Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship

Get the foundational knowledge about health sciences librarianship. The general term “health sciences libraries” covers a wide range of areas beyond medical libraries, such as biomedical, nursing, allied health, pharmacy, and others. Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship provides a sound foundation to all aspects of these types of libraries to students and librarians new to the field. This helpful guide provides a helpful overview of the health care environment, technical services, public services, management issues, academic health sciences, hospital libraries, health informatics, evidence-based practice, and more. This text provides crucial information every beginning and practicing health sciences librarian needs—all in one volume. Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship presents some of the most respected librarians and educators in the field, each discussing important aspects of librarianship, including technical services, public services, administration, special services, and special collections. This comprehensive volume provides all types of librarians with helpful general, practical, and theoretical knowledge about this profession. The book’s unique "A Day in the Life of . . . " feature describes typical days of health sciences librarians working in special areas such as reference or consumer health, and offers anyone new to the field a revealing look at what a regular workday is like. The text is packed with useful figures, screen captures, tables, and references. Topics discussed in Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship include:

overview of health sciences libraries
health environment
collection development of journals, books, and electronic resources
organization of health information
access services
information services and information retrieval
information literacy
health informatics
management of academic health sciences libraries
management and issues in hospital libraries
library space planning
specialized services Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship provides essential information for health sciences librarians, medical librarians, beginning and intermediate level health sciences/medical librarians, and any health sciences librarian wishing to review the field. This crucial volume belongs in every academic health sciences library, hospital library, specialized health library, biomedical library, and academic library.

M. Sandra Wood is Librarian Emerita, Pennsylvania State University. Her experience and interests are in general reference, management of reference services, database and Internet searching, and user instruction. Ms. Wood is Editor of Medical Reference Services Quarterly and Journal of Consumer Health, and Co-editor of the Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries. She is author or editor of numerous books, including Health Care Resources on the Internet: A Guide for Librarians and Health Care Consumers. She received the Medical Library Association's Eliot Award, and the Chapter Achievement Award from the Philadelphia Chapter/MLA. Ms. Wood was elected to MLA's Board of Directors (1991–1995), and served as MLA's Treasurer. Ms. Wood has been a Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals since 1990, and a Fellow of the Medical Library Association since 1998. She retired in December 2005 with over 35 years of experience as a medical reference librarian.

Section I: Introduction/Overview 1. Overview of Health Sciences Libraries and Librarianship Mary Moore 2. The Health Care Environment Logan Ludwig Appendix 2. A. Selected Federal Legislation with Important Health Aspects, Including Health Care Information Policy Legislation Section II: Technical Services 3. Journal Collection Development: Challenges, Issues, and Strategies Laurie L. Thompson, Mori Lou Higa 4. Monographic and Digital Resource Collection Development Esther Carrigan, Mori Lou Higa, Rajia Tobia 5. Organizing Resources for Information Access Maggie Wineburgh-Freed Appendix 5. A. Resource Bibliography for Organizing Information Section III: Public Services 6. Access Issues, Elizabeth R. Lorbeer, Cindy Scroggins 7. Information Services in Health Sciences Libraries Elizabeth H. Wood 8. Information Retrieval in the Health Sciences Elizabeth H. Wood 9. Marketing, Public Relations, and Communication Patricia C. Higginbottom, Lisa A. Ennis Appendix 9. A. Additional Readings 10. Information Literacy Education in Health Sciences Libraries Stewart M. Brower 11. Evidence-Based Practice Jonathan D. Eldredge 12. Health Informatics K. Ann McKibbon, Ellen Gay Detlefsen Section IV: Administration 13. Management in Academic Health Sciences Libraries Francesca Allegri, Martha Bedard 14. Management of and Issues Specific to Hospital Libraries Dixie A. Jones 15. Library Space Planning Elizabeth Connor Section V: Special Topics 16. Special Services Provided by Health Sciences Libraries Brenda L. Seago 17. Health Sciences Librarianship in Rare Book and Special Collections Stephen J. Greenberg, Patricia E. Gallagher 18. Consumer Health Information Catherine Arnott Smith Glossary Index