Cunningham Memorial International Fellowship 2003: My Experiences

By Saroj Bhatia, Director
Library and Multimedia Services
The Canberra Hospital
Australian Capital Territory
saroj.bhatia@anu.edu.au
http://tch.anu.edu.au/

Every year the Medical Library Association (MLA) provides a four-month fellowship for one medical librarian from a country outside the U.S. and Canada to observe U.S. or Canadian sciences libraries. My main objective in applying for this fellowship was to visit and experience U.S. academic medical libraries. I wanted to see the use of information technology and its new trends in order to come back home and establish new resources for my organization and new medical school.

My main host libraries and conference

• University of Chicago Library, Chicago, IL
• Biomedical Library, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
• Loma Linda University Libraries, Loma Linda, CA
• Coastal AHEC Health Sciences Library, Wilmington, NC
• National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD
• Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library, Houston, TX
• Medical Library Association Annual Conference, San Diego, CA

Interactive learning

During this time I have visited various small and large academic medical libraries, attended training workshops, conferences, meetings and talked to many colleagues in the library and information technology/multimedia professions. MLA staff organized this program very well, and I enjoyed my experience by walking, talking, and learning with people. I gave presentations to all my host libraries, and it was interactive learning for me.

Consumer information

Consumer Information has attracted me most in the U.S. medical libraries. Northwestern Memorial Hospital Health Learning Center, Chicago, is good example of setting up a consumer health library. NLM's MEDLINEplus has become a great resource for patients and physicians. The new MEDLINEplus prescription project will be big hit with doctors, dentists, and other health professionals so that their patients can access evaluated information on diseases or drugs.

MEDLINEplus prescription pad used by the American College of Physicians

Interlibrary loan (ILL)

ILL through web delivery is great success in some medical libraries. Posting on the web makes life easier and quick. Use of big scanners and software such as Relais and Ariel save staff time and money. This whole process used to be intensely dependent upon staff time, which is no longer the case.

E-journal management

E-journal management has taken a further step. Big academic medical libraries are using these tools such as Serials Solutions, TDNet, and SFX to manage their e-journals. This is still a gray area; it is hard to manage various vendors, publishers and broken links. I did compare some of these tools for the Texas Medical Center Library and learned about them in greater depth.

PDA use

PDA use in clinical setting was another learning project for me. Some of the libraries such as University of Chicago, Duke Medical Center, and the National Library of Medicine are doing different projects and training in PDA use. I talked to various clinicians, librarians, and PDA gurus. NLM has produced a PDA version of PubMed, which can be searched, will not take much space, and can be used near patient's bedside. Doctors often prescribe medication after seeing a patient. But what if that doctor also wants to direct the patient to up-to-date, reliable, consumer-friendly information about a health concern? We are also doing a trial at home in Australian Capital Territory Health Library. Talking with these colleagues helped me to clarify many concepts.

Library outreach program

I attended an AHEC conference in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and their outreach program impressed me. This program offered information to rural hospitals, private physicians, nurses, and health organizations. These libraries are part of a solid statewide network, and their training programs help to provide outreach services. Their digital library program gives desktop services to many nurses and doctors in the rural areas.

Historical collections and digitalization

History of medicine collections and digitalization of collections in some medical libraries is a great achievement. The NLM image database, Profiles in Science, and related projects provide access to very old and rare collections. Use of technologies in these resources makes a clear path to the future. Some special collections are so rare that it is a big asset for the library. Preservation labs are attached with these rare collections.

Multimedia laboratories

I saw very good examples of setting up multimedia labs, computer training rooms, and group study rooms. The Center for Library & Instructional Computing Services (CLICS) at University of California, San Diego, is great for undergraduate students. It has 200 computers with discussion rooms and study rooms where students can do their coursework outside the library atmosphere. It can be a good example of future libraries.

Planning and management of library buildings

As we are extending our library as a part of the new medical school next year, it was a big help talking to U.S. libraries such as the NLM, the UC San Diego Biomedical Library, the University of Houston Library, and the UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library. These libraries are in the process of getting a new library or extension. I talked with colleagues who are involved in new library building and a new concept of future libraries. I also saw a good example of renovation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Health Learning Center, Chicago.

In addition to visiting libraries, I visited some professional health organizations such as the American Hospital Association and the Medical Library Association.

Since coming back to Australia, I have initiated some projects based on my U.S. experiences, such as using the scanner to provide ILL through web delivery; installing a self-check system for borrowing 24 hours, 7 days a week; and establishing Clarinet Systems' infrared technology which allows PDA network connectivity without expensive software and hardware. Users and medical students can beam free and subscription resources and other information.

At the end I would like to thank MLA for organizing such a wonderful program and to my host libraries for giving me such diverse experiences.

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