The impact of IAIMS at Georgetown: strategies and outcomes.

Integration of multiple information systems of a medical center will change the way physicians work and practice medicine in the future. Several major steps must be taken by an institution to make this a reality. Since 1983, Georgetown has been engaged in an Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS) project to bring together multiple sources of information that reside on different computers and database systems. Georgetown is developing a Biotechnology and Biomedical Knowledge Network that includes informational and clinical databases, scholar workstations, instruction on computer use, a campuswide network with local area network nodes, and a modular approach to systems integration. The IAIMS project, spearheaded by the medical library, has enabled a broad spectrum of health professionals to benefit directly from new, dynamic information services. The network is heavily used; in 1991, more than 2,100 individual users conducted more than 148,500 computer functions and more than 104,000 searches. There is economy of scale in high-volume use. Overall, the average search cost is $1.57; for high use databases the cost is $0.38, and for low use, it is $9.41. As described in this paper, IAIMS offers a cost-effective means of enhancing patient care by improving information services to physicians. At Georgetown, IAIMS has advanced the concept of integration, accelerated use of computers in education, increased user acceptance of advanced technologies, and established cost factors for providing information resources. While progress made in improving the transfer of medical information is impressive, it is clear that IAIMS requires several more years of support to achieve full implementation.     

Implementing RECONSIDER, a diagnostic prompting computer system, at the Georgetown University Medical Center

RECONSIDER, a computer program for diagnostic prompting developed at the University of California, San Francisco, has been implemented at the Georgetown University Medical Center as part of the Integrated Academic Information Management System Model Development grant project supported by the National Library of Medicine. The system is available for student use in the Biomedical Information Resources Center of the Dahlgren Memorial Library. Instruction on use of the computer system is provided by the library and instruction on medical use of the knowledge base is directed by the faculty. The implementation, capabilities, enhancements such as the addition of Current Medical Information and Terminology (5th ed.), and evaluation of the system are reported.     

The Georgetown University Library Information System (LIS): a minicomputer-based integrated library system

Georgetown University's Library Information System (LIS), an integrated library system designed and implemented at the Dahlgren Memorial Library, is broadly described from an administrative point of view. LIS' functional components consist of eight "user-friendly" modules: catalog, circulation, serials, bibliographic management (including Mini-MEDLINE), acquisitions, accounting, networking, and computer-assisted instruction. This article touches on emerging library services, user education, and computer information services, which are also changing the role of staff librarians. The computer's networking capability brings the library directly to users through personal or institutional computers at remote sites. The proposed Integrated Medical Center Information System at Georgetown University will include interface with LIS through a network mechanism. LIS is being replicated at other libraries, and a microcomputer version is being tested for use in a hospital setting.     

Building bridges: LIS-IAIMS-BioSYNTHESIS.

Recent progress in library automation and networking is redefining the library's traditional role. The Georgetown University Medical Center Library, developer of the Library Information System (LIS), has been involved in automation for nearly a decade, and was one of the first institutions to receive an NLMIAMS grant. The two projects have evolved together. New LIS modules, such as Document Delivery and the ALERTS/CURRENT CONTENTS Search System, have been designed in a reciprocal LIS/IAIMS environment. BioSYNTHESIS, a current IAIMS research project, is a prototype information tool for tomorrow.     

Building a miniMEDLINE database: which journals to choose?

Scott Memorial Library (SML) at Thomas Jefferson University has installed the Library Information System (LIS) developed by Georgetown University Medical Center Library. One component of the system is miniMEDLINE, a system for searching an inhouse database derived from NLM MEDLINE tapes. This paper describes the process involved in determining which journals should be included in SML's miniMEDLINE file; the number of titles and years covered; the balance between research and clinical titles; the representation of allied health fields; and the level of faculty involvement.     

Defining and assessing medical informatics competencies

As academic health sciences libraries assume larger roles in informatics instruction within medical school curricula, librarians are challenged to develop useful and accurate measures for assessing the effectiveness of instructional approaches. The need for this evaluation has intensified as medical schools increase their emphasis on integration of curriculum content and shift to competency-based education and assessment of medical students. This paper reports on a pilot project developed at Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University Medical Center, for two courses using an instructional intervention and tailored assignment for assessing student competencies.     

Carnegie Mellon University and University Microfilms International "Virtual Library Project"

Carnegie Mellon University and University Microforms International (UMI) are collaborating on a three and one-half year development project for a virtual library. More than 650 bitmapped journal titles from UMI will be available through the University's Library Information System to Carnegie Mellon University students and faculty over the campus fiber optic network. The paper provides an overview of the project and discusses how journal information is presented to users. An overview of the economics of full-text journals online is also provided.     

Beyond the library: IAIMS at Georgetown University

The strategic planning process and the pilot phase projects undertaken by Georgetown University for an Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS) are described. Emphasis is placed on core services such as a local area network, an academic information management center in the library, and expansion of health sciences databases for improved access to biomedical information. Special applications in education and clinical care are highlighted. The library, a key to IAIMS activities, has emerged in a leadership role at Georgetown.     

The University of Washington electronic medical record experience

The Health Sciences Library at the University of Washington initiated and continues to develop a role in the electronic medical record, starting with the development of the first integrated web-based interface, called MINDscape. An Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS) grant in 1992 began the process, which also led to the development of a clinical medical librarian position. Over the years, the librarian''s role in the clinical environment became more established, and with the advent of clinical online resources, it offered further opportunities for librarians to provide the expertise needed to incorporate the appropriate resources. The collaborative journey continues as librarians, now able to directly access the EMRs, provide information about what resources to use and where best to place them and design how best to provide notes or feedback to clinicians.     

BioSYNTHESIS: bridging the information gap

BioSYNTHESIS is a prototype intelligent retrieval system under development as part of the IAIMS project at Georgetown University. The aim is to create an integrated system that can retrieve information located on disparate computer systems. The project work has been divided in two phases: BioSYNTHESIS I, development of a single menu to access various databases which reside on different computers; and BioSYNTHESIS II, development of a search component that facilitates complex searching for the user. BioSYNTHESIS II will accept a user's query and conduct a search for appropriate information in the IAIMS databases at Georgetown. For information not available at Georgetown, such as full text, it will access selected remote systems and translate the search query as appropriate for the target system. The search through various computer systems and different databases with unique storage and retrieval structures will be transparent to the user. BioSYNTHESIS I is complete and available to users. The design work for BioSYNTHESIS II is under development and will continue as a multiyear technical research effort of the proposed Georgetown IAIMS implementation project.     

Prototyping an institutional IAIMS/UMLS information environment for an academic medical center.

The paper describes a prototype information environment designed to link network-based information resources in an integrated fashion and thus enhance the information capabilities of an academic medical center. The prototype was implemented on a single Macintosh computer to permit exploration of the overall "information architecture" and to demonstrate the various desired capabilities prior to full-scale network-based implementation. At the heart of the prototype are two components: a diverse set of information resources available over an institutional computer network and an information sources map designed to assist users in finding and accessing information resources relevant to their needs. The paper describes these and other components of the prototype and presents a scenario illustrating its use. The prototype illustrates the link between the goals of two National Library of Medicine initiatives, the Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS) and the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS).     

Evolution of an information literacy curriculum for third-year medical students

Information literacy curriculum for third-year medical students at Northwestern University has evolved over several years under the guidance of librarians at the Galter Health Sciences Library. Starting as a series of rotation-specific information resource overviews, initial evaluation and feedback led to the curriculum being developed to include more focused and interactive clinical information sessions with a quiz-based assessment. Future enhancements will include web-based self-directed learning using online tutorials, additional search exercises that mimic the on-the-go clinical environment, and better assessment of the curriculum's impact on students' information literacy and clinical search skills.     

A new role for the clinical librarian as educator

The Clinical Medical Librarian (CML) Program of the Tompkins-McCaw Library is a special instructional initiative to teach third-year medical students the use of information resources in the clinical setting. Librarians spend one week with selected internal medicine teams participating in work rounds and instructing team members in the use of the medical literature. The librarian assists team members to identify and retrieve relevant information through computer workstations located in the hospital. Photocopies of journal articles are made available to team members through the CML document delivery program.     

Project Management Techniques at the Complutense University: Academic Librarians' Perceptions

This study examines how academic librarians at the Complutense University (Spain) perceive project management techniques that are becoming increasingly popular in library and information centers due to the need to comply with their strategic planning and services. To reach this goal, a quantitative and qualitative methodology was applied and a survey, in the form of a questionnaire, was used as a data gathering tool. The response rate was 31.2%. The key findings are based on respondents' education regarding project management skills and their expertise managing projects, as well as the presence of project management courses in the Library and Information Science Spanish curriculum. This study revealed that over one third of the academic staff completed their project management training by self-directed learning. Additionally, over half of them stated that they had not participated in any library project in the last five years, and almost half of the library staff concluded that project management techniques are quite important as formal courses in the Library and Information Science university programs. The study is interesting and revealing for those library and information services professionals who are facing day-to-day to users' demands and Library and Information Science challenges.     

PDA power at the bedside

George Washington University's Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library was investigating adding PDA resources to the collection when a medical education grant was received. Funds were used for a pilot project to compare PDA use by third-year medical students (MSIII), fourth-year medical students (MSIV), second-year physician assistant (PAII) students, and residents in the clinical setting. The PDA Committee evaluated various titles by the following criteria: both Palm and PocketPC operating systems compatibility, ease of use, depth of information, product cost, and a wide target audience. Griffith's 5 Minute Clinical Consult by Skyscape was selected. Library registration was required to receive the software and PDA downloading instructions. A short, Web-based questionnaire was developed to evaluate the product's use in the clinical setting. A low response rate of 74 questionnaires (23% of participants) was received and analyzed in March 2004. As additional funding becomes available, PDA software will be seriously considered as additions to the collection.     

Delivering Information Literacy Instruction for a Joint International Program: An Innovative Collaboration Between Two Libraries

This article focuses on a collaborative project between Mount Saint Vincent University Library and Bermuda College Library to introduce students to services and resources at the libraries of the partner institutions. Using Web conferencing software that allowed for voice, instant messaging chat, and live Web demonstration, a series of workshops was developed to introduce students to the concepts of information and literacy and reinforce for the students that they were able to access librarians and library services at both institutions. Issues relating to both the students’ home library at Bermuda College in Hamilton, Bermuda and their remote library at Mount Saint Vincent University in Nova Scotia, Canada are examined, including the obstacles that have been surmounted as well as recommendations for other libraries considering this type of partnership. Strategies, activities, and tools used to implement the initiative are discussed.     

Service learning in the library and information science curriculum: The perspectives and experiences of one Multimedia/User Education class

This article provides a case study of a class project in Multimedia/User Education in the Library and Information Science program at the University of Iowa. The goals of the class were to develop multimedia skills, develop conceptual models for implementing multimedia in libraries, and develop a culture of collaborative teaching and learning within the group of students who were enrolled. The course used service learning pedagogy to achieve these ends. Students developed web sites for public libraries in Iowa that, in many cases, are used in those libraries. In this article, the instructor of the course describes the design of the class, and the students contribute their observations about the service learning experience.     

JALIS信息资源共建共享模式研究

JALIS资源共建共享模式主要有：大学城模式、中心城模式、教学联合体模式、高职高专模式和跨系统模式。在论述这5种模式特点的基础上,从共享理念、项目建设、率先驱动角度进行评价,提出JALIS信息资源共享模式未来发展的建议。     

The Klaipeda University Library in Lithuania

Summary

The author, Library Director at the University of Klaipeda (Lithuania) and Washington State University Libraries' Library Fellow, writes about her own library in the context of other Lithuanian academic libraries and emerging consortia in Lithuania and the European Community. Both the Consortium of Lithuanian Libraries' project, the Lithuanian Integrated Library Information System (LIBIS), and the European Community's project, the Trans-European Cooperative Scheme for Higher Education (TEMPUS), are specifically noted. The author also offers both her impressions of American academic libraries gathered during her experience as a Library Fellow based at Washington State University Libraries and her hopes for the future of academic libraries in Lithuania.     

清华大学与圭尔夫大学图书馆共享空间比较研究

通过对清华大学图书馆信息共享空间和圭尔夫大学图书馆学习共享空间二者进行对比分析,认为前者的服务侧重于多媒体硬件设备和数字信息技术的提供,而后者则侧重于对学生的指导。文章以此分析为基础,提出图书馆共享空间发展的几点思路和建议。