Basic Medical Library Management: First Steps
If you have not been trained as a medical librarian and have been put in charge of a medical library here are some first steps to take:
- Request a job description or a list of assigned responsibilities from your supervisor.
- If you have purchasing power for the library, request a copy of the library budget from your supervisor. Review your budget and see where adjustments can be made.
- Find out who else in your organization has worked in the library. Get information about former policies and procedures.
- Find out from your supervisor if there is a library committee in your organization.
- Contact your Regional Medical Library for assistance.
- Contact your state health library association for names of individuals who can be of assistance. Also find out about consortia in your area.
- Review the previous collection development policy and then use collection development ideas mentioned within this resource. Also be sure to find out how your library implements document delivery and interlibrary loan.
- Review the medical databases your library has access to and then compare them with databases mentioned within this site. You can also check with the contacts you have made within the state health library association for recommendations.
- When you have found out the above basic information you can begin to look at administering your medical library.
