services, database and Internet searching, and user instruction. Ms. Wood is Editor of Medical Reference Services Quarterly and Journal of Consumer Health, and Co-editor of the Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. She is author or editor of numerous books, including Health Care Resources on the Internet: A Guide for Librarians and Health Care Consumers. She received the Medical Library Association's Eliot Award, and the Chapter Achievement Award from the Philadelphia Chapter/MLA. Ms. Wood was elected to MLA's Board of Directors (1991–1995), and served as MLA's Treasurer. Ms. Wood has been a Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals since 1990, and a Fellow of the Medical Library Association since 1998. She retired in December 2005 with over 35 years of experience as a medical reference librarian.

      "Fills a void in the textbook market where health sciences librarianship is concerned...Provides a broad overview of health sciences librarianship and health sciences libraries...Structured to facilitate ease of use...Highly recommended as a textbook for teaching courses related to health sciences librarianship as well as a refresher text for novice health sciences librarians." --Jeffrey T. Huber, Texas Woman's University, USA

      "Has raised the bar on textbooks for the profession. The breadth and extensiveness of content is most remarkable, as are the illustrations, tables and references for each chapter." --Catherine Boss, Rutgers University, USA 

      "Exceeds all expectations and portrays the sum and substance of the dynamic environment in which health science librarians operate today...Recognized leaders offer eloquent discourse covering the philosophical and practical aspects of the profession in logical sequence from start to finish. A must-have resource for librarians and other professionals." --Ellen Burchill Brassil, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, USA