| Part of a series on |
| Library and information science |
|---|
 |
Histories |
Ahealth ormedical library is designed to assistphysicians,health professionals,students,patients,consumers, medical researchers, andinformation specialists in finding health and scientific information to improve, update, assess, or evaluate health care. Medicallibraries are typically found inhospitals,medical schools, private industry, and in medical or health associations. A typical health or medical library has access toMEDLINE, a range of electronic resources, print and digitaljournal collections, and print reference books. The influence ofopen access (OA) and free searching viaGoogle andPubMed has a major impact on the way medical libraries operate.
TheUnited States National Library of Medicine (NLM) is the largest biomedical library in the world, and collects and provides access to some of the best health information in the world (due to its linkage to theNational Institutes of Health). The NLM maintains numerous medical and genomic databases, searchable via itsEntrez search system, includingMEDLINE (PubMed) andOMIM (a genetic traits database).
The largest medical library in Europe is theGerman National Library of Medicine (ZB MED), which also has collections in the fields of nutrition, agriculture, and environmental science. ZB MED operates as the official European supplier of full texts in response to searches conducted in the NLM's bibliographic databases such as PubMed, and also operates its own search portals.[1]
A 2013 survey of health care providers in the United States concluded from its data that professionals in the health care industry perceive access to medical libraries as valuable.[2] The same study further concluded that health care professionals feel that information they get from libraries has a positive impact on patient care.[2]
To become accredited, every American and Canadian college ofmedicine,nursing,dentistry,pharmacy,veterinary medicine, orpublic health is required to have a health or medical library appropriate to the needs of the school, as specified by anaccrediting body, such as theLiaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)'sstandards. These accreditation standards include having qualified library staff on hand to answer reference questions, and provide training in using electronic resources. Some academic medical libraries are located in the same building as the general undergraduate library but most are located near or in the medical college or faculty.
In support ofopen access to the journal literature, the U.S. NLM established an online library of digital journal articles,PubMed Central (PMC), which will soon be supplemented by a UK version.[citation needed] NLM works with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) to provide regional medical library support in the United States, while its consumer health information serviceMEDLINEplus offers free access to health information, images, and interactive tutorials. Many countries like Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have well-developed medical libraries, though nothing quite as evolved as the U.S. NLM.
Medical librarians are skilled professionals who assist with resources and research in the medical professions. The focus of the medical librarian is to emphasize the use ofevidence-based research[3] and practice. This can be for both medical research or medical practice. As well the medical librarian is expected be a resource for assisting with publishing and presentation of research. Medical librarians use web based resources to conduct research and help generate evidence based approaches to healthcare. Organizations such as the MLA set standards for what a medical librarian should follow in practice.[4][5]
Different medical libraries have different needs and different resources forcollection development. Several guides for librarians have been published.[6] The Brandon–Hill title lists were afree collection of suggested books and journals.[7] These lists were created by two librarians at theMt. Sinai School of Medicine, Al Brandon and Dorothy Hill, and published from 1965 to 2004.[6][7] Beginning in 2006, the annualDoody's Core Titles in the Health Sciences lists, which includes a separate suggested list for small libraries, have been commonly used for English-language medical books.[6][7] Both medical librarians and subject-matter experts are involved in compiling theDoody's lists.[7]
TheMedical Library Association (MLA) is a Chicago-based advocate for library professionals and health sciences libraries – primarily in the United States. MLA maintains an online list ofALA-accreditedlibrary school programs for those who would like to pursue a master's degree in library and information studies in the US and Canada (MLIS). It furthermore administers the UScredentialing organization for medical librarians, theAcademy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP).
The main network for medical libraries in the United States is theNational Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM).
TheSpecial Libraries Association has a Medical Section of the Biomedical and Life ScienceDivision, which serves as a forum for Division members who are engaged or interested in the exchange of information in the biomedical and health sciences, and the acquisition, organization, dissemination, and use of such information in all formats.
In Canada, health librarians and libraries are represented by theCanadian Health Libraries Association.
Australia have theHealth Libraries Australia Group of theAustralian Library and Information Association and the Victorian state basedHealth Libraries Inc. In 2013, HLA introduced a PD Specialisation in 2013 leading to Association post nominals on demonstration of ongoing professional development in the field of health librarianship. A list of health libraries in Australia may by found on the website of theNational Library of Australia. In 2015, Australia is undertaking a census of health libraries and librarianship aiming to identify the full industry, locations, organisations, roles, and staff employed. The first specialist"Health Librarianship Essentials" tertiary training commenced in April 2015 at the Queensland University of Technology supported by HLA.
In the United Kingdom, medical (or health) librarians are represented by the Health Libraries Group of theChartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).[8]
The medical and health libraries of theGerman-speaking countries, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, are represented by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft fürmedizinisches Bibliothekswesen e.V (Medical Libraries Association), based inLeipzig, Germany.[9]
There are similar, if smaller, national groups in many European countries and these groups and individual health librarians and libraries are represented by theEuropean Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL) since 1987.
For those librarians who work in very specialised subject areas, there are associations and networks which focus on their subject areas, and an example of such an organisation is Elisad, theEuropean Association of Libraries and Information Services on Addictions.Elisad
TheInternational Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has aHealth and Biosciences Libraries Section. The lastInternational Congress on Medical Librarianship (ICML) was in Brisbane in 2009.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
