Subject specialization in a liaison librarian program

• Published in: Journal of the Medical Library Association Vol. 94; no. 4; pp. 446 - 448
• Main Authors: CATALDO, Tara Tobin, TENNANT, Michele R, SHERWILL-NAVARRO, Pamela, JESANO, Rae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL Medical Library Association 01.10.2006; University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
• Subjects: Brief Communications; Data analysis; Education, Continuing; Exact sciences and technology; Faculty; Florida; Health Occupations; Humans; Information and communication sciences; Information management; Information science. Documentation; Information Services - organization & administration; Inservice Training; Learning; Librarians; Libraries; Libraries, Medical - organization & administration; Library and information science. General aspects; Library resources; Library Surveys; Nurses; Nursing; Response rates; Schools, Health Occupations; Sciences and techniques of general use; Universities; Use and user studies. Information needs; Florida; Information service; Specialization; Program; User study; Special library; Librarian; Use study; Result
• ISSN: 1536-5050; 1558-9439; 1558-9439

The information specialist in context (ISIC) or informationist, a new career path evolving in health sciences, integrates hybrid specialists with formal training in both information management and a particular subject discipline or other expert training into clinical or research teams [7, 8]. The college of nursing liaison is not a nurse but has employed a variety of strategies to gain the needed expertise to provide such integrated service, including her previous experience as a hospital librarian working closely with nurse educators, appropriate continuing education courses from MLA and nursing organizations, extensive reading in the discipline, and discussions with faculty about their areas of specialization and research interests.