One Model for Creating a Career Ladder for Library Support Staff

This article describes a unique career ladder model for library support staff. Major components include a promotion in place opportunity based on specified achievement levels, competencies, cross training, and measurable evaluation. The authors discuss the background, development, and program description of the career ladder model

Outside Bleak House: a transcript of sorts

Jane Topping was one of several artists who contributed to the exhibition 'The Nabokov Paper: an experiment in novel-reading'. The exhibition took as its starting point a now famous class taught during the 1950s by Vladimir Nabokov at Cornell University, New York State, entitled Literature 311-312: Masters of European Fiction. Nabokov’s approach to teaching literary reading was notoriously idiosyncratic. Convinced that one must teach the books themselves, not ideas or generalities, Nabokov would make diagrams of the floor plans of fictional buildings, map the routes taken by characters through the spaces of the novel, and draw items of clothing or furniture; he would also propose to track the course of a single letter, offer a visual representation of a stylistic device, and uncover what he called the mysteries of literary structures. In April 2012, ten artists, eight writers, six university professors, three translators, two architects, a librarian, a curator, a graphic designer, an illustrator and a computer engineer each selected a question on one of seven course texts: Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, Charles Dickens’s Bleak House, Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”, Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way, and James Joyce’s Ulysses. The responses they turned in take the form of writing, drawing, painting, film, graphs, indexes, lists, maps, newly designed editions, objects, scale-models, a lecture and a reading game. Contributors include: Graham Allen, James Arnett, Abraham Asfaw, Anne Attali, Katarzyna Bazarnik, Derek Beaulieu, Paul Becker, Christian Bök, Shanna Bosley, Stephen Bury, Chloe Briggs, Kate Briggs, Maurice Carlin, Jennifer Carr, Guillaume Constantin, Jamie Crewe, Véronique Devoldère, Lucia della Paolera, Craig Dworkin, Zenon Fajfer, Helen Frank, Céline Guyot, John Hamilton, Sharon Kivland, Gianni Lavacchini, Anna-Louise Milne, Forbes Morlock, Simon Morris, Amy Pettifer, Lucrezia Russo, Olivia Sautreuil, Nick Thurston, Jane Topping, Madeleine Walton, Patrick Wildgust, Robert Williams and Jack Aylward-Williams, Sarah Wood, Gillian Wylde

Patterns of introduced species interactions affect multiple aspects of network structure in plant-pollinator communities

Species introductions have the potential to affect the functionality and stability of ecological communities, but because little is known about how introduced species form novel interactions, these impacts are difficult to predict. We quantified the impacts of species introductions on species interaction networks using five different model scenarios of how a novel species might form plant–pollinator interactions. The network structure was based on experimental manipulations on a community of plants and pollinators and shows that the community was more diverse, ordered, and compartmentalized, but less complex when an invasive plant generalist was present. Our models of species introductions reliably predicted several aspects of novel network structure in the field study. We found that introduced species that become incorporated into the community as generalists (both in the number and frequency of their interactions) have a much larger impact on the structure of plant–pollinator communities than introduced species that integrate into the community with few interactions. Average degree is strongly affected by the number of interactions the novel species forms and whether it competes for interactions, whereas connectance is affected by whether the novel species competes for interactions or adds new interaction partners. The number and size of compartments in the network change only when the novel species adds new interaction partners, while modularity and nestedness respond most to the number of interactions formed by the novel species. We provide a new approach for understanding the impacts of introduced and invasive species on plant–pollinator communities and demonstrate that it is critical to evaluate multiple structural characters simultaneously, as large changes in the fundamental structure of the community may be disguised

Diferenças de gênero no campo da sexologia: novos contextos e velhas definições

OBJECTIVE: To analyze concepts of gender and sexuality present in the field of sex therapeutic interventions. METHODOLOGICAL PROCEDURES: An ethnographic observation was conducted, and it was completed with the analysis of printed material originated from the X Congresso Brasileiro de Sexualidade Humana (10th Brazilian Congress on Human Sexuality), promoted by the Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos em Sexualidade Humana (Brazilian Society of Human Sexuality Studies), and the VIII Congresso Brasileiro sobre Inadequações Sexuais (8th Brazilian Congress on Sexual Inadequacies), promoted by the Associação Brasileira para o Estudo das Inadequações Sexuais (Brazilian Association of Sexual Inadequacy Studies), both held in 2005. The analysis emphasized the interaction between the quantitative perspective in the processing of the variables (participants' gender and profession and lecture topics) and the qualitative perspective in the analysis and interpretation of the more general set of data. RESULTS: The topics of sessions and focus of presentations suggest that the field is divided by the contrast between two medical specialties: gynecology and urology, the former is aimed at female and couple dysfunctions, while the latter is aimed at male dysfunctions. CONCLUSIONS: Male sexuality is approached from the predominantly biomedical perspective, centered on the physiology of erection and drug prescription, whereas female sexuality is considered to be conditioned by relationship problems, when psychological intervention is more adequate.OBJETIVO: Analizar concepciones de género y sexualidad presentes en el campo de intervenciones terapéuticas en torno al sexo. PROCEDIMIENTOS METODOLÓGICOS: Observación etnográfica, complementada por análisis documental de material impreso referentes al X Congreso Brasileño de Sexualidad Humana, promovido por la Sociedad Brasileña de Estudios en Sexualidad Humana y el VIII Congreso Brasileño sobre Inadecuaciones Sexuales, promovido por la Asociación Brasileña para el Estudio de las Inadecuaciones Sexuales, realizados en 2005. El análisis privilegió la interacción entre la perspectiva cuantitativa en el procesamiento de las variables profesión y género de los participantes y temas de las palestras y cualitativa en el análisis e interpretación del conjunto más general de datos. RESULTADOS: Los temas de las sesiones y el enfoque de las presentaciones sugieren que el campo es definido por el contraste entre dos especialidades médicas: la ginecología y la urología, la primera dirigida a disfunciones femeninas y de la pareja y la segunda a las disfunciones masculinas. CONCLUSIONES: La sexualidad masculina es abordada por perspectiva predominantemente biomédica, centrada en la fisiología de la erección y en la prescripción de medicamentos, mientras que la sexualidad femenina es presentada como condicionada por problemas de relación, más adecuados a la intervención psicológica.OBJETIVO: Analisar concepções de gênero e sexualidade presentes no campo de intervenções terapêuticas em torno do sexo. PROCEDIMENTOS METODOLÓGICOS: Observação etnográfica, complementada por análise documental de material impresso referente ao X Congresso Brasileiro de Sexualidade Humana, promovido pela Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos em Sexualidade Humana, e ao VIII Congresso Brasileiro sobre Inadequações Sexuais, promovido pela Associação Brasileira para o Estudo das Inadequações Sexuais, realizados em 2005. A análise privilegiou a interação entre a perspectiva quantitativa no processamento das variáveis profissão e gênero dos participantes e temas das palestras, e perspectiva qualitativa na análise e interpretação do conjunto mais geral de dados. RESULTADOS: Os temas das sessões e o enfoque das apresentações sugerem que o campo é definido pelo contraste entre duas especialidades médicas: a ginecologia e a urologia, a primeira voltada para disfunções femininas e do casal e a segunda para as disfunções masculinas. CONCLUSÕES: A sexualidade masculina é abordada por perspectiva predominantemente biomédica, centrada na fisiologia da ereção e na prescrição de medicamentos, enquanto a sexualidade feminina é apresentada como condicionada por problemas relacionais, mais adequados à intervenção psicológica

The Outreach Continuum: Expanding the Medical Librarian’s Role

Objective: With the closing of the reference desk and implementation of a single service point, librarians have more time to engage in outreach. However, questions remain. What does management mean by outreach? What skills are needed to conduct outreach? The objectives of this study are to: (1) reach a common definition of outreach; (2) identify skills needed to perform outreach. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with librarians from three departments (clinical services, research, and technology initiatives) to gain an understanding of initial perceptions of the outreach function and work currently perceived as outreach. Findings from a cross-group analysis were validated with participants and used to inform a definition of outreach and a continuum of outreach activities requiring increasing skill levels. The skills and tools needed to perform outreach activities at each stage of the continuum were identified and cross-group collaboration will be used to develop tools and acquire needed skills. Results: Using a working definition of outreach detailed in the continuum (basic, relationship building, and partnering), librarians tracked outreach activities and mapped them to the continuum for three months. Through discussion, it became clear to librarians where current activities fell, where they needed to concentrate future efforts, and what strategies to use to move from basic interactions to relationship building and then to partnering. The continuum and tracking logs served as a data source for strategic planning and to assist staff with individual goal setting. Librarians found the tracking log to be cumbersome, but the benefits to management were evident. Conclusion: Tracking and categorizing the defined outreach activities is useful to raise awareness of the different types of outreach activity and identify areas for skill development. In the future tracking logs will be streamlined and automated. Presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting on May 23, 2010, in Washington, DC

Testosterona, desejo sexual e conflito de interesse: periódicos biomédicos como espaços privilegiados de expansão do mercado de medicamentos

Este artigo focaliza a articulação entre pesquisa biomédica e indústria farmacêutica com base nos estudos da tecnociência. Abordamos o caso do medicamento Intrinsa – adesivo de testosterona, cujo propósito é o aumento do desejo sexual em mulheres – examinando artigos que relatam resultados de ensaios clínicos, publicados em periódicos científicos. Buscamos demonstrar como a população visada pelos ensaios clínicos foi paulatinamente expandida de modo a englobar um número cada vez maior de mulheres, o que pressupôs rearranjos na maneira de definir as disfunções para as quais o medicamento seria indicado e as possíveis causas subjacentes. Foi possível identificar três caminhos de ampliação do mercado para o Intrinsa: o primeiro baseou-se na alteração do status de menopausa. A terapia com testosterona passou a ser vinculada também ao envelhecimento (incluindo, portanto, a pré-menopausa e a menopausa “natural”) e não mais exclusivamente à menopausa cirúrgica; o segundo focalizou a dissociação entre o uso do Intrinsa e a terapia com estrógenos; o terceiro buscou vincular o medicamento ao aumento de “bem-estar”.This article focuses on the close relationship between biomedical research and the pharmaceutical industry based on technoscience studies. We discuss the case of Intrinsa – a testosterone patch designed to increase the sexual desire of women – through the analysis of articles reporting clinical trial outcomes published in scientific journals. We intend to demonstrate how the target population of the clinical trials was gradually expanded so as to include a growing number of women, and how this expansion led to alterations in the definition of the disorder the drug was supposed to treat and its possible underlying causes. We were able to identify three paths that aimed at extending the indication of Intrinsa: the first was based on the change in the menopausal status of women, since testosterone therapy began to be linked to aging (including, therefore, perimenopause and ‘natural’ menopause) and no longer exclusively to surgical menopause; the second focused on the dissociation between the use of Intrinsa and therapy with estrogens; the third sought to relate the drug to an increased sense of ‘well-being’

Has the Pandemic Altered Public Perception of How Local Green Spaces Affect Quality of Life in the United Kingdom?

Green spaces unquestionably improve both physical and mental health, but there is little information on how they affect quality of life. This study investigates whether the public perception of how local green spaces and their impact on quality of life have altered as a result of restrictions imposed by the U.K.’s SARS-CoV-2 pandemic containment strategy. Qualitative data were collected using an online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms and postal flyers. The results clearly demonstrate that 90% of participants believe that green spaces improved their quality of life during the pandemic, with over 85% thinking that green spaces will continue to have a positive impact on their quality of life once the pandemic is over. Whether this is a permanent change in public thinking or a short-term adaptation to the stresses of the pandemic can be assessed in future research studies. More detailed research is required to understand more clearly the aspects and types of green spaces that are the most valuable for improving quality of life so that future ones can be designed to provide maximum benefits

“A porta da transformação só abre pelo lado de dentro”: notas etnográficas sobre o processo da (trans)formação de si em cursos de capacitação de doulas

O modelo de assistência obstétrica que vem sendo praticado no Brasil apresenta um alto índice de nascimentos por via cirúrgica. Já os partos vaginais são marcados por um uso excessivo de intervenções. Contrapondo-se a esse cenário, as doulas, muitas vezes motivadas por suas experiências pessoais, aparecem como novas especialistas no campo da saúde materno-infantil. Sua função é fornecer informações e oferecer apoio físico e emocional à mulher que deseja parir, para “catalisar algo que a mulher já tem”. Assim, essas profissionais lutam para transformar as formas altamente medicalizadas e intervencionistas de assistência ao parto e nascimento em um modelo de atenção obstétrica centrado na mulher. A partir dos dados de uma etnografia do processo de formação de doulas realizada em 2016, buscamos analisar, neste artigo, como as subjetividades dessas mulheres vão sendo transformadas ao longo dos cursos de capacitação. Observamos que os entendimentos dessas mulheres, em relação aos processos de gestar, parir e maternar, sofrem mudanças quando elas entram em contato com o movimento de humanização e, especialmente, quando aprofundam esse contato ao participar de um curso de doulas. Procuramos mostrar como as vivências realizadas nesses cursos buscam promover uma transformação que acontece, assim como no parto, através de uma experiência corporal e da retórica das emoções