Medical Libraries: A brief look forward
On November 30th at the John Ammon Center for Medical Education – Christiana Hospital, the Academy hosted a well-attended meeting to kick-off the first-ever strategic planning process for medical libraries in Delaware. Funded by the Delaware Division of Libraries, the Academy will play a key role in the development of the plan. Himmel & Associates, consultants, is conducting the six month hospital library analysis and the firm has a history in assisting with other State Library efforts in recent years. According to PJ Grier, an Academy director, “this is a first, for such collaboration with the State Library”.
Annie Norman – Director & State Librarian, Delaware Division of Libraries
The meeting focused on opening remarks by Annie Norman, State Librarian. Annie’s goal is to improve all multi-type library services, so that they set the standards for the nation. She said the State will use the outcomes from the plan as a foundation for important agenda-setting with the next State administration. Additionally, the outcomes will be blended with current results contained in the State Library’s overall environmental plan, which comprises public, academic and special libraries.
Next, there was brief discussion and consensus around the currently “perceived” sustainability levels of the four areas on medical librarianship: hospital-based clinical information delivery (60%), consumer health information delivery (50%), public health information delivery (10%) and virtual resources. In closing, the consultant conducted a highly participatory SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis and the results can be found at the following link: http://www.libraryconsultant.com/DelawareMedicalSWOT.htm.
Seated from left: Christine Chastian-Warheit – Director, Medical Libraries, Christiana Care; Meg Ward – Librarian, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Linda Leonard – Consumer Health Librarian, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Patty Hartmannsgruber – Consumer Health Librarian, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Nadine Pieniaszek, Librarian – Bayhealth; Rosemary Figorito – Librarian, St Francis Hospital.
Standing from left: PJ Grier – Director, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Susanne Ingle – Librarian, Delaware Division of Substance Abuse & Mental Health; Susan LaValley – Consumer Health Librarian, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Lynne Joshi – Librarian, AI duPont Hospital; Eileen Vaughn – Librarian, Beebe School of Nursing; Jean Winstead – Librarian, Beebe Medical Center; Robb Mackes – Electronic Resources Librarian - Delaware Academy of Medicine
People attending represented a broad spectrum of constituent organizations. The meeting also offered a rare opportunity to bring together all hospital and consumer health information professionals; they are pictured above.
Immediate next steps will involve the formation of a small steering committee, benchmarking, and extensive outreach to user communities and other stakeholders. The consultant is expected to have the Strategic Plan completed by July 2008.
