Description

Thomas Jefferson University Library and University of Massachusetts Medical School Library have two important things in common: successful institutional repositories and experienced library leaders that developed them.

Please join Dan Kipnis and Ann Koopman of Thomas Jefferson University, and Lisa Palmer of University of Massachusetts Medical School for a free webinar on institutional repositories (IRs) at medical schools.

Speakers will explore how each organization decided to start an IR, how the IRs have evolved, unique IR collections, successful partnerships, challenges and opportunities, and the future of medical IRs.

Presented at the Association for College and Research Libraries New England Chapter Annual Conference, "Creative Collaborations," on May 13, 2011, in Worcester, Mass.

Presented at the MAHSLIN 2011 Annual Meeting on May 6, 2011 in Waltham, Mass.

Method: In summer 2003 the Library initiated a Continuous Process Improvement project. The project’s goal is to reduce time and/or save money by examining and improving work processes. The charge for the Technical Services team is to (1) reduce the turnaround time by 50% or more for firm orders from when the book is ordered to when it reaches the requestor; (2) reduce the time it takes by 50% or more to implement a serials title change, which involves staff throughout the library; and (3) reduce the time it takes by 50% or more for a newly-received journal issue to reach the shelf and eventually be bound. The team is utilizing value-added flow analysis to examine the processes and will make recommendations to management for changes to be implemented in a pilot project.

Results: The Team met weekly over four months to identify the specific steps involved in each process, review the time involved in completing each task, analyze whether or not the step added value, and suggest improvements to the process. Team members documented and timed current workflow in spreadsheets and flowcharts. The Team proposed a number of procedural changes and initiatives that were accepted by library management for a five-month pilot project which is now ongoing. Important components of the implementation are establishing procedures for better communication and additional staff training.

Conclusion: Value-added flow analysis is a useful tool for continuous process improvement. The Library’s goal of reducing turnaround time by 50% or more for these three specific processes will be achieved, as demonstrated in the pilot project. Technical Services will be better able to serve its internal and external customers.

Presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, on May 25, 2004.

Setting/Participants/Resources: The Lamar Soutter Library at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) formally established a Research and Scholarly Communication Services department in January 2009. The department is currently comprised of two librarians.

Brief Description: The Research and Scholarly Communication Services department is charged with overseeing four major areas: scholarly communication; integration of library services into the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) and the research community; the library’s eScience initiative; and the university’s institutional repository, eScholarship@UMMS. The department leveraged existing relationships with GSBS administration and faculty, created through work with eScholarship@UMMS and library services supporting the NIH Public Access Policy, to build credibility, make new contacts, and get feedback on proposed new services.

Results/Outcome: Though still relatively new, the department has found success in this new outreach. It has expanded its class instruction portfolio to include GSBS student orientations, author rights, and social networking tools. eScholarship@UMMS continues to grow at a rapid pace. The department developed and launched the library’s first LibGuide for the UMMS research community, resulting in much positive feedback.

Presented at the University of Massachusetts and New England Area Librarian e-Science Symposium, Shrewsbury, Mass., on April 7, 2010.

METHODOLOGY: Research articles were identified from the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and Journal of the Medical Library Association (1991-2007). Using content analysis and bibliometric techniques, data were collected for each article on the (1) subject, (2) research method, (3) analytical technique used, (4) number of authors, (5) number of citations, (6) first author affiliation, and (7) funding source. The results were compared to a previous study, covering the period 1966 to 1990, to identify changes over time.

RESULTS: Of the 930 articles examined, 474 (51%) were identified as research articles. Survey (n = 174, 37.1%) was the most common methodology employed, quantitative descriptive statistics (n = 298, 63.5%) the most used analytical technique, and applied topics (n = 332, 70%) the most common type of subject studied. The majority of first authors were associated with an academic health sciences library (n = 264, 55.7%). Only 27.4% (n = 130) of studies identified a funding source.

CONCLUSION: This study's findings demonstrate that progress is being made in health sciences librarianship research. There is, however, room for improvement in terms of research methodologies used, proportion of applied versus theoretical research, and elimination of barriers to conducting research for practicing librarians.

Methodology: Project tasks included identifying metadata elements, obtaining and tracking permissions, converting the dissertations to an electronic format, and coordinating workflow between library departments. Each dissertation was scanned, reviewed for quality control, enhanced with a table of contents, processed through an optical character recognition (OCR) function, and added to the institutional repository.

Results: Three hundred and twenty dissertations were digitized and added to the repository for a cost of $23,562, or $0.28 per page. Seventy-four percent of the authors who were contacted (n=282) granted permission to digitize their dissertations. Processing time per title was 170 minutes, for a total processing time of 906 hours. In the first 17 months, full-text dissertations in the collection were downloaded 17,555 times.

Conclusion: Locally digitizing dissertations or other scholarly works for inclusion into institutional repositories can be cost effective, especially if small defined projects are chosen. A successful project serves as an excellent recruitment strategy for the institutional repository and helps libraries build new relationships. Challenges include workflow, cost, developing policies, and obtaining copyright permissions.

Presented October 28, 2008 in Worcester, Mass., at the program "Introduction to Library Digitization" sponsored by the Massachusetts Library Association's Technical Services Section.

Method:The Library Director established a team to investigate institutional repository products. The team created a chart assigning weights to important criteria in order to evaluate various systems. In 2006 the Library purchased a license for ProQuest Digital Commons, a hosted system. As a manageable first project, the team focused on digitizing the 300 dissertations produced by one of the graduate schools. The intent was to populate the repository quickly, generate visibility, and gain support across the medical school. The team worked with the graduate school to develop a permissions form and a process to contact alumni. The Library Director decided to scan the dissertations in-house rather than outsource. The team made technical decisions about software and equipment for scanning and creating searchable text, using OCR technology, deciding what metadata to collect, and how to reuse data from the library’s OPAC.

Results:The project is currently well under budget. As of February 2007, more than 65% of the alumni contacted have given permission for their dissertations to be digitized. The 247 dissertations added to the repository have been downloaded more than 6300 times in just eight months. The project was profiled in the school’s internal newsletter, leading to increased visibility and interest. Another graduate school recently agreed to deposit their dissertations in the repository. Continued challenges include workflow, documenting policies and procedures, managing copyright issues, and creating a plan to market and promote the repository on campus.

Conclusion:The Library’s first digitization project has been successful due to library funding, support, and management; the skills of team members; the purchase of a hosted product; and the partnership with the graduate school. Future success will be indicated by continued funding, increased faculty and department participation, and greater campus awareness.

Presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, on May 20, 2007.

Methods The Management Team gathered information from library literature and business and government sources as a starting point. In the development phase, the team posed questions as the foundation for developing a competency-based program to manage support staff development. e.g., What will support staff be doing in the future? Can we define the competencies staff will need? How do we create a flexible system that keeps us poised to respond to change? How do we build a skilled work force and prepare current staff to take on new tasks? How do we develop a measurement framework for objective employee evaluation? In the approval phase, the emphasis was on educating the university’s administration, HR, and the union about the library’s strategic direction and the benefits of the plan to staff. The implementation phase focused on staff buy-in, roll-out timing, and developing training to ensure success for current and future staff.

Results and Conclusions Competencies, education, and years of service formed the promotion plan’s basis. Managers identified task-based areas of responsibility, divided into achievement stages with frameworks detailed for objective employee evaluation. A policy for advancement, based on performance in multiple areas of responsibility, was developed. The plan allows for growth and promotion, and encourages staff to build a knowledge base across library departments.

Throughout the planning process the team met with human resources, the union, and administration to explain program goals, as well as to address their concerns and incorporate their input as we developed the program details, resulting in a smooth approval process.

For implementation, one manager assumed responsibility for coordinating orientation and training development. The team was surprised by initial negative staff reaction to increased responsibility and the certification/testing requirements. The team continues to face implementation challenges and issues.

Presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting on May 18, 2008, in Chicago, IL.

Presented at the American Library Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC, on June 25, 2007.

Method: A content analysis of research articles published in Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and Journal of the Medical Library Association during the time span of 1991-2007 will be performed. For those articles that are classified as research, the subjects, research methodologies and analytical techniques employed will be identified, as well as bibliometric characteristics, institutional affiliation, and research funding source. The data will be analyzed using descriptive and quantitative inferential statistics to identify trends and/or gaps in the literature. The subject, research method, and analytical classification schema used throughout the study will be based on the work of Alexandra Dimitroff.

Results & Conclusion: Preliminary findings reflect articles published from 1991-1996 (n = 310). Forty six percent of the articles reviewed were defined as research. The most predominant research methodology employed was survey (47%) and the most prevalent techniques used to analyze findings were quantitative descriptive statistics (62%). Studies examining subjects related to library users accounted for the greatest number of published research articles (20%), followed in popularity by public services (15%), and materials and/or collection development (9%). Sixty five percent of articles were authored by individuals affiliated with an academic health sciences library. The majority of studies (65%) stated no funding source, while 17% reported government support for the research carried out. New areas of research observed to date include consumer health, outreach, and the internet; an emerging research method is focus groups. Additional data on the findings will be presented in May.

Presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting on May 19, 2008, in Chicago, IL.

Methods: Case study: Since the arrival of a new Director in 1998, much of the work of the Library is accomplished through cross-functional teams. Technical services librarians have contributed significantly to these teams and to campus-wide task forces. For a project to create a database of medical images, library catalogers performed crucial roles in developing a database and record structure, maintaining quality control, writing documentation, and training faculty members. This team is now collaborating with Academic Computing staff to develop an institutional repository. Within the Library, a cataloger joined an access services team charged with examining the problem of unreturned books, enhancing the team with skills in integrated library systems, problem solving, and report writing. Recognizing the importance of open access, a technical services librarian organized a well-attended forum and display for the campus and the public.

Results: The positive impact of technical services outreach included new and enhanced services and products, professional satisfaction, improved communication among staff, and better access to library materials. Technical services librarians are better known to the larger campus community. Staff development, collaboration, and outreach were enhanced by a Library renovation that kept the Technical Services department in close proximity to public services areas and the Library training room. In the Library there is now a true partnership with public services staff, and an increased appreciation for the skill set of technical services librarians.

Conclusions: Technical Services librarians should not hesitate to break out of the back room and participate in outreach activities. Their skills can be of tremendous value to cross-departmental library teams and broader efforts. This outreach benefits the librarians, the Library, and the user community.

Presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, on May 15, 2005.

Methods: Dr. Samuel B. Woodward brought a significant paradigm shift to the dark world of mentally ill indigent citizens of Massachusetts in the early 19th century. When Dr. Woodward became the first superintendent of Worcester State Hospital in 1833, mentally ill patients were viewed with suspicion and fear and were usually relegated to prisons and poorhouses. Woodward rejected a supernatural explanation of mental illness that was very popular at that time. He believed mental illness was a somatic disease, not unlike other diseases. His approach, called “moral therapy,” consisted of kind, compassionate, individualized care that respected the patient as a human being. Dr. Woodward was also instrumental in the burgeoning field of psychiatry. He was a prolific writer and became the first president of the organization that would later become the American Psychiatric Association.

Presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, on May 17, 2005.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper is divided into three phases and highlights the organizational, political, technological and resource issues that are unique to a specialized library with a medium-sized staff, lacking the resources of a traditional university campus. The case concludes with a list of barriers and facilitators to success and a summary of lessons learned.

Findings – The paper finds that a library with limited staff, funding, and systems development resources can initiate and support an institutional repository. Facilitators of success include clear lines of authority, a strong champion, and the appropriate technology for the project.

Originality/value – This paper serves as an example to libraries that are in the beginning phases of developing an institutional repository by discussing the barriers to and facilitators of success.

Purpose/objective: The purpose of the collaboration is to provide an archive to preserve and promote clinical and language experiences of UMMS students serving in developing countries.

Description: The Library is building a database of student trips that includes descriptions of sites and clinical experiences, photos, personal reflections, maps, and advice for future students. Library staff worked with Dr. Godkin to convert paper records into an electronic format and added metadata to enhance searching. Reports are organized by country and year, and are full-text searchable.

Conclusion: eScholarship@UMMS offers an efficient and convenient means of promoting student interest in international medical education. More than 50 student trip reports from almost 20 countries have been entered into the database. In just four months the site has already had an impact and generated increased student interest. By archiving these trip reports, eScholarship@UMMS ensures that the information will be available for future UMMS students.

Implications: eScholarship@UMMS supports the primary goals of the International Medical Education program: to develop linguistic, cultural and physical diagnosis skills and enable the students to better serve a rapidly expanding immigrant and refugee population in Massachusetts and the United States.

Presented at the UMass Global Health Symposium, Shrewsbury, MA, on May 3-4, 2007.

The Team met weekly over four months to identify the specific steps involved in each process, review the time involved in completing each task, analyze whether or not the step added value, and suggest improvements to the process. Team members documented and timed current workflow in spreadsheets and flowcharts. The Team proposed a number of procedural changes and initiatives that were accepted by library management for the pilot project. Important components of the implementation were establishing procedures for better communication and additional staff training. The pilot project demonstrated that the streamlined workflow was much more efficient.

Value-added flow analysis is a useful tool for continuous process improvement. Technical Services will be better able to serve its internal and external customers.