PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to describe Doody's Core Titles in the Health Sciences as a new selection guide and a virtual community based on an effective use of online systems and to describe its potential impact on library collection development. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS/RESOURCES: The setting is the availability of health sciences selection guides. Participants include Doody Enterprise staff, Doody's Library Board of Advisors, content specialists, and library selectors. Resources include the online system used to create Doody's Core Titles along with references to complementary databases. BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Doody's Core Titles is described and discussed in relation to the literature of selection guides, especially in comparison to the Brandon/Hill selected lists that were published from 1965 to 2003. Doody's Core Titles seeks to fill the vacuum created when the Brandon/Hill lists ceased publication. Doody's Core Titles is a unique selection guide based on its method of creating an online community of experts to identify and score a core list of titles in 119 health sciences specialties and disciplines. RESULTS/OUTCOME: The result is a new selection guide, now available annually, that will aid health sciences librarians in identifying core titles for local collections. EVALUATION METHOD: Doody's Core Titles organizes the evaluation of core titles that are identified and recommended by content specialists associated with Doody's Book Review Service and library selectors. A scoring mechanism is used to create the selection of core titles, similar to the star rating system employed in other Doody Enterprise products and services. PMID: 16404471

A half-day symposium, “Seize the E-Journal: Models for Archiving,” was held, May 26, 2004, after the conclusion of MLA '04, the 104th Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association (MLA), in Washington, DC. The symposium was sponsored by the Collection Development Section.

The objectives of the symposium were for the 100 participants to become familiar with current electronic journal archiving models, to discuss future-oriented priorities for collection development, and to suggest electronic archival strategies for individual, organizational, consortial, and national libraries. The program included presentations by four experts on their archiving models, input from reaction panel members on the various models presented, a question-and-answer session, and, finally, a breakout discussion session that allowed participants to brainstorm on future archiving priorities and standards. Presentations from the session, along with a Web bibliography of related resources, are maintained on the Collection Development Section Website

PMID: 15685287

PMID: 15148017 This paper shows how the Galter Health Sciences Library of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine developed and implemented a program to assess reference staff competencies for assisting users in the electronic environment after completing a new training program. The first phase was a year-long assessment of reference questions to identify the types of questions received at the desk. Next, a training program for reference was developed and implemented with an emphasis on answering the most common questions identified such as remote access, access privileges, holdings information, and database searching. The program included individualized instruction on library policies, electronic resources, access restrictions, and troubleshooting. The next phase was to create instruments to test staff competencies in answering questions after training. Based on the scores, additional training was individualized and provided to the appropriate staff member to enhance their skills where needed. The training system that was developed has proven to be effective as most staff scored better than 92% on initial testing. As a result, library management can be certain that users' questions are being answered correctly and that the staff has the skills required to work in an electronic environment.

In 1999, Northwestern University's Galter Health Sciences Library redesigned the library orientation program for first-year medical students. Surveys indicated tours were ineffective and students retained little of the information presented. Furthermore, the tour was not related to the student's curriculum and did not reinforce their learning objectives. As a replacement, the library staff developed a self-directed two-hour library open house. Stations throughout the library showcased the library staff, services, and resources, focusing on the first-year student curriculum. A follow-up survey found this redesign more useful and relevant to the students' course work, indicating libraries should be creating more interactive tours for students allowing them to learn actively. PMID: 11345925

2002 Research Award Honorable Mention

PMID: 10157848

PMID: 8938340

Video teaching electronic interlibrary lending through NLM program. Scripted by John A. Stey. Coordinated by Linda Walton. Produced by the University of Connecticut Health Center Video Communications Department, 1994.

Video teaching skills to search biomedical literature indexed by NLM through end-user software. Scripted by John A. Stey and Faith McGrath. Coordinated by Linda Walton. Produced by the University of Connecticut Health Center Video Communications Department, 1993.

The Galter Health Sciences Library has used the LibQUAL+™ survey in two consecutive years. Both sets of survey results provided useful information to understand how users perceive the quality of Galter Library services. The first year's relatively positive results offered a useful and hopeful benchmark. The second year's results provided more of a “wake up” call to explore in depth what users want and need from the library. Peer comparison also offers an additional insight as to where Galter staff can look to find models and/or best practices when exploring specific remedies that would improve services to Galter users.

In 1995, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the Public Health Service (PHS) recommended that special attention be given to the information needs of unaffiliated public health professionals. In response, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) Greater Midwest Region initiated a collaborative outreach program for public health professionals working in rural east and central Iowa. Five public health agencies were provided equipment, training, and support for accessing the Internet. Key factors in the success of this project were: (1) the role of collaborating agencies in the implementation and ongoing success of information access outreach projects; (2) knowledge of the socio-cultural factors that influence the information-seeking habits of project participants (public health professionals); and (3) management of changing or varying technological infrastructures. Working with their funding, personnel from federal, state, and local governments enhanced the information-seeking skills of public health professionals in rural eastern and central Iowa communities. PMID: 10783972

In the twelve years since the first Collection Development Policies and Procedures in Health Sciences Libraries was published, factors affecting collection development such as online access and shrinking budgets have dramatically changed the way collection development is managed. The revised publication will guide new and experienced collection development librarians as they identify and select appropriate resources for their library.

The Internet, the World Wide Web, and full-text online sources means that we now have competition for access to information through third party aggregators, publishers, and other commercial vendors. Library budgets continue to be cut as new formats for information are being developed. The library must now focus on the quality of its collection rather than quantity of its collection if they are to continue to meet the demands of their users, faculty, staff, students, and consumers who frequent the library locally and remotely.

The revised DocKit is designed to assist health sciences librarians with creating a policy that meets their needs as they look at quality, format, and value of a collection. The DocKit gives you examples and ideas to use in creating a document that reflects the mission and goals of your library. It includes five elements of a policy and includes examples designed for hospitals.