The Reformation of Librarianship into Information Practice Michele Klein-Fedyshin, BSN, MSLS, RN, AHIP Health Sciences Library System Liaison Librarian-Psychiatry Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
Dec 22, 2015
The Reformation of Librarianshipinto
Information Practice
Michele Klein-Fedyshin, BSN, MSLS, RN, AHIPHealth Sciences Library System
Liaison Librarian-PsychiatryWestern Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
Evolving concepts-the light bulb
Evolving Information Formats
Librarianship Evolving
http://talesfromanopenbook.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/librarianswho-are-they-really
How is Information Practice different?
• What is changing about the work of librarians that is redefining our profession?– New focus on aiding decisions and providing answers:
going beyond running a search, retrieving citations and emailing articles to appraisal, analysis, synthesis and interpretation as librarian/informationist services and products
– Increased specialization and expectations– Greater accountability– New information specifications/standards arising
Definitions and Examples
--Observation points or numerical values, e.g., The PSA is 6.0.
--Data that has meaning, e.g., A normal PSA is < 4.0; 8 is high
--Includes interpretation or analysis, e.g., After a prostatectomy, the PSA should drop.
--Use of knowledge to manage or solve problems, e.g., If PSA continues to rise, the patient needs more testing.
Adapted from C. Bartos with permission
How this translates into roles & functions
• Data• Information• Knowledge• Wisdom
• Observations, implications• Synthesis• Interpretation, analysis• Applying clinical judgment
with knowledge from evidence-based reviews combined with the patient’s values
Definition of Information Practice
• ---the survey and application of information in a comprehensive, yet focused manner for a practical, specific use to affect a positive outcome in a particular situation (which facilitates the delivery of healthcare). Information Practice involves the appraisal, analysis, interpretation and relation of information to a particular situation.
• For the Information Practitioner, retrieval is just the beginning.
Maybe the Information Practitioner is a hybrid
Standard vehicle Hybrid
Google Images1970 Chevy Nova
Changing practice outputs/outcomes
Output/outcome Example
Search methodology section of a systematic review
Formal, reproducible, documented strategy
Evidence Table Tabular evaluation of references for implications
Comparative research: For example on EHR-connectible knowledge-based information
Tabular output comparing product features, usage
Search protocol projects PROMIS projects with step-by-step search protocols, keywords and controlled vocabulary terms.
Clinic-ready synthesis Actionable analysis, tailored to a specific patient or population
Goals for Information Practice (IP)
• Goal 1. To improve health and healthcare on both an individual and population level. The value-added IP components of analysis and synthesis enhance the utility of the IP who becomes an active part of the translational science and the solutions.
• Goal 2. To implement timely interventions for positive outcomes. IP’s may initiate their involvement at an early stage of the decision.
Goals for Information Practice , continued
• Goal 3. To define a Level of Practice that doesn’t focus only on the person (librarian) or place (library), but the products of Information Practice.
• Goal 4. To establish standards of IP which the institution can use to credential/rate their level of “knowleedge readiness”.
• Akin to “most-wired status” (most informed status?)• Or hierarchy levels for trauma centers (Level 1 Knowledge
Center?)
Existing use of “Information Practice” terminology
• Evidence-based Library and Information Practice journal and conference
• Implications for Practice sections in library journal articles
• Evidence-based practice for Information Professionals by Booth and Brice
N.B. However IP does not equal EBP, it uses it.IP involves the concept of a professional practice.
Librarianship as a vocation and not an avocation
Organizations promulgating information standards
PRESS: Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies
Arising Standards for Information Practice
Standards in our future??
ConceptEvidence-based search: • e.g., NNR Number needed to
retrieve
• Span of search: Number of databases needed to access
• Currency: Use of databases current to within 2 months
Evidence
• How many citations are needed to retrieve to give due consideration? (16911130)
• Information should come from 2 or more; database matters (16085190, 19490151)
• Google Scholar has less currency than PubMed data (17884971)
Why are, and aren’t, these people calling us Librarians?
-Despite this title, Ms Johnson goes on to say we are moving to “Information Scientists”.
-In a recent article in the journal Chest entitled, “Backing up your statements: how to perform literature searches to prove your points.”
-The author recommended that “a professional information specialist should be engaged” before claiming ‘the literature shows that’…”
From :This book is Overdue! By Marilyn Johnson, copyright info courtesy of HarperCollins Publisher.
PubMed Search, 3/22/2010Phrase Number of Citations Retrieved
bioinformationist* 2
embedd* librarian* 5
expert search* 23
informatician* 139
information practic* 49
information scientist* 24
information specialist* context* 10
informationist 41
knowledge broker* 32
“knowledge translation” 351
librarian* 2069
librarianship* 260
search specialist 3
Calls for Professional IP• British NHS study suggests that the number of
trained Clinical Librarians be increased from 50 to 800 to answer the need for such a professional
• Davidoff and Florance called for development of a “national program, modeled on the experience of clinical librarianship, to train, credential and pay for the services of information specialists.”
• Knowledge broker/knowledge translation definition (CHSRF): a dynamic and iterative process that includes the synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge to improve health…
Where do we go from here?Credentialing:-Joint degrees? e.g., JD/MLS-Certificate programs?-Domain knowledge
Organizational recognition:-Specialty departments in library organizations, such as Molecular Biology, Clinical Services, Translational Sciences
Continued NLM Informationist Funding-Ten years post Davidoff and Florance, the jobs are beginning to appear -Need more “meta-information” on specialist (e.g., clinical) questions, relationship to care
Continue to emphasize the importance of knowledge standards-Embrace organizations that promote data driven decisions and search methodologies-Use the phrase Information Practice and develop the concept
Vail Pass. Jeff Royston, 11/18/06. interstate guide.com
Acknowledgements:
I would like to acknowledge Margaret Bandy and Roz Dudden, co-editors of the upcoming MLA Guide for editing my chapter and focusing my thoughts.
Read all about it in the forthcoming, MLA Guide
To Managing Health Care Libraries