Linda J. Walton

Developing a Virtual Community for health sciences library book selection: Doody's Core Titles

Linda J. Walton — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:37:34 PST

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

Seize the E-Journal: Models for archiving symposium: Report

Ramune K. Kubilius — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:24:48 PST

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

Assessing reference staff competency in the electronic environment.

Kurt I. Munson — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:15:07 PST

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.

No more tours: how library tours of the past become today's celebrations

Linda J. Walton — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:11:12 PST

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

The Impact of the Web on Reference

Linda J. Walton — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:20:58 PST

2002 Research Award Honorable Mention

Electronic Funds Transfer Arrives in the Midwest

K. Munson — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:19:12 PST

Producing training videos for end-user training

John A. Stey — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:41:07 PST

PMID: 10157848

The Internet: a valuable resource for the hospital librarian

Linda J. Walton — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:36:40 PST

PMID: 8938340

Outreach: Just Do It

Linda J. Walton — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:01:59 PST

Internet Dial-Access Evaluation Project. Proceedings of the 3rd Annual

Linda J. Walton — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:47:29 PST