Happy Patrons Make Happy Librarians

The ability for librarians to adapt is very important especially with use of technology. How librarians give information is vital to patron and how they will use the information. In the health libraries new research is happening very quickly and it is essential that medical professionals and to a certain extent patients have the most current information possible. “Libraries are adding new digital resources and services at the same time we maintain traditional formats and services.” (Koch, 2007)

The need of online journals is very prevalent in the health libraries because they are currently being used to a ratio of 5:1, online over print (Koch, 2007). Also interlibrary loans are electronic instead of mail or faxing. At the Health Sciences Center Library at Saint Louis University, they have changed how they process interlibrary loans by using the ILLiad interlibrary loan service in 2003. Users can use any computer with an internet connection make a request and have it sent to them via email in .pdf format and those that must come in by mail or fax the librarians scan and email to the patron. The patrons were very pleased that many of the articles were available within a day of the request. One of the nice things about this system is that the patron can track the documents they have requested and that it is all online it is very environmentally friendly. The articles are both black and white and in color for those who like need some spice.

Currently all incoming freshmen medical students at Saint Louis University must take an online Health Information Resources module and current it is the third highest rated course (Koch, 2007). Yea! This course took 6 years to get right, but every year there was improvement on the content, structure, and availability. The librarians that taught this class used student surveys  to make improvements. Currently the students have three modules that focus on searching, advance search techniques that include controlled vocabulary, and how to formulate clinical questions and each uses different databases. All of the questions on the quizzes and projects come from the medical exam boards. The course runs from October to January all online with optional in class sessions.

Having electronic reserves is important so that faculty can have all of their data available to their students anytime and anywhere. This doesn’t just mean books! They also post anything that can be scanned and be electronic and color too! This is great because many students can be using the same article at the same time without the tapping foot. Librarians noticed that students were requesting a print copy of the same article and sent an email to the instructor and let him know about the electronic reserves. The instructor was unaware of this service and asked that all of his course material be put up. Later that day after the librarian scanned in the documents they emailed the entire year of students who were ecstatic and thankful that now they didn’t have to wait, and make copies. (Koch, 2007).

 When librarians listen to their users they get to achieve their goal of giving information.

“AND THE PEASANTS REJOICE!”

Koch, P. J., Krieger, M., & McCarthy, P. (2007). Desktop Document Delivery, Online Instruction, and Electronic Course Reserves: Expanding Electronic Health Sciences Library Services. Journal Of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserves, 17(1/2), 45-52.