Introduction to sources of medical information Back to basics in reference work Philosophy of information service, where to look for authoritative answers;

evaluation The reference interview in medicine Types of health information (i.e. patient groups & consumers; health

professionals) Most common questions; categories, facets & ‘pearls’  On the wiki: Reference services: http://hlwiki.slais.ubc.ca/index.php/Reference_services The information needs of users:

http://hlwiki.slais.ubc.ca/index.php/Information_needs_of_users

Reading as in a journal club:Sollenberger JF, Holloway RG Jr. The evolving role and value of libraries and

librarians in health care. JAMA. 2013 Sep 25;310(12):1231-2.

Introduction to sources of health & medical information

Various activities, interactions in class… regular breaks at 7pm and 8pm

January 17th, 2017

How to present an article /journal club• Communicate key idea in sentence #1 (abstract the main ideas)

• Use formal structure: key ideas – how study was conducted (methods)

• Conclusion (significance of idea-research/what’s new about it?)

At outset, consider saying article title, where item was published & who authors are…

Reading:Sollenberger JF, Holloway RG Jr. The

evolving role and value of libraries and librarians in health care. JAMA.

2013 Sep 25;310(12):1231-2.

Work with your peer

Discuss the article

Report to class

Discuss reference services in health librariesPart I

What is meant by reference services? What makes a good reference transaction?

What is unique about the health context? The role of the librarian?

be prepared to brainstorm with your peers / instructor

Part II

Why do health library users and health professionals seek information?

Brainstorm

What is a reference source?

• To look up, consult – rather than read from cover to cover• Provide foundation & lead to other types of information such as

primary, secondary – & tertiary sources of information• It provides access to organized information• In medicine, a reference source can point to the ‘evidence’

What does Bill Katz say?

“…reference work can be viewed in terms of questions and answers. Often, a patron has a question and …..expects the library to provide

an answer, or at least where [an answer] can be found.”

The reference encounter

William A. Katz. Introduction to reference work, Vol. 1: Basic

information sources. 3e. New York N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Press, 1978.

…“[medical reference] … may be defined as activities that provide information to accomplish the goals of the organization. These include literature and database searches, ready reference, Internet training, document delivery and outreach services.”

~ Ruth Holst. MLA Guide to Managing Health Libraries. New York: Neal Schuman, 2010

What a medical reference encounter is like

Episteme: Greek for ‘knowledge’ or ‘science’…is the body of ideas that determine knowledge in a given area

What is an almanac? almanac (fr. Arabic al-manakh) (14th cent.)

Contains miscellany, astronomical & meteorological data for given year; country; tabular & general information; a lot of health-related information, including health care costs & statistical information

Example: almanacs, what are they?

Source: Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, 3ed

What purpose does an atlas of the human body serve in medicine?

Atlas

e.g., MedlinePlus Anatomy Frank Netter’s Atlas of anatomy Gray's Anatomy

Drug sources – Canada

Pharmacopoeias--Canada

RxTx is the online equivalent+ for the CPShttp://www.library.ubc.ca under “Indexes and Databases”

• What do ‘handbooks’ & ‘manuals’ have in common?

• Quick look at data, facts & information

• Provide principles & important facts of medical topic

Medical handbooks & manuals

. respect privacy/confidentiality (in person & online)

. provide a safe, private place

. listen closely, be empathetic

. be aware of emotions & body language

. use reassuring phrases …”I’m here to help”

. know limits of your collection & expertise

. refer question if necessary

The reference interview in health

. respect privacy/confidentiality (in person & online)

. provide a safe, private place

. listen closely, be empathetic

. be aware of emotions & body language

. use reassuring phrases …”I’m here to help”

. know limits of your collection & expertise

. refer question if necessary

Daily issues in health libraries

• Access, authority, evidence

• Reference interview

• Collection development, expertise, “Know your collection”

• Libraries don’t have access to doctor/patient charts

• Do you provide consumer level information only?

• Referral - as we do not dispense advice, how is this done

• Privacy, confidentiality

• Understanding users’ information needs

• Culture, language, general literacy, Canadian context

• Foreign language materials vital

• Literacy - reading level of user to material selected

• Knowing “health literacy” level of patient

• Emotional issues around disease/prognoses

Daily challenges for health librarians

Artist Alireza Darvish