Abstract
How were traditional librarian reference desk services successfully eliminated at one health sciences library? The analysis was done at an academic health sciences library at a major research university. A gap analysis was performed, evaluating changes in the first eleven months through analysis of reference transaction and instructional session data. Substantial increases were seen in the overall number of specialized reference transactions and those conducted by librarians lasting more than thirty minutes. The number of reference transactions overall increased after implementing the new model. Several new small-scale instructional initiatives began, though perhaps not directly related to the new model. Traditional reference desk services were eliminated at one academic health sciences library without negative impact on reference and instructional statistics. Eliminating ties to the confines of the physical library due to staffing reference desk hours removed one significant barrier to a more proactive liaison program.
Highlights
The Health Sciences Libraries actively participate in the University Library's MLibrary 2.0 Forum Series, sharing their experiences and lessons learned from experimenting with web 2.0 technologies
"Creating Health Information Connections for Persons with Disabilities" is a twelvemonth subcontract featuring a collaborative project between the Health Sciences Libraries and the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living (AACIL) to increase awareness of and improve access to vital health information, while considering the unique needs of individuals
In April we presented a poster, entitled “Sources of Health Information for Members of the Disability Community,” at the University of Michigan Initiative on Disability Studies (UMInDS) Spring Symposium
Summary
“The mission of the health sciences library is to be a valued partner, fully integrated into the work of the university and providing leadership in knowledge management for education, research, patient care, and community outreach.”. Working with the School of Nursing, liaison librarians are participating on the curriculum committee and reviewing information skills and competencies in three specific areas: 1) communication, document preparation, and presentation; 2) patient care and evidence-based practice; and 3) academic and nursing research. Working with the College of Pharmacy, liaison librarians are, for the first time, providing orientation sessions for third and fourth year pharmacy students, and they are involved in team-based learning methods as part of the new emphasis on improving clinical decision-making skills They are redesigning library instruction sessions to incorporate new evidence-based approaches to learning in the Pharmacy 330 class. Librarians interact with students in dental hygiene classes via a CTools forum and are consulting with faculty on e-books resources to supplement the program
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
