Brief Communications nel from the medical library community. It has thus been an economical, informal, and routine BY RICHARD S. KLEIN, Head Librarian forum of educational experiences. Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Medical Library Journal Club
ROSE SLOWINSKI, Medical Librarian Evanston Hospital Association Evanston, Illinois
SINCE January 1974, members of the Chicago medical library community have been participating in regularly scheduled journal club seminars. These meetings have been a means of continuing education as well as an opportunity to review current literature in the medical library field. Initially inspired by journal clubs in postgraduate medical education, Chicago-area medical librarians convene to analyze relevant articles in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. Preparation for meetings is generally as follows: as soon as an issue is published, its table of contents is duplicated on a registration form (Fig. 1). Participants can then indicate their respective choices for discussion. Forms are then returned to the host library for appropriate coordination. If attendance or group consensus warrants, small groups are organized to discuss a particular article with appointed scribes to report to the group at large. At other times a "collage" approach is attempted. The group as a whole will discuss a number of articles (or editorials, letters to the editor, brief communications, etc.). Discussions in this manner often take on such fluidity that demarcations among articles become almost indiscernible. At other times, the agenda is scrapped to discuss occasionally pressing issues such as changes in copyright law and RML policies of interlibrary loan. Most importantly, the journal club affords interchange of ideas and routine contact among medical librarians. It has provided exposure to other working environments, thereby affording a direct observation of practical applications. The host libraries have included osteopathic, dental, hospital, association, and podiatric institutions. This diversity also reflects a wide array of person-
320
A Broken Hip and MEDLINE: A Case Report BY ALBERT L. HUBER, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine and Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Practice University of Virginia School of Medicine
Charlottesville, Virginia WILHELM MOLL, J.D., Professor and Director Health Sciences Library University of Virginia Medical Center
Charlottesville, Virginia THE following note describes the utilization of MEDLINE search services at the University of Virginia: the case involved a middle-aged lady from Waynesboro, Virginia, who broke her hip. In the course of her initial evaluation at the Waynesboro Hospital, it was learned that her skin had reacted adversely to earrings, wristwatches, and other jewelry. The local orthopedist became concerned that her body might react to the metal appliances that were to be used in repairing the fracture. He inquired by long-distance telephone call to the manufacturer and was promised that samples of the metal would be sent to him immediately to test the patient's skin. Realizing that it might be many days to weeks before any important decisions could be made on this basis, he then consulted with an allergist in the Department of Medicine at the University of Virginia Medical School. The University of Virginia Medical School and Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia serves as a referral center for specialists and practitioners in southern, western, and central Virginia and West Virginia. Immediately following the telephone inquiry, the allergist concluded that more extensive scientific information was required. He first consulted medical school colleagues, but received Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 64(3)July 1976
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS
CHICAGO MEDICAL LIBRARY JOURNAL CLUB Meeting: Wednesday, May 28, 1975, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Richard Klein, Librarian Phone: 664-3301, Ext. 75 Library, 6th floor Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine 1001 North Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60610
The following articles will be discussed in several individual groups, choices to be made by participants; indicate 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice. JANUARY 197 5
Volume 63, Number I
BULLETIN of the MEDICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION lvi. Md. L'br. Auoc.
BMLAAG 63 (1) 1-147 (1975)I --
,
,
.
-,
I .
, .
-,
CONTENTS
FELTER, JACQUELINE; W.- Library CooperaItion. Wave of thc Fututrec or Ripple? ....... CRAWFORD, SUSAN AND DANDURAND, (G.ARY L.-Health Sciencc Libraries in the L'nited States. A Five-Yeair Perspective ............ CORNING, MARY E.-.National Librarv of Nledicine. Internattionail Cooperation for Biomledical Commriiunications................... MOULTON, BETHE AND FINK, N\% INDY R.- (.0111pon1ents for Consideration by Emiierging Consortia .... .. ................. BUTKOVICH, MIARGARE.T AND BRAul)lI, ROBF.RT I.- Cost-Performance Analysis of Cataloging aind Card lPr-odtictioni in at NI(dical Center Library ......... . ...... OLJSON, PAUL E.-Nlchanization of l ibrarv Proceldures in tlhe.NIcdiumii-Sized \Icdicatl Librarv. XV. A Stutd\ of the Interaiction of Nonlibrarian Searhelrcis witlh tlih NI ED)LINE 1etrieval System..... GNUDI, MAR1HA T.-Building at Nledicail History Collection CAVANAGH, G. S. T.- -A Further Pers)ctiC;ve oni -Nledical History Collecting .............. KEYS, THOMAS E.- Past Presidents I Ha\ve n1wn ................. JORGE.NS, DOROTHY- 1973 Nlctleng in Cleveland.d ............ Brief Communications ....................................... President's Page .............. Letters ...................................................... Book Reviews and Jouirnatl Notes ................................ Obituaries ...... .. Proceedings, Seventy-third Annuaiil Nlecting, Nledical Librar)y Association, Inc., June 2-6, 1974 ......................
Please call or write to Richard Klein if you plan I will
will not
1 7
2
14
3
23
4
29
5
35 42
6 7 8
47 49 9 60 10 64 67 68 70 77
to attend.
attend the meeting.
Name Organization Street
1
2
-
3-
4
-
5
6
City
7
8
State
Zip
9.
-
10-
FIG. 1.-Registration form. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 64(3)July 1976
321
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS little assistance. The next step was to request a MEDLINE search from the Health Sciences Library of the University of Virginia Medical Center. A trained search analyst formulated the search, which was available almost at once and resulted in the retrieval of seven references. Two of them were directly applicable to the case in question. They were a paper by E. M. Evans et al., entitled "Metal Sensitivity as a Cause of Bone Necrosis and Loosening of the Prosthesis in Total Joint Replacement" in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (B) (November 1974); and one by P. G. Laing entitled "Compatibility of Biomaterials" in Orthopedic Clinics of North America (April 1973). A third article, an editorial in the November 1974 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (B) on "Metal Sensitivity," was also found to be relevant but incomplete. On the basis of the literature search, it was concluded that there was a relationship between rejection of orthopedic appliances and allergy to metals commonly responsible for hypersensitivity to jewelry. Moreover, the citations suggested the substitution of titanium, an uncommonly used metal, when metal allergy may be important. This information was transmitted immediately to the orthopedic surgeon. Surgery was performed as soon as a titanium appliance was received from the manufacturer. This experience demonstrated that the rapid retrieval of information through the MEDLINE system enabled the medical team to provide the best possible care without unnecessary delay and uncertainty. Although clinical circumstances permit consultation with local physicians, especially in a teaching-hospital setting, there remain a significant number of circumstances in which the particular information can be found only through a quick search of the relevant biomedical journal literature. It is in such circumstances that computerized retrieval by subject headings or title words becomes important. In short, with the MEDLINE terminal at hand and with a welltrained library staff, it is possible to tap the well of world medical authorities. In conducting a rapid MEDLINE search the library team became members of the health-care team. As this experience proved, more than one source of information was uncovered, including both British and American sources. The consultant who had been called to assist the surgeon was able to interpret the information supplied and to apply the information to clinical use.
322
An Investigation of the Continuing Education Needs of New England Health Sciences Librarians BY CHING-CHIH CHEN, Associate Professor School ofLibrary Science Simmons College Boston, Massachusetts
IN order to determine the continuing education (CE) needs of health sciences librarians, a questionnaire, prepared by the students in my medical librarianship course in the spring of 1975, was sent to various librarians. The libraries chosen for this study were listed in the 1973 Directory of Health Sciences Libraries: the number of questionnaires mailed to each library corresponded to the total number of full-time staff members indicated in this directory. Since medical school librarians' experiences in CE may be different from those of other health sciences librarians, they were studied separately. A one-page questionnaire was formulated to determine general information such as position, length of service, training, and the like. The questions which are being dealt with in this paper were directly concerned with CE: whether CE courses were taken; the name of the course; when such courses should be offered; and whether respondents feel there is a need for such courses. Two hundred and eighty-five questionnaires were sent with a return of 184-111 by those without library degrees and 73 with professional degrees. As for the medical school librarians, there were 39 returns from eight medical schools in the area. Regardless of any previous CE experience, a large majority of the librarians from all groups -professional and nonprofessional, medical school or other health science libraries, at least 82% believed there was a need for CE. In terms of preference for the length and time of the CE courses, there was an overwhelming preference for a one-day course offered on a weekday. The next preferred time was a one-week course with 26 supporters as compared with 131 for the oneday course. Those librarians who expressed a positive need for CE were requested to list the desired courses by priorities. However, it was felt by the investigators that most respondents did not take the priority assignment seriously enough. The total number of different courses mentioned by the Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 64(3) July 1976
Chicago Medical Library Journal Club
ROSE SLOWINSKI, Medical Librarian Evanston Hospital Association Evanston, Illinois
SINCE January 1974, members of the Chicago medical library community have been participating in regularly scheduled journal club seminars. These meetings have been a means of continuing education as well as an opportunity to review current literature in the medical library field. Initially inspired by journal clubs in postgraduate medical education, Chicago-area medical librarians convene to analyze relevant articles in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. Preparation for meetings is generally as follows: as soon as an issue is published, its table of contents is duplicated on a registration form (Fig. 1). Participants can then indicate their respective choices for discussion. Forms are then returned to the host library for appropriate coordination. If attendance or group consensus warrants, small groups are organized to discuss a particular article with appointed scribes to report to the group at large. At other times a "collage" approach is attempted. The group as a whole will discuss a number of articles (or editorials, letters to the editor, brief communications, etc.). Discussions in this manner often take on such fluidity that demarcations among articles become almost indiscernible. At other times, the agenda is scrapped to discuss occasionally pressing issues such as changes in copyright law and RML policies of interlibrary loan. Most importantly, the journal club affords interchange of ideas and routine contact among medical librarians. It has provided exposure to other working environments, thereby affording a direct observation of practical applications. The host libraries have included osteopathic, dental, hospital, association, and podiatric institutions. This diversity also reflects a wide array of person-
320
A Broken Hip and MEDLINE: A Case Report BY ALBERT L. HUBER, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine and Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Practice University of Virginia School of Medicine
Charlottesville, Virginia WILHELM MOLL, J.D., Professor and Director Health Sciences Library University of Virginia Medical Center
Charlottesville, Virginia THE following note describes the utilization of MEDLINE search services at the University of Virginia: the case involved a middle-aged lady from Waynesboro, Virginia, who broke her hip. In the course of her initial evaluation at the Waynesboro Hospital, it was learned that her skin had reacted adversely to earrings, wristwatches, and other jewelry. The local orthopedist became concerned that her body might react to the metal appliances that were to be used in repairing the fracture. He inquired by long-distance telephone call to the manufacturer and was promised that samples of the metal would be sent to him immediately to test the patient's skin. Realizing that it might be many days to weeks before any important decisions could be made on this basis, he then consulted with an allergist in the Department of Medicine at the University of Virginia Medical School. The University of Virginia Medical School and Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia serves as a referral center for specialists and practitioners in southern, western, and central Virginia and West Virginia. Immediately following the telephone inquiry, the allergist concluded that more extensive scientific information was required. He first consulted medical school colleagues, but received Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 64(3)July 1976
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS
CHICAGO MEDICAL LIBRARY JOURNAL CLUB Meeting: Wednesday, May 28, 1975, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Richard Klein, Librarian Phone: 664-3301, Ext. 75 Library, 6th floor Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine 1001 North Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60610
The following articles will be discussed in several individual groups, choices to be made by participants; indicate 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice. JANUARY 197 5
Volume 63, Number I
BULLETIN of the MEDICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION lvi. Md. L'br. Auoc.
BMLAAG 63 (1) 1-147 (1975)I --
,
,
.
-,
I .
, .
-,
CONTENTS
FELTER, JACQUELINE; W.- Library CooperaItion. Wave of thc Fututrec or Ripple? ....... CRAWFORD, SUSAN AND DANDURAND, (G.ARY L.-Health Sciencc Libraries in the L'nited States. A Five-Yeair Perspective ............ CORNING, MARY E.-.National Librarv of Nledicine. Internattionail Cooperation for Biomledical Commriiunications................... MOULTON, BETHE AND FINK, N\% INDY R.- (.0111pon1ents for Consideration by Emiierging Consortia .... .. ................. BUTKOVICH, MIARGARE.T AND BRAul)lI, ROBF.RT I.- Cost-Performance Analysis of Cataloging aind Card lPr-odtictioni in at NI(dical Center Library ......... . ...... OLJSON, PAUL E.-Nlchanization of l ibrarv Proceldures in tlhe.NIcdiumii-Sized \Icdicatl Librarv. XV. A Stutd\ of the Interaiction of Nonlibrarian Searhelrcis witlh tlih NI ED)LINE 1etrieval System..... GNUDI, MAR1HA T.-Building at Nledicail History Collection CAVANAGH, G. S. T.- -A Further Pers)ctiC;ve oni -Nledical History Collecting .............. KEYS, THOMAS E.- Past Presidents I Ha\ve n1wn ................. JORGE.NS, DOROTHY- 1973 Nlctleng in Cleveland.d ............ Brief Communications ....................................... President's Page .............. Letters ...................................................... Book Reviews and Jouirnatl Notes ................................ Obituaries ...... .. Proceedings, Seventy-third Annuaiil Nlecting, Nledical Librar)y Association, Inc., June 2-6, 1974 ......................
Please call or write to Richard Klein if you plan I will
will not
1 7
2
14
3
23
4
29
5
35 42
6 7 8
47 49 9 60 10 64 67 68 70 77
to attend.
attend the meeting.
Name Organization Street
1
2
-
3-
4
-
5
6
City
7
8
State
Zip
9.
-
10-
FIG. 1.-Registration form. Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 64(3)July 1976
321
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS little assistance. The next step was to request a MEDLINE search from the Health Sciences Library of the University of Virginia Medical Center. A trained search analyst formulated the search, which was available almost at once and resulted in the retrieval of seven references. Two of them were directly applicable to the case in question. They were a paper by E. M. Evans et al., entitled "Metal Sensitivity as a Cause of Bone Necrosis and Loosening of the Prosthesis in Total Joint Replacement" in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (B) (November 1974); and one by P. G. Laing entitled "Compatibility of Biomaterials" in Orthopedic Clinics of North America (April 1973). A third article, an editorial in the November 1974 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (B) on "Metal Sensitivity," was also found to be relevant but incomplete. On the basis of the literature search, it was concluded that there was a relationship between rejection of orthopedic appliances and allergy to metals commonly responsible for hypersensitivity to jewelry. Moreover, the citations suggested the substitution of titanium, an uncommonly used metal, when metal allergy may be important. This information was transmitted immediately to the orthopedic surgeon. Surgery was performed as soon as a titanium appliance was received from the manufacturer. This experience demonstrated that the rapid retrieval of information through the MEDLINE system enabled the medical team to provide the best possible care without unnecessary delay and uncertainty. Although clinical circumstances permit consultation with local physicians, especially in a teaching-hospital setting, there remain a significant number of circumstances in which the particular information can be found only through a quick search of the relevant biomedical journal literature. It is in such circumstances that computerized retrieval by subject headings or title words becomes important. In short, with the MEDLINE terminal at hand and with a welltrained library staff, it is possible to tap the well of world medical authorities. In conducting a rapid MEDLINE search the library team became members of the health-care team. As this experience proved, more than one source of information was uncovered, including both British and American sources. The consultant who had been called to assist the surgeon was able to interpret the information supplied and to apply the information to clinical use.
322
An Investigation of the Continuing Education Needs of New England Health Sciences Librarians BY CHING-CHIH CHEN, Associate Professor School ofLibrary Science Simmons College Boston, Massachusetts
IN order to determine the continuing education (CE) needs of health sciences librarians, a questionnaire, prepared by the students in my medical librarianship course in the spring of 1975, was sent to various librarians. The libraries chosen for this study were listed in the 1973 Directory of Health Sciences Libraries: the number of questionnaires mailed to each library corresponded to the total number of full-time staff members indicated in this directory. Since medical school librarians' experiences in CE may be different from those of other health sciences librarians, they were studied separately. A one-page questionnaire was formulated to determine general information such as position, length of service, training, and the like. The questions which are being dealt with in this paper were directly concerned with CE: whether CE courses were taken; the name of the course; when such courses should be offered; and whether respondents feel there is a need for such courses. Two hundred and eighty-five questionnaires were sent with a return of 184-111 by those without library degrees and 73 with professional degrees. As for the medical school librarians, there were 39 returns from eight medical schools in the area. Regardless of any previous CE experience, a large majority of the librarians from all groups -professional and nonprofessional, medical school or other health science libraries, at least 82% believed there was a need for CE. In terms of preference for the length and time of the CE courses, there was an overwhelming preference for a one-day course offered on a weekday. The next preferred time was a one-week course with 26 supporters as compared with 131 for the oneday course. Those librarians who expressed a positive need for CE were requested to list the desired courses by priorities. However, it was felt by the investigators that most respondents did not take the priority assignment seriously enough. The total number of different courses mentioned by the Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 64(3) July 1976
