David Howse, Paul Bracke and Dr. Sam Keim have published an article in the April 2008 issue of the Journal of the Medical Library Association. Its title is, “Evidence-based Medicine Search: a customizable federated search engine,” and the article describes not only the search engine itself
( http://www.ahsl.arizona.edu/ebmsearch/index.cfm ) but also the process involved in its creation.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Vision for AHSL
Over the last seven years I have tried to articulate, usually in all staff meetings or during strategic planning sessions, my “vision” for the library. It has evolved, although many aspects have not changed. I sometimes hear from staff that they do not have a clear idea of my vision. This document is an attempt to address this concern. It is not a list of everything that we do, but rather a broad vision of the kinds of things we will be working toward. This is not meant to be an “official” vision statement but is more of a personal document.
This vision is a work in progress. I expect it to continue to evolve. I welcome your suggestions for filling in gaps or challenges to my assumptions.
This document builds on our previous work on strategic directions, strategic planning and on the white papers completed several years ago.
For hundreds of years “the library” has been a place where books are collected, protected and shared. Those who work in libraries have been seen as the caretakers and gatekeepers of the collection and have been expected to help users to find the information they need. But the role of the library and its staff are constrained by the old ideas of the building as a warehouse.
As information resources take up less and less space and become less tangible, new roles open up to us to continue to help users find and manage the information they need. The advanced information finding and management skills that we possess give us the opportunity to become partners in the academic process.
The building itself has accumulated other roles than warehouse over the years. Some of these are valuable roles and should be continued. However the print storage function will be phased out in favor of other uses that support the mission of the organization.
We have the opportunity to transform the library itself and the perceptions of those we serve. In the AHSL we have prided ourselves on the level of service that we provide. This will not change.
• fewer people, particularly faculty, coming into the building
• faculty are using the Internet to search for information; some recognizing the limitations of this approach; many open to learning how to do this better
• decreasing emphasis on print means many tasks are shrinking and some will disappear – binding, journal check-in, materials prep, circulation, shelving
• some new roles are becoming clear; they may require retraining – digitization, link checking, keeping information on the web up-to-date
Principles
• we must go to our users and partner with them to support their missions
• librarians’ skills in information retrieval and organization are of greater value and are more important than ever
• we must have sufficient staff in the building to handle questions.
• when it makes sense to shrink the staff, we will try to do it through attrition; our first option will be successful retraining
• when our value is recognized it means that we are doing the right job
• service to those beyond the campus fulfills the university’s mission of service and brings recognition and respect to the library and its staff
Vision
‰ Liaison librarians located near our primary users will be our predominant (not only) method of service
‰ Future librarian hires will include a focus on subject knowledge and entrepreneurial aptitude and abilities, regardless of position title
‰ Some staff positions will focus more on digitization (see Collections) and support of electronic access (link checking, information maintenance on web pages, etc.)
‰ Statewide outreach and service will continue to be supported and we will aggressively search for extramural funding
‰ If the liaison and other user support programs are successful, we may need additional librarians
‰ It is likely that the total number of classified staff positions will decrease; a goal will be to accomplish this through attrition and to support retraining and cross-training in support of new tasks and skills
• our user community expects fast, easy access to information
• most of our information resources are available electronically
• the cost of information has been rising while our budget has been flat or decreasing
• we have some unique items in our collection
Principles
• while fighting for the budget we want, we must provide the best core information possible within our budget
• fast, easy access must be a primary goal for our user community
• some print items are of value because of their physical format, rarity, history or other reasons and must be preserved
• all unique items and information should be shared as widely as possible
Vision
‰ Through our liaisons, surveys, online statistics and other measures we will constantly update our knowledge of our users’ needs
‰ We will strive to meet the information needs of our user community through purchase, partnerships and borrowing but not by sacrificing competitive salaries or building maintenance
‰ We must put as much emphasis on our web site and finding tools as we do on the selection of information resources
‰ We will create an active digitization program to preserve and distribute materials in all formats (text, objects, sound and video) that are unique to our collection and to which we own the rights
‰ When possible within our resources we will support open-access publishing and other changes to the system of scholarly communication in support of our users
• space is in demand on campus
• no unit “owns” its current space; the university controls all space and allocates it to support its mission
• our users rely less and less on our print collections which take up space
• our user community enjoys coming to the library as a quiet, neutral space that supports collaboration; the library is thought of as a good place to be
Principles
• we work to find the best use of any space we can make available
• we use only the space that we need to support our mission
• we strive to provide “quality” space that meets the needs of our users
• we provide common equipment (from tables to computers) available to the entire campus community
Vision
‰ The square footage devoted to collections will continue to decrease
‰ We will seek out uses for library space that support the mission of the university; this may involve bringing other service groups into the existing space or ceding space to other units
‰ We recognize the intangible value that users give to this “special” place and strive to maintain it while providing needed types of space and equipment
‰ We will continue to allocate funds for maintenance and upkeep (re-upholstering, re-carpeting, etc.)
This vision is a work in progress. I expect it to continue to evolve. I welcome your suggestions for filling in gaps or challenges to my assumptions.
Vision for AHSL
Summer 2008
Summer 2008
This document builds on our previous work on strategic directions, strategic planning and on the white papers completed several years ago.
Background
For hundreds of years “the library” has been a place where books are collected, protected and shared. Those who work in libraries have been seen as the caretakers and gatekeepers of the collection and have been expected to help users to find the information they need. But the role of the library and its staff are constrained by the old ideas of the building as a warehouse.
As information resources take up less and less space and become less tangible, new roles open up to us to continue to help users find and manage the information they need. The advanced information finding and management skills that we possess give us the opportunity to become partners in the academic process.
The building itself has accumulated other roles than warehouse over the years. Some of these are valuable roles and should be continued. However the print storage function will be phased out in favor of other uses that support the mission of the organization.
We have the opportunity to transform the library itself and the perceptions of those we serve. In the AHSL we have prided ourselves on the level of service that we provide. This will not change.
The Roles of Librarians and staff
Environment• fewer people, particularly faculty, coming into the building
• faculty are using the Internet to search for information; some recognizing the limitations of this approach; many open to learning how to do this better
• decreasing emphasis on print means many tasks are shrinking and some will disappear – binding, journal check-in, materials prep, circulation, shelving
• some new roles are becoming clear; they may require retraining – digitization, link checking, keeping information on the web up-to-date
Principles
• we must go to our users and partner with them to support their missions
• librarians’ skills in information retrieval and organization are of greater value and are more important than ever
• we must have sufficient staff in the building to handle questions.
• when it makes sense to shrink the staff, we will try to do it through attrition; our first option will be successful retraining
• when our value is recognized it means that we are doing the right job
• service to those beyond the campus fulfills the university’s mission of service and brings recognition and respect to the library and its staff
Vision
‰ Liaison librarians located near our primary users will be our predominant (not only) method of service
‰ Future librarian hires will include a focus on subject knowledge and entrepreneurial aptitude and abilities, regardless of position title
‰ Some staff positions will focus more on digitization (see Collections) and support of electronic access (link checking, information maintenance on web pages, etc.)
‰ Statewide outreach and service will continue to be supported and we will aggressively search for extramural funding
‰ If the liaison and other user support programs are successful, we may need additional librarians
‰ It is likely that the total number of classified staff positions will decrease; a goal will be to accomplish this through attrition and to support retraining and cross-training in support of new tasks and skills
Collections
Environment• our user community expects fast, easy access to information
• most of our information resources are available electronically
• the cost of information has been rising while our budget has been flat or decreasing
• we have some unique items in our collection
Principles
• while fighting for the budget we want, we must provide the best core information possible within our budget
• fast, easy access must be a primary goal for our user community
• some print items are of value because of their physical format, rarity, history or other reasons and must be preserved
• all unique items and information should be shared as widely as possible
Vision
‰ Through our liaisons, surveys, online statistics and other measures we will constantly update our knowledge of our users’ needs
‰ We will strive to meet the information needs of our user community through purchase, partnerships and borrowing but not by sacrificing competitive salaries or building maintenance
‰ We must put as much emphasis on our web site and finding tools as we do on the selection of information resources
‰ We will create an active digitization program to preserve and distribute materials in all formats (text, objects, sound and video) that are unique to our collection and to which we own the rights
‰ When possible within our resources we will support open-access publishing and other changes to the system of scholarly communication in support of our users
The “Library as Place”
Environment• space is in demand on campus
• no unit “owns” its current space; the university controls all space and allocates it to support its mission
• our users rely less and less on our print collections which take up space
• our user community enjoys coming to the library as a quiet, neutral space that supports collaboration; the library is thought of as a good place to be
Principles
• we work to find the best use of any space we can make available
• we use only the space that we need to support our mission
• we strive to provide “quality” space that meets the needs of our users
• we provide common equipment (from tables to computers) available to the entire campus community
Vision
‰ The square footage devoted to collections will continue to decrease
‰ We will seek out uses for library space that support the mission of the university; this may involve bringing other service groups into the existing space or ceding space to other units
‰ We recognize the intangible value that users give to this “special” place and strive to maintain it while providing needed types of space and equipment
‰ We will continue to allocate funds for maintenance and upkeep (re-upholstering, re-carpeting, etc.)
Friday, April 4, 2008
Supervisor Evaluations, Budget
Supervisor Evaluations
I have been working on evaluations and have read all of the supervisor evaluations that have come to me. I want to thank all of you for participating in this process. I’ve found your observations to be very thoughtful and helpful. It’s obvious that most of you gave a lot of thought to your comments and it shows in the insight that you have provided. Thank you for participating in this experiment, which, I believe, has been a great success!
Budget
We are being told to expect the legislature’s budget plan sometime in the next several weeks. In the meantime the Provost has asked all units to submit a plan for a 2% budget reduction in state funds for the current fiscal year that will become a permanent reduction next year. We have until April 11th to submit the plan along with a description of the effect such a reduction will have on the library. This is only a first step and the actual distribution of the budget cuts will be determined later. The budget cut for the current year will be covered primarily with salary savings from grants. For next year, the Phoenix collection budget has already been cut by 8%. We will try to cover much of the cut in Tucson with money from vacant positions. Cuts to the Tucson collection budget can be covered partially with Foundation funds from gifts and endowments, resulting in a slowing down of building and furniture maintenance. I do not see us cutting any positions as a result of these cuts.
I have been working on evaluations and have read all of the supervisor evaluations that have come to me. I want to thank all of you for participating in this process. I’ve found your observations to be very thoughtful and helpful. It’s obvious that most of you gave a lot of thought to your comments and it shows in the insight that you have provided. Thank you for participating in this experiment, which, I believe, has been a great success!
Budget
We are being told to expect the legislature’s budget plan sometime in the next several weeks. In the meantime the Provost has asked all units to submit a plan for a 2% budget reduction in state funds for the current fiscal year that will become a permanent reduction next year. We have until April 11th to submit the plan along with a description of the effect such a reduction will have on the library. This is only a first step and the actual distribution of the budget cuts will be determined later. The budget cut for the current year will be covered primarily with salary savings from grants. For next year, the Phoenix collection budget has already been cut by 8%. We will try to cover much of the cut in Tucson with money from vacant positions. Cuts to the Tucson collection budget can be covered partially with Foundation funds from gifts and endowments, resulting in a slowing down of building and furniture maintenance. I do not see us cutting any positions as a result of these cuts.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Security, 4 Corners Meeting
Security Awareness
Most of us love animals and want only the best for them. However some who are concerned about the use of animals in medical research have used tactics that endanger property, research and people. April is Animal Rights Month and April 20-26 is World Week for Animals in Labs.
In the past April has seen demonstrations, sometimes accompanied by violence, at universities where medical research is done. In 1989 fires were set in two buildings at the University of Arizona (one was destroyed) and 1200 lab animals were released, some carrying infectious diseases.
No threats are known to exist on campus this year. I attended a campus session today that reminded the community of precautions that should be taken to insure the safety of university employees. A good handout was distributed and I will send copies out early next week.
4 Corners Meeting
This Thursday and Friday the directors of the 4 Corners academic health sciences libraries will be meeting in Phoenix. We will tour the new campus, the ASU downtown campus and library, and TGen. We will also meet regarding shared concerns, issues and solutions. Jacque is hosting us and has done a fantastic job of planning and scheduling.
Most of us love animals and want only the best for them. However some who are concerned about the use of animals in medical research have used tactics that endanger property, research and people. April is Animal Rights Month and April 20-26 is World Week for Animals in Labs.
In the past April has seen demonstrations, sometimes accompanied by violence, at universities where medical research is done. In 1989 fires were set in two buildings at the University of Arizona (one was destroyed) and 1200 lab animals were released, some carrying infectious diseases.
No threats are known to exist on campus this year. I attended a campus session today that reminded the community of precautions that should be taken to insure the safety of university employees. A good handout was distributed and I will send copies out early next week.
4 Corners Meeting
This Thursday and Friday the directors of the 4 Corners academic health sciences libraries will be meeting in Phoenix. We will tour the new campus, the ASU downtown campus and library, and TGen. We will also meet regarding shared concerns, issues and solutions. Jacque is hosting us and has done a fantastic job of planning and scheduling.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Annabelle, Videoconference Room
Annabelle – a “Mover and Shaker”
On Monday Jeanette sent out the URL for Library Journal’s article on Annabelle at:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6535094.html
All of the medical library Movers and Shakers are listed in Michelle Kraft’s blog, The Krafty Librarian at:
http://kraftylibrarian.com/2008/03/congratulations-library-journals-movers.html
Congratulations again Annabelle!
Videoconference Room
I’d like to try to clear up some misconceptions about the new videoconference room in the Circulation Desk area. I view this space as a tremendous asset to the library – it’s bringing people into the building and has been great for meetings that we have with folks up in Phoenix. Because there is such a high demand on campus for videoconferencing and because use of the equipment requires technical support staff, scheduling of this room (and all video rooms) must be coordinated with the other videoconferencing rooms and is best handled outside of the library. We have access to this room and Linda can help you with scheduling. If you have problems with equipment or access to the room, the IS Desk staff know who to call. You may not know that the College of Medicine covered all of the cost for the renovation of this room.
On Monday Jeanette sent out the URL for Library Journal’s article on Annabelle at:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6535094.html
All of the medical library Movers and Shakers are listed in Michelle Kraft’s blog, The Krafty Librarian at:
http://kraftylibrarian.com/2008/03/congratulations-library-journals-movers.html
Congratulations again Annabelle!
Videoconference Room
I’d like to try to clear up some misconceptions about the new videoconference room in the Circulation Desk area. I view this space as a tremendous asset to the library – it’s bringing people into the building and has been great for meetings that we have with folks up in Phoenix. Because there is such a high demand on campus for videoconferencing and because use of the equipment requires technical support staff, scheduling of this room (and all video rooms) must be coordinated with the other videoconferencing rooms and is best handled outside of the library. We have access to this room and Linda can help you with scheduling. If you have problems with equipment or access to the room, the IS Desk staff know who to call. You may not know that the College of Medicine covered all of the cost for the renovation of this room.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Innovative migration, Visitor and Space
Thank you!
Our migration from SIRSI to Innovative Interfaces, Inc. (“Triple I”) and our move from an in-house database to Serials Solutions are pretty much complete. There is still clean-up and learning going on but the actual transfers of data and setup are done. I know that many people contributed in many ways to these projects. I’d like to especially thank Joan for overseeing two very complex operations. I’d also like to thank Mary Holcomb, Amanda, Javad and Nga for their work on the triple I migration. Andrew See also worked on this and, of course, Robin Sewell did an enormous amount of work and saved us a lot of money. Thanks also to Dave Piper, Marcus and Mary Holcomb (and to Robin) for their past and ongoing work with Serials Solutions!
Visitor
On Thursday, Carolyn Reid, Director of the medical library at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City visited AHSL. Their library has many interesting similarities to our library. They license materials through a multi-university consortium, similar to AULC, they have no systems personnel in the library, relying on a College of Medicine IT unit, and they have a remote site, although theirs is 6700 miles away in Doha, Qatar!
Space
We all know that space is a very valuable commodity on a university campus. A recent email discussion among health sciences library directors shows that almost every library has been asked to give up space – often for offices or other non-academic uses. In reality the library of the future will not need as much space as we have in the past. Our future lies in providing service, developing partnerships and in making sure that space in the library building contributes to the mission of the university.
In this spirit we have been continuing to look at our space situation. Two transitions are taking place that offer us a great opportunity to bring more people into the building, to show that we are aware of the needs of our users and for us to continue to provide attractive workspaces for our staff. The first transition is Marcus and Stef moving upstairs. (Run up and say “hello” when you get a chance!) The second is the early planning stages for a computer help desk that Jose is working on.
The library has offered the old ITC desk (outside of Pat Auflick’s current office) as a space for a help desk. This would be a place where COM students and faculty could bring computers or just questions and get help. It would augment a phone-in help desk.
Under the new IT reorganization, Spencer and Jose (and perhaps others from other COM computer support departments) will likely be helping to support this desk. It would seem natural that their office should be located close to the desk. After talking with everyone involved we have offered to move Pat, Mary Riordan, Annabelle and Jennifer downstairs and to make their current offices available to the new IT organization. This is still in the very early discussion phase but I want to give everyone a “head’s up.” I will do my best to keep you informed about any decisions or action on this matter.Friday, March 7, 2008
Congrats Carol! + other news
Congratulations to Carol
Carol has been accepted to the Biomedical Informatics Course jointly sponsored by the National Library of Medicine and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. Acceptance comes with a full scholarship that covers all expenses for the seven-day course. Carol will be attending the September session.
Small Classroom
Between April 28 and June 27 there will be no computers in the small classroom. The computers in there are on loan from the College of Medicine with the understanding that they are pulled each year for use in student testing. Classes that require computers will have to be limited to the large classroom.
Carol has been accepted to the Biomedical Informatics Course jointly sponsored by the National Library of Medicine and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. Acceptance comes with a full scholarship that covers all expenses for the seven-day course. Carol will be attending the September session.
Small Classroom
Between April 28 and June 27 there will be no computers in the small classroom. The computers in there are on loan from the College of Medicine with the understanding that they are pulled each year for use in student testing. Classes that require computers will have to be limited to the large classroom.
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