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Rare book collections do not form in a vacuum; they are shaped by the individuals who assemble and curate them. This is certainly the case with the rare book holdings of Becker Medical Library at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. This paper examines some of the most significant donors to Becker's rare book collections in order to explore how these collections are a reflection of the interests and priorities of the physicians who assembled them, and also raises the issue of how the makeup of these collections create a Western-focused narrative regarding the history of medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research study sought to determine the formats (print or electronic) of articles and book chapters most-preferred by first-year medical students, third-year medical students entering clinical clerkships, and incoming residents and to determine if these preferences change during the course of the medical curriculum. These trends will enable academic health sciences libraries to make appropriate collection development decisions to best cater to their user populations. Methods: First-year medical students, third-year medical students, and incoming medical residents were asked to complete a paper survey from September 2014 to June 2015. The survey consisted of five multiple-choice questions, with two questions given space for optional short answers. Quantitative and qualitative responses were collected and calculated using Microsoft Excel. Results: First-year students, third-year students, and incoming residents all preferred to read journal articles and book chapters in print, except in cases where the article or book chapter is under ten pages in length. Although print is preferred, demand for electronic articles and book chapters increases as students progress from undergraduate medical education into residency. The only category where a majority of incoming residents chose an electronic resource was which format they would give to a colleague, if the article or book chapter was critical to the care of an individual patient. Conclusions: The preference for print resources is strong across the medical curriculum, although residents show an increased preference for electronic materials when compared to first- and third-year students. Academic health sciences libraries should take these preferences into account when making decisions regarding collection development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After a reduction in full-time equivalents, 2 libraries in large teaching hospitals and 2 libraries in small community hospitals in a western US statewide health system saw opportunity for expansion through a regional reorganization. Despite a loss of 2/3 of the professional staff and a budgetary decrease of 27% over the previous 3 years, the libraries were able to grow business, usage, awareness, and collections through organizational innovation and improved efficiency. This paper describes the experience—including process, challenges, and lessons learned—of an organizational shift to regionalized services, collections, and staffing. Insights from this process may help similar organizations going through restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a partnership between the University of Nairobi College of Health Sciences (CHS) Library and the University of Maryland Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL). The libraries are collaborating to develop best practices for the CHS Library as it meets the challenge of changing medical education information needs in a digital environment. The collaboration is part of a Medical Education Partnership Initiative. The library project has several components: an assessment of the CHS Library, learning visits in the United States and Kenya, development of recommendations to enhance the CHS Library, and ongoing evaluation of the program's progress. Development of new services and expertise at the CHS Library is critical to the project's success. A productive collaboration between the HS/HSL and CHS Library is ongoing. A successful program to improve the quality of medical education will have a beneficial impact on health outcomes in Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The paper analyzes the journal evaluation criteria used to create the third edition of a core list of veterinary serials to determine the impact of each criterion on the final composition of the list in order to assess the value of using multiple criteria in creating a core list. Methods: Three additional lists were generated from criteria that were previously combined to prepare the third edition of the ‘‘Basic List of Veterinary Medical Serials’’: a list based on journal recommendations from veterinary specialty organizations, another list based on journals selected by veterinary librarians, and a list based on both indexing coverage and scholarly rank. The top fifteen journals in each of the three lists were then compared to reveal potential biases. Subject representation on the full lists generated by each of these methods was also compared. Results: The list based on journal recommendations from veterinary specialty organizations exhibited a focus on clinically relevant titles. The list based on veterinary librarian recommendations resulted in the broadest subject coverage. The list based on indexing and scholarly rank, while emphasizing research titles, produced the largest number of unique titles. Conclusion: A combination approach that includes objective evaluation measures and practical input, whether from librarians or discipline experts, can improve coverage and can result in a list that balances research-based with clinical practice journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Medical care for cancer is increasingly directed by genomic laboratory testing for alterations in the tumor genome that are significant for diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Uniquely in medicine, providers must search the biomedical literature for each patient to determine the clinical significance of these alterations. Access to published scientific literature is frequently subject to high fees, with access limited to institutional subscriptions. We sought to investigate the degree to which the scientific literature is accessible to clinical cancer genomics providers, and the potential role of university and hospital system libraries in information access for cancer care. Methods: We identified 265 journals that were accessed during the interpretation and reporting of clinical test results from 1,842 cancer patients at the University Health Network (Toronto, Canada). We determined the degree of open access for this set of clinically important literature, and for any journals not available through open access we surveyed subscription access at seven academic hospital systems and at their affiliated universities. Results: This study found that nearly half (116/265) of journals have open access mandates that make articles freely available within one year of release. For the remaining subscription access journals, universities provided a uniformly high level of access, but access available through hospital system collections varied widely. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of different modes of access to the use of the scientific literature in clinical practice and points to challenges that must be overcome as genomic medicine grows in scale and complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the declining number of hard copy journals being acquired by libraries as of April 2017. He talks about the adverse effects of easy access to online journal databases on said journals, the disadvantages of online-only access through library databases like increased fatigue and slower speed of reading, and the study showing that learning is reduced in online education.

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses articles within the issue focusing on the decline in quality and quantity of medical literature during war and also states about the annual subscription fee which reduced the overall cost of several German periodicals.

Background: Over a decade ago, the Hill report argued that a shift in vision was required to change the perception of National Health Service (NHS) Library and Knowledge Services (LKS) in England from "book repositories" to essential services that underpin clinical decision-making by patients, carers, and health care professionals. Health Education England's Knowledge for Healthcare: A Development Framework for Library and Knowledge Services in England 2015-2020 advocates embedding librarians within clinical and management teams in order to provide access to high-quality evidence at the point of need. Case Presentation: In April 2019, Royal Papworth Hospital relocated twelve miles from its historic village location in Papworth Everard to its new state-of-the-art hospital on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The design for this new hospital did not accommodate a traditional library space and therefore necessitated a transformation of the LKS. The organization opted to embed the LKS staff into the clinical setting and relegate 80% of the print collection to off-site storage. This project and its associated steps are presented as an example of health care library transformation. Conclusion: Embedding the LKS team in the clinical setting, engaging in proactive outreach activity, and improving our marketing led to a 44% increase in literature searches requested compared to the same eleven-month period in the previous year. A 40% decrease in our print book loans indicates additional barriers to using a click-and-collect service and the need for greater investment in our e-book provision. However, early outcomes for our best-fit service transformation are positive. Having an open, dual mindset has enabled the service to embrace change and maximize emerging opportunities to collaborate with clinical staff on new projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation of the Medical Library Center of New York (MLCNY) was a significant contribution to the history of health sciences librarianship as a model for cooperative, democratic, and practical solutions to the issues of storage and resource sharing. The MLCNY's founding director, Erich Meyerhoff, was a key figure in the successful start-up and ongoing operations of the center, which operated from 1960-2003 and served the greater New York area and beyond. This essay traces the evolution of the center including the creation of the Union Catalog of Medical Periodicals and the demise of the center occasioned by changes in scholarly publishing, technology, and constituent needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This lecture discusses social justice and the role that medical librarians can play in a democratic society. Social justice needs to be central to the mission of medical librarianship and a core value of the profession. Medical librarians must develop a new professional orientation: one that focuses on cultural awareness or cultural consciousness that goes beyond ourselves and our collections to that which focuses on the users of our libraries. We must develop a commitment to addressing the issues of societal, relevant health information. Using examples from medical education, this lecture makes the case for social justice librarianship. This lecture also presents a pathway for social justice medical librarianship, identifies fundamental roles and activities in these areas, and offers strategies for individual librarians, the Medical Library Association, and library schools for developing social justice education and outcomes. The lecture advocates for an understanding of and connection to social justice responsibilities for the medical library profession and ends with a call to go beyond understanding to action. The lecture emphasizes the lack of diversity in our profession and the importance of diversity and inclusion for achieving social justice. The lecture presents specific examples from some medical libraries to extend the social justice mindset and to direct outreach, collections, archives, and special collection services to expose previously hidden voices. If medical librarians are to remain relevant in the future, we must act to address the lack of diversity in our profession and use our information resources, spaces, and expertise to solve the relevant societal issues of today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aims of this study were to (i) assess the expectations of general practice departments regarding health sciences libraries' subscriptions to journals and (ii) describe the current general practice journal collections of health sciences libraries. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was distributed electronically to the thirty-five university general practice departments in France. General practice departments were asked to list ten journals to which they expected access via the subscriptions of their health sciences libraries. A ranked reference list of journals was then developed. Access to these journals was assessed through a survey sent to all health sciences libraries in France. Adequacy ratios (access/need) were calculated for each journal. Results: All general practice departments completed the survey. The total reference list included 44 journals. This list was heterogeneous in terms of indexation/impact factor, language of publication, and scope (e.g., patient care, research, or medical education). Among the first 10 journals listed, La Revue Prescrire (96.6%), La Revue du Praticien--Médecine Générale (90.9%), the British Medical Journal (85.0%), Pédagogie Médicale (70.0%), Exercer (69.7%), and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (62.5%) had the highest adequacy ratios, whereas Family Practice (4.2%), the British Journal of General Practice (16.7%), Médecine (29.4%), and the European Journal of General Practice (33.3%) had the lowest adequacy ratios. Conclusions: General practice departments have heterogeneous expectations in terms of health sciences libraries' subscriptions to journals. It is important for librarians to understand the heterogeneity of these expectations, as well as local priorities, so that journal access meets users' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Faced with resource constraints, many hospital libraries have considered joint operations. This case study describes how Providence Health & Services created a single group to provide library services. Methods: Using a holding group model, staff worked to unify more than 6,100 nonlibrary subscriptions and 14 internal library sites. Results: Our library services grew by unifying 2,138 nonlibrary subscriptions and 11 library sites and hiring more library staff. We expanded access to 26,018 more patrons. Conclusions: A model with built-in flexibility allowed successful library expansion. Although challenges remain, this success points to a viable model of unified operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The research describes an extensible method of evaluating and cancelling electronic journals during a budget shortfall and evaluates implications for interlibrary loan (ILL) and user satisfaction. Methods: We calculated cost per use for cancellable electronic journal subscriptions (n = 533) from the 2013 calendar year and the first half of 2014, cancelling titles with cost per use greater than $20 and less than 100 yearly uses. For remaining titles, we issued an online survey asking respondents to rank the importance of journals to their work. Finally, we gathered ILL requests and COUNTER JR2 turnaway reports for calendar year 2015. Results: Three hundred fifty-four respondents completed the survey. Because of the level of heterogeneity of titles in the survey as well as respondents' backgrounds, most titles were reported to be never used. We developed criteria based on average response across journals to determine which to cancel. Based on this methodology, we cancelled eight journals. Examination of ILL data revealed that none of the cancelled titles were requested with any frequency. Free-text responses indicated, however, that many value free ILL as a suitable substitute for immediate full-text access to biomedical journal literature. Conclusions: Soliciting user feedback through an electronic survey can assist collections librarians to make electronic journal cancellation decisions during slim budgetary years. This methodology can be adapted and improved upon at other health sciences libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the development of the 2012 NAHRS Selected List of Nursing Journals by the Medical Library Association's (MLA) Nursing and Allied Health Resource Section (NAHRS). It describes how the project was conducted and emphasizes the creation of criteria for the selection of nursing journals to be included in the list. It also cites the complexity of the project and the simple updating of the list by using the methodology developed.

Objective: Libraries require efficient and reliable methods to assess journal use. Vendors provide complete counts of articles retrieved from their platforms. However, if a journal is available on multiple platforms, several sets of statistics must be merged. Link-resolver reports merge data from all platforms into one report but only record partial use because users can access library subscriptions from other paths. Citation data are limited to publication use. Vendor, link-resolver, and local citation data were examined to determine correlation. Because link-resolver statistics are easy to obtain, the study library especially wanted to know if they correlate highly with the other measures. Methods: Vendor, link-resolver, and local citation statistics for the study institution were gathered for health sciences journals. Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients were calculated. Results: There was a high positive correlation between all three data sets, with vendor data commonly showing the highest use. However, a small percentage of titles showed anomalous results. Discussion and Conclusions: Link-resolver data correlate well with vendor and citation data, but due to anomalies, low link-resolver data would best be used to suggest titles for further evaluation using vendor data. Citation data may not be needed as it correlates highly with other measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study analyzes and describes the literature of addictions treatment and indexing coverage for core journals in the field. Methods: Citations from three source journals for the years 2008 through 2010 were analyzed using the 2010 Mapping the Literature of Nursing and Allied Health Professions Project Protocol. The distribution of cited journals was analyzed by applying Bradford's Law of Scattering. Results: More than 40,000 citations were analyzed. Journals (2,655 unique titles) were the most frequently cited form of literature, with 10 journals providing one-third of the cited journal references. Drug and Alcohol Dependence was the most frequently cited journal. The frequency of cited addictions journals, formats cited, age of citations, and indexing coverage is identified. Conclusions: Addictions treatment literature is widely dispersed among multidisciplinary publications with relatively few publications providing most of the citations. Results of this study will help researchers, students, clinicians, and librarians identify the most important journals and bibliographic indexes in this field, as well as publishing opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The research identified the publication types and ages most frequently cited in the infectious diseases literature and the most commonly cited journals. Methods: From 2008-2010, 5,056 articles in 5 infectious diseases journals cited 166,650 items. Two random samples were drawn: one (n=1,060) from the total set of citations and one (n = 1,060) from the citations to journal articles. For each sample citation, publication type and date, age of cited item, and inclusion of uniform resource locator (URL) were collected. For each item in the cited journal articles sample, journal title, publication date, and age of the cited article were collected. Bradford zones were used for further analysis. Results: Journal articles (91%, n=963) made up the bulk of cited items, followed by miscellaneous items (4.6%, n=49). Dates of publication for cited items ranged from 1933-2010 (mean=2001, mode=2007). Over half (50.2%, n=483) of cited journal articles were published within the previous 5 years. The journal article citations included 358 unique journal titles. Discussion: The citations to current and older publications in a range of disciplines, heavy citation of journals, and citation of miscellaneous and government documents revealed the depth and breadth of resources needed for the study of infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This list of 358 books and 123 journals is intended as a selection aid for the small library of a hospital, medical society, clinic, or similar organization. Books and journals are arranged by subject, with the books followed by an author index, and the journals by an alphabetical title listing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author discusses medical librarians who have been trained to fulfill the role of informationist in their libraries. He is critical of statements which have been made which suggest that the roles of general medical librarians and informationists are not different, and suggests that research which has been conducted shows that the two do conduct different tasks in libraries.

Objectives: The current study evaluates the results of a previously reported method for creating a core medical electronic journal collection for a new medical school library, validates the core collection created specifically to meet the needs of the new school, and identifies strategies for making cost- effective e-journal selection decisions. Methods: Usage data were extracted for four e- journal packages (Blackwell-Synergy, Cell Press, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, and Science Direct). Usage was correlated with weighted point values assigned to a core list of journal titles, and each package was evaluated for relevancy and cost- effectiveness to the Florida State University College of Medicine (FSU COM) population. Results: The results indicated that the development of the core list was a valid method for creating a new twenty-first century, community-based medical school library. Thirty-seven journals are identified for addition to the FSU COM core list based on use by the COM, and areas of overlapping research interests between the university and the COM are identified based on use of specific journals by each population. Conclusions: The collection development approach that evolved at the FSU COM library was useful during the initial stages of identifying and evaluating journal selections and in assessing the relative value of a particular journal package for the FSU COM after the school was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the impact of portfolio purchasing on a small, highly specialized medical collection at The Ohio State University. Methodology: In this citation analysis, cited references for articles published by faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine between 2000 and 2004 were collected and analyzed to determine whether The Ohio State University Libraries provided print or electronic access to the publications cited or the publishers of the cited journals, and whether the university purchased a subscription to each journal or received the subscription through a consortium-sponsored portfolio purchasing agreement. Results: Of the 419 journals veterinary faculty cited more than 10 times, only 13 (3.1%) were in Zone 1, and 63 (15.0%) were in Zone 2 of the Bradford distribution, a citation analysis model which demonstrates that a small number of journals account for the bulk of literature utilized in any established field. Of these, only 23 (5.5%) were procured through an OhioLINK or other consortium portfolio purchasing agreement. Discussion/Conclusion: The costs of acquiring a publisher's portfolio, even through a consortium, should be balanced with the costs of purchasing content required to provide a balanced collection for all user populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical-surgical or adult health nursing is a complex specialty that requires a wide-ranging literature to inform its research and practice. Several excellent qualitative aids exist for collection development for this field, but quantitative studies are few. While one bibliometric study of journals exists, no recent work had been done in this area. Method: The Mapping the Literature of Nursing Project protocol was used. Four source journals were selected, and a citation analysis of articles from 1996 to 1998 was conducted. Results: A list of the most frequently cited journals was created, using Bradford's Law of Scattering. The list demonstrates that 1.2% of the cited medical-surgical nursing journals produced just over 33% of the citations. PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Science Citation Index provided the most complete indexing coverage of all of the journals, with CINAHL providing the most complete coverage of nursing journals. Books were the second-most cited format. Conclusions: Citation analysis of journal articles is a useful aid for selecting journals for medical-surgical nursing collections, but it did not prove to be as useful for selecting materials in other formats. Indexes in addition to PubMed/MEDLINE are necessary to provide access to the journal literature serving this specialty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: As part of a project to map the literature of nursing, sponsored by the Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section of the Medical Library Association, this study identifies core journals cited in maternal-child/gynecologic nursing and the indexing services that access the cited journals. Methods: Three source journals were selected and subjected to a citation analysis of articles from 1996 to 1998. Results: Journals were the most frequently cited format (74.1%), followed by books (19.7%), miscellaneous (4.2%), and government documents (1.9%). Bradford's Law of Scattering was applied to the results, ranking cited journal references in descending order. One-third of the citations were found in a core of 14 journal titles; one-third were dispersed among a middle zone of 100 titles; and the remaining third were scattered in a larger zone of 1,194 titles. Indexing coverage for the core titles was most comprehensive in PubMed/MEDLINE, followed by Science Citation Index and CINAHL. Conclusion: The core of journals cited in this nursing specialty revealed a large number of medical titles, thus, the biomedical databases provide the best access. The interdisciplinary nature of maternal-child/gynecologic nursing topics dictates that social sciences databases are an important adjunct. The study results will assist librarians in collection development, provide end users with guidelines for selecting databases, and influence database producers to consider extending coverage to identified titles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various reports published within the issue including a review of the effectiveness of teaching methods, one about the use of rubrics in evaluation of student performance, and the article "Effectiveness of Adverse Effects Search Filters: Drugs versus Medical Devices."