Training and Coursework

In September 2000, I entered the MLS program and took my first online course, ILS 501-73, Introduction to Information Science and Technology. Professor Gary Wasdin asked us to develop a Web site for one of our class projects. This was extremely rewarding, and resulted in my first Web site: http://gneroy.tripod.com/bamberg/. In this course, I acquired skills in technology that will be used throughout my career. It was also in this course that we were asked to monitor a mailing list and report back on issues being discussed. I joined MEDLIB-L, a listserv for medical librarians. I have been reading the listserv daily ever since September 2000. It has been an invaluable resource and has added to my knowledge in the field of medical librarianship.

Foundations of Librarianship, ILS 503-70, provided extensive background and information on the field of library science. This course was taught by Professors Jodi Williams and Mary Brown. I conducted a special project with a mentor and enjoyed the experience. We were allowed to choose a topic of interest and I worked with a medical librarian to develop a list of “gold standard” reference works in the field of medicine for a hospital library. While working on this project, I learned about collection development, weeding, and core collection requirements. The result was an online resource that was placed on the hospital’s Intranet and used within the library: http://gneroy.tripod.com/503/. It was in this course that students were strongly encouraged to join professional organizations as student members and to attend conferences if possible. I joined the American Library Association, Medical Library Association, the Special Library Association, and the Connecticut Library Association. I found membership to be a valuable learning tool. I received the journals published by these organizations, had member access to their Web sites, and attended conferences and workshops.

My first exposure to a national conference was the American Library Association’s annual conference in San Francisco in June 2001, and I found it quite interesting and beneficial. Many librarians shared their own experiences and advice in how to get the most out of a conference. By the June 2002 ALA annual conference in Atlanta, I was comfortable with the process and attended many sessions. I also attended a local one-day conference on Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) in the health care setting, which was a Medical Library Association conference held at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, Connecticut.

In ILS 503, we dealt with many issues, including censorship in libraries. Since I had not witnessed censorship in the medical library in which I worked, I posted a question to MEDLIB-L mailing list asking medical librarians if they were aware of censorship in that setting. My questions generated many responses and a very interesting debate. While I thought medical libraries were free from censorship, I learned about the Pernkopf Atlas. In 1995, articles made claims that this anatomy atlas may have used Holocaust victims as subjects for its detailed anatomical drawings. There were many who requested that the book be removed from medical library shelves. Some libraries complied and others did not. The decision appeared to be a difficult one. Other respondents cited cases such as the attitude of Catholic hospitals on abortion materials, filtering, different levels of access for various staff, and alternative medicine resources. Many noted that collection development policies were written in accordance with institutional missions and simply reflected the core values of the many institutions represented. I posted a summary of replies to MEDLIB-L.

In ILS 504-71, Reference and Information Resources and Services, students were asked to review important reference works in print and online, resulting in a journal that would become our own reference tool. The journal was extremely comprehensive and covered a vast number of resources. We were strongly encouraged to locate and review the print materials. I reviewed over 200 reference works, both print and online. Here is a sample of the reference journal I produced for this class. Another assignment in this course taught by Professor Peter Zizka was to observe interaction at a reference desk and comment on the overall experience. The result was my reference observation paper.

ILS 506-70, Information Analysis and Organization, taught by Professor Eino Sierpe, provided an understanding of how works are organized and cataloged. I gained a working knowledge of classification and became familiar with the cataloger’s tools, especially AACR2. The shelflisting project was a challenging assignment, and made clear the importance of proper classification. We were also asked to complete an assignment in which we created cataloging information in the traditional card format.

The Online Institute, ILS 695, taught by Professor Victor Triolo, was an intensive week-long seminar in which we learned of online resources. In a very short time, we covered a vast amount of information and heard from various vendors and professionals in the field. I worked on a Consumer Health Project, reviewing reliable health information sites online, and examined how people searched for medical information.

ILS 565, Library Management, was taught by Professor James Kusack. I learned many things in this class that will help me to run a medical library in the future. It provided information on budgeting, personnel issues, library management issues and the business and political side of librarianship. I conducted a cost finding exercise for ILLs, and found the process to be a useful tool in analyzing programs and services in a library. Many of the medical librarians I have interacted with have told me that they wish they had taken more management courses. The most challenging issues they face include budgeting, personnel management, and hiring.

ILS 616-70, Social Science Literature and Sources, was taught by Professor Yan Liu. The breadth of this course was great, and I was happy to gain exposure to an area where I had no previous knowledge. One of my favorite projects in this course was the creation of a pathfinder. I choose the field of geography, and produced my first pathfinder for college students: http://gneroy.tripod.com/616/index.htm. I will use the skills I gained in this class in creating a consumer health pathfinder.

Professor Todd Gilman taught ILS 621-70, Government Publications. Here I learned of the huge amount of government resources available in print and online. I visited a government documents center to consult print resources. It was extremely interesting and useful to learn of the resources available in my state, and the much greater amount of data now available online. For one assignment, we were asked to research a topic using both government and non-government resources and to detail our findings about the currency of government information, its ease of use, and its accessibility. I chose a health care topic and found the process very useful in teaching me how to locate government produced health care data quickly.

In my final semester, Fall 2002, I was able to attend school full-time, and selected the following courses: ILS 560-70, College and University Libraries, with Professor James Kusack; ILS 561-70, Public Libraries, taught by Professor Arlene Bielefield; ILS 655-70, Digital Libraries, with Professor Yan Liu; and ILS 680-70, Evaluation and Research, taught by Professor Jane McGinn. My digital libraries course was very interesting, since I plan to develop a consumer health digital library in the future. Evaluation and Research covered the important aspects of conducting a research project and for producing a study intended for publication. College and University libraries and Public libraries provided an excellent overview to these important areas in library science.

SCSU’s Library Science and Instructional Technology program has allowed me flexibility in forming an educational experience that will complement my future training and experience in health science librarianship. In each of my courses recurring themes were emphasized as important to the profession. Service is perhaps the main focus of librarianship. We must always focus on the patron and work to serve his or her needs. Our attitude and approach to this work is reflected in how well we meet those needs. Integrity can best be expressed in maintaining our professional mandate in behaving responsibly toward that end. New scholarship is essential to the development of the field, and adding to the research and the literature is an important way to grow professionally. Leadership will be developed as each of us helps train the next generation of librarians by serving as mentors or advisors and by assisting those new to the field. The concepts of service, attitude, integrity, scholarship, and leadership are well expressed in the Medical Library Association’s “Code of Ethics for Health Sciences Librarianship.” http://www.mlanet.org/about/ethics.html

Professional standards must be upheld and maintained within an ethical framework. Issues of access, privacy, and confidentiality demand constant attention. I recently reviewed SLA’s Competencies for Special Librarians, and can say that my coursework has illuminated both the professional and personal competencies called for in the document. I list a few of the competencies below:

· Displays expert knowledge of content of resources and the ability to critically evaluate them

· Develops and manages convenient accessible cost effective information services

· Provides instruction

· Assesses information needs and designs and markets services

· Utilizes information technology

· Develops specialized information products (Intranet)

· Evaluates outcomes and conducts research to solve information management problems

· Improves services in response to changing needs

· Serves as an effective member of team

· Assumes a commitment to service excellence

· Seeks out challenges and opportunities (inside and outside the library)

· Sees the big picture

· Looks for partnerships and alliances

· Creates an environment of mutual respect and trust

· Effectively communicates

· Works well with team members

· Exhibits commitment to lifelong leaning

· Is flexible and positive in a time of continuing change

Each of my classes has helped me to develop skills and acquire the knowledge required to meet the competencies for special librarians. From my first course, ILS 501-73, Introduction to Information Science and Technology, where I honed skills in using and understanding information technology, to my final course, ILS 680-70, Evaluation and Research, where I learned the methods of research and how critically to evaluate research projects, I have established a framework for further growth within the profession. Terms such as “flexibility,” “commitment,” and “service excellence” are concepts that support the librarian of today. The desire to seek out challenges, form alliances, communicate effectively, use technology with confidence, market services, and develop products are needed no less than the ability to evaluate resources critically, provide instruction, manage cost-effective information sources, evaluate outcomes, improve service, and commit to lifelong learning.

I leave this program with a sound foundation in the field, and am well prepared to enter the profession and to become a contributing member in the community of health science librarians. Both my coursework and my library experience provide an essential understanding of all aspects of the field. I am ready to experience the challenge and fulfillment of 21st century librarianship.

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