Heath Network Clinicians Use and Need for Clinical Information Sources: Results of a Survey

The Dana Medical Library, part of the University of Libraries system, with the support of the University of Vermont Health Network, assessed the needs of UVM Health Network clinicians for evidence-based clinical resources such as: medical databases, journal articles, topic summaries, or electronic/print textbooks. Results are compiled and discussed

Engaging Students and Faculty in the Evaluation of a USMLE Review Product: Implications for Library Collection Development

Introduction: Study materials for USMLE exams are some of the most commonly requested materials at Dana Medical Library. In Fall 2015, the Dana Medical Library received several student requests for online USMLE preparation materials. Librarians arranged for a trial of a new USMLE test preparation software available for library licensing. Librarians designed a plan for soliciting student and faculty feedback to inform the purchasing decision. Methods: The Dana Medical Library ran a 4-week trial of the USMLE preparation software. Students and faculty were notified of the product trial through meetings, e-mail, signs in the library and social media. Trial participants were invited to complete an anonymous survey at the end of the trial. Survey questions addressed ease of use, quality of content, effectiveness in test preparation, and recommendation for or against purchase. Results: Forty students and faculty members participated in the trial. Eighteen responded to the survey (45% response rate). Survey respondents were divided over a recommendation for purchase, with 50% advising against purchase, 37.5% advising for purchase with reservations and 12.5% recommending purchase. Twenty-five percent indicated there were errors in the content. Feedback on the ease of use, quality of questions, and overall performance was also mixed. Conclusions: Engaging students and faculty in an online trial provided valuable feedback. Librarians will continue to evaluate and trial new exam review products in collaboration with students and faculty

Access to Mobile Resources: How Does It Affect the Clerkship Experience?

Objectives: To evaluate the perceived benefits of access to library-licensed mobile clinical decision support resources in clinical medical education. Methods: A cohort of medical students was surveyed midway through the clerkship year. Dana Medical Library offered instruction on clinical mobile resources at the beginning of the year. Students were offered a subject guide and assistance with authentication. Assessment methods included web analytics measuring the utility of the subject guide and a survey. Survey questions gathered data on access to mobile devices, relevance of instruction, use of library-licensed mobile resources, and benefits and barriers to their use in the clinical setting. Students were also asked whether access to mobile resources facilitated comparable educational experiences across clerkship sites. Results: The survey was sent to all 111 students from the University of Vermont College of Medicine class of 2014; 31 completed the survey, with a completion rate of 28%. All respondents owned a mobile device, despite efforts to recruit both users and non-users. Nearly 75% of respondents reported using an iPhone. About 90% of respondents brought their mobile device on rotation. Generally, the wireless access at each clerkship site was rated good or excellent. Of the 60% of respondents who attended the instruction session on mobile resources, 94% found the class helpful. Half of the respondents looked at the Mobile Apps subject guide; 70% of those who did found it helpful. A significant increase in page views was reflected in subject guide usage statistics immediately following the instruction session. Approximately 25% of respondents sought out individual assistance at the library. Conclusions: Respondents suggested improvements to library instruction such as distributing access codes during the class and demonstrating installation of an app. A large number of students did not seek additional assistance from the library, citing they did not have any questions. While that may be because they found the subject guide and/or class sufficiently helpful, a significant number of respondents indicated they were unaware of the subject guide. This suggests a need for further promotion and marketing efforts. Researchers were surprised that nonlibrary licensed apps (ePocrates or Medscape) were valued over resources such as DynaMed, and that the most common barrier cited was not having access to appropriate apps. Finally, almost all of the participants who reported taking a mobile device on a rotation agreed it facilitated access to clinical information and improved the clerkship experience

Library Support Of Mobile Resources During Clinical Clerkships

In response to frequent use of mobile devices among medical students, Dana Medical Library at the University of Vermont provided mobile resource support to medical students preparing for clerkships. The librarians offered group instruction, individual assistance, and an online subject guide. These activities were assessed through evaluations, web statistics, and a survey. Survey questions gathered data on access to mobile devices, use of library-licensed mobile resources, and benefits and barriers to use in the clinical setting. The majority of survey respondents believed access to mobile resources improved their clerkship experience and contributed to comparable educational experiences across clerkship sites. Researchers found that library support impacted student perception of the value of mobile resources in the clerkship experience

Achieving Staff Buy-In

Three developments in provision of technical services at the University of Vermont Libraries united to prompt a thorough workflow review. While loss of technical services librarians and staff finally triggered this examination, the growing challenges of e-resources management, and the lingering effects of a partial merger of technical services functions within the libraries also led to a sense of urgency. The Dean of University Libraries charged a task force in spring 2014 to “understand and evaluate acquisitions and resource description processes across University Libraries.” A cross-library task force conducted a literature review, interviewed each person in the library who performed any form of technical services work, held focus groups, and conducted a survey. The resulting qualitative data was used to develop themes: collection development and management, project management, electronic resources, cataloging, and serials. Technical services staff ranked the issues in order of importance within each theme. In true Vermont fashion, “town hall” meetings were held to address top issues in each category. The task force conducted follow-up meetings with functional units to discuss concerns in their unit that had not been named as top issues. The task force drafted two reports, one midway through the process that identified broad categories of concern and resource-intensive steps to address them, and a second report that worked through specific issues to suggest steps existing staff could take to improve workflows and processes. As a result of the work of the task force, the University of Vermont Libraries identified necessary changes in hiring, outsourcing, documentation, and communication. One lesson learned was the value of being flexible about the process. Using a qualitative research approach involving the identification of themes, triangulation with a variety of methodologies, and checking in with the population being studied was a useful approach for involving employees in workflow review

Information-seeking behavior of basic science researchers: implications for library services

Objectives: This study examined the information-seeking behaviors of basic science researchers to inform the development of customized library services. Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted on a sample of basic science researchers employed at a university medical school. Results: The basic science researchers used a variety of information resources ranging from popular Internet search engines to highly technical databases. They generally relied on basic keyword searching, using the simplest interface of a database or search engine. They were highly collegial, interacting primarily with coworkers in their laboratories and colleagues employed at other institutions. They made little use of traditional library services and instead performed many traditional library functions internally. Conclusions: Although the basic science researchers expressed a positive attitude toward the library, they did not view its resources or services as integral to their work. To maximize their use by researchers, library resources must be accessible via departmental websites. Use of library services may be increased by cultivating relationships with key departmental administrative personnel. Despite their self-sufficiency, subjects expressed a desire for centralized information about ongoing research on campus and shared resources, suggesting a role for the library in creating and managing an institutional repository