Virginia A. Lingle

Benchmarking in health care: using the Internet to identify resources.

Benchmarking is a quality improvement tool that is increasingly being applied to the health care field and to the libraries within that field. Using mostly resources assessible at no charge through the Internet, a collection of information was compiled on benchmarking and its applications. Sources could be identified in several formats including books, journals and articles, multi-media materials, and organizations.

MEDLINE and MeSH: challenges for end users.

Through casual observations, formal consultations, and educational sessions, the authors have identified various indexing features of the National Library of Medicines Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) that pose challenges to end users while attempting to obtain relevant retrieval when searching MEDLINE. These problematic features include the use of Explodes, Tree structures, subheadings, Text Word vs. subject heading searching, and central concept searching. End-user search software is becoming more sophisticated with an increasing number of choices offered for search strategy formulation. Methods of instruction to orient the end user to these systems will also have to become more detailed. A review of the literature, that discusses end-user problems with using MEDLINE and MeSH, is included.

Conversion of an Academic Health Sciences Library to a Near-Total Electronic Library: Part 2

In the last ten years, many health sciences libraries have gradually converted their collections from predominantly print journal subscriptions to electronic-only subscriptions. This is being driven by budget, space issues, and user preference. The desire to retain both print and electronic versions of journal titles has proven to be unsustainable for many health sciences libraries in the face of flat or shrinking budgets and increased demand for space at the institutional level. Due to demand for space for a clinical simulation facility at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, the George T. Harrell Health Sciences Library was faced with the need to accelerate the shift to primarily an electronic collection when more than 80% of the print journals and more than 20% of the print book collection were removed from the library. Part one of this article discussed how a case had to be made to the college administration that the older literature was still utilized and had value—and that it would be worthwhile to selectively purchase the electronic “backfiles” or archival files to replace high-use print journals. This second part of the article provides a detailed discussion of the decisions that resulted from the data analysis, subsequent actions that were taken to remove the collection, why certain backfiles were selected for purchase, and resulting impacts on both library users and library staff workflow.

Journal Searching in Non-MEDLINE Resources on Internet Web Sites

Internet access to the medical journal literature is absorbing the attention of all relevant parties, i.e., publishers, journal vendors, librarians, commercial providers, government agencies, and end users. Journal content on the Web sites spans the range from advertising and ordering information for the print version, to table of contents and abstracts, to downloadable full text and graphics of articles. The searching parameters for systems other than MEDLINE also differ extensively with a wide variety of features and resulting retrieval. This discussion reviews a selection of providers of medical information (particularly the journal literature) on the Internet, making a comparison of what is available on Web sites and how it can be searched.

The Health Sciences Library and the IACUC in Animal Research: Collaboration for More Effective Use of Electronic Resources

ABSTRACT Collaboration between an institutions library and the IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) provides a relevant platform to promote the use of available electronic resources in a context that is meaningful for faculty, staff, and students involved in research using animals. Librarians can leverage governmental mandates that require appropriate justification for animal use in research to promote the effective use of library resources and services. This article will briefly review some legislative history that has led to the formation of todays current practices and requirements for an institutional committee that oversees the care of animals used in research; discuss the “language” of animal research protocols and various resources that a librarian can use to become more integrated into the research environment at an institution; and give examples of quality library Web sites that demonstrate how libraries can better inform research personnel. As costs increase for the electronic resources that are purchased or leased, the library needs to continue to find venues for collaboration, such as support of the requirements of an IACUC, that “make sense” to the scientist or administrator who manages institutional funds.

FAQs and Tips About Electronic Journals on Library Web Sites: What Information Are We Sharing with Our Users?

Abstract Frequently asked questions or FAQs, tip sheets, or question-and-answer guides are often used in library Web sites to transfer information of interest to library users. In an effort to create a new FAQ section on a medical school library Web page, a review of over 100 medical school library Web sites was conducted to assess what types of information were being distributed about electronic journals, in particular, and services and issues related to electronic resources, in general. It was surprising that many sites had no type of FAQ section on any topic, while others gave extensive information on the broad aspects of acquiring, managing, and using electronic journals. This discussion will summarize the various types of information that are available on medical school library Web sites, and will highlight quality examples of each of the aspects that have been outlined.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) on the Web

Abstract The occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and other overuse syndromes has been on the increase with the advent of computer keyboards. Musicians, assembly-line workers, and others can suffer from this condition, thereby generating a widespread demand for information on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Many resources about CTS and repetitive strain injury (RSI) exist on the Internet, but they appear in many formats and under a broad spectrum of subjects—from neurology and rheumatology to ergonomics and occupational hazards. In this discussion, various types of information providers are profiled with sample Web sites described in each category. The categories include traditional medical literature sources, health information interfaces or filters, and other CTS information providers, which include; government agencies, medical associations, academic institutions, clinical services, companies selling products, and personal pages.