Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association最新文献

Introduction: For undergraduate general health sciences education, there is insufficient high-quality evidence that speaks to the benefits and challenges of an integrated and scaffolded information literacy (IL) curriculum when compared to more traditional modes of delivery. Calls for scaffolded and curriculum-integrated programs are on the rise.

Objectives: This study aims to understand students' perceived confidence and skill levels when engaging with or searching for health information, after four years of IL training.

Methods: A mixed-methods survey was used to learn whether or how students' confidence in their IL skills was impacted by an IL curriculum integrated into the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) program at McMaster University. Quantitative survey questions were analysed with descriptive statistics. Qualitative survey questions underwent three cycles of coding to identify themes in participant responses to open-ended questions.

Results: Of 194 fourth-year students, 49 participated in the survey, a response rate of 25%. 79% of participants recalled feeling "unconfident" or "not so confident" in finding information in their first year of study. By their fourth year, all participants indicated they felt "somewhat confident" (53%) or "very confident" (47%). 93% of participants indicated their confidence in searching for information was positively impacted by the mandatory IL curriculum. 90% of participants believed they would use these IL skills after graduation.

Conclusion: A mandatory curriculum-integrated IL program in undergraduate health sciences positively impacted students' confidence in searching for and finding information. This study indicates the potential benefits of integrating IL instruction into program-wide curricula for undergraduate students.

Background: Library professionals in the health sciences sector need to strategically plan and map out library services. Each library and their parent organization have unique needs and service offerings.

Objective: To develop an adaptable Library Value Planner (LVP) tool based on the Levels of Library Service benchmarking document developed by the Health Science Information Consortium (HSIC) that can be used for (i) strategic and operational planning and (ii) mapping out needs for implementing new library services in individual contexts.

Methods: This project involved: (i) searching the literature; (ii) analyzing current trends and best practices in Canadian health libraries; (iii) updating and renaming of the Levels of Library Service document; (iv) drafting and disseminating a French and English survey; (v) leading French and English focus groups; (vi) analyzing the feedback received from the surveys and focus groups, and (vii) revising the tool based on this feedback.

Results: The results from the surveys and the focus groups showed that participants were satisfied with the versatile nature of the LVP. Some respondents expressed concerns about the formatting of the LVP and others were not sure how and when the LVP ought to be used. This feedback highlighted the need to develop and disseminate education for library professionals about the tool.

Conclusion: The CHLA/ABSC Standards Standing Committee developed a flexible and robust tool that, when paired with education, can be used to advocate and demonstrate the value of library services in the health sciences.

Introduction: The University of Ottawa Heart Institute's Berkman Library space is outdated. Budget constraints and tiny square footage leave little room for error. A needs assessment using user experience (UX) research methods was conducted from 2022 to 2023 to inform strategic decisions on updating and reorganizing furnishings to better support library patrons and their needs.

Methods: Data was collected via an electronic survey, "guerilla" interviews, observations of library patrons, and a physical survey of communal spaces in the building. Resulting qualitative data were compiled and examined for common themes. Low fidelity mockups of furnishings and space arrangements were prototyped and presented to patrons for feedback.

Results: Quiet was one of the most valued attributes of the library space and showed itself to be a unique quality of the library when compared to communal spaces within the hospital. Survey and interview responses consistently cited soft, comfortable furnishings as desirable additions. Observed behaviours support the continued need for desks with a deep surface area to accommodate multiple devices used in tandem. Flexible use of computer hardware, better access to power outlets, and adjustable lighting were identified as additional gaps.

Discussion: Methods showcase light-weight space assessment strategies that are of particular interest to solo librarians or small library teams working in a hospital environment. Results identify library qualities that address institutional gaps and provide insight into the motivators, needs, and behaviours of hospital staff. Centering patron behaviours and preferences in the project's methodology provides data to support decision-making for near term upgrades and long-term library policy.

Introduction: Our aim was to determine if there is a relationship between librarian involvement on a knowledge synthesis project and the synthesis's citation count or the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) of its publication venue.

Methods: A total of 551 knowledge syntheses published during a one-year period (2020) from a single category, "Psychology, Clinical", in Clarivate's Journal Citation Reports were exported from Web of Science along with the citation counts for each synthesis and the JIF of its publication venue. The full-text of each article was examined in order to code each as either co-author, acknowledged, or unknown to reflect the level of librarian involvement in the synthesis. The Wilcoxon Rank Sum test on bootstrapped samples was used to determine the significance of the results.

Results: Librarians were co-authors or acknowledged in 80 (15%) of the syntheses examined. Analyzing two levels of librarian involvement (involved, unknown) indicated no relationship between the level of librarian involvement and the JIF of the journal nor the citation count the synthesis received since publication.

Discussion: There is no evidence of a relationship between librarian involvement in knowledge syntheses and the JIF of the publication or citation count of documents published in journals falling in the JCR category of "Psychology, Clinical" in the year 2020. Repeating this methodology in a different JCR category could help determine whether this lack of a relationship extends beyond the "Psychology, Clinical" category.

Introduction: The objectives of this comparative study were 1) to compare the effectiveness of in-person classroom instruction versus an online video for teaching literature searching skills to graduate students, and 2) to evaluate their perceptions of the instruction methods received and their instruction preferences for learning literature searching skills.

Methods: Students enrolled in a translational medicine graduate course in Fall 2022 were invited to participate in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group (receiving in-person instruction) or to an intervention group (receiving a link to a narrated PowerPoint video). Using Qualtrics online survey tool, participants completed one pre-test and two post-tests to assess learning and retention, and a survey to evaluate their perceptions and attitudes.

Results: 12 out of 17 students participated. Both instruction methods were effective for delivering this information literacy content. The in-person group improved more than the online video group from pre- to post-test 1 and from pre- to post-test 2, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, the online video group rated the pace, perceived effectiveness, and clarity of library instruction, and their confidence to perform specific search tasks, more favourably than the in-person group, although the difference was not significant. Participants valued being able to access library training on their own schedule most of all.

Discussion: The sample size for this study was small, making it difficult for differences to attain statistical significance. Creating an online video to deliver this content ended up being very time-intensive compared to providing synchronous instruction.