(via Rory Litwin, Library Juice Academy)
“Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship”
Dates: Monday, October 5 – Sunday, November 1
Instructor: Gregory Laynor and Natalie Tagge
Credits: 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs
Price: $175
Registration: go here
Are you interested in working in a health sciences library? Do you want to improve your ability to engage health-related questions and resources? This 4-week course will provide an overview of health sciences librarianship, taught from the perspective of librarians who came to health sciences librarianship from other fields. The course is organized in four modules, each based on a scenario from the health sciences. Participants will use assigned readings, suggested resources, and class discussions to complete the scenarios.
Week 1 will introduce the types of patrons that health sciences librarians work with. The scenario involves assessing health sciences patrons’ information needs. Week 2 will introduce the types of information resources that health sciences librarians use. The scenario involves identifying what health sciences resources to use in order to meet a patron’s information needs. Week 3 will focus on techniques for searching and evaluating health sciences information (in health sciences literature databases, health data sources, free resources, and alternative resources). The scenario involves developing a strategy for helping a patron find and evaluate health sciences information. Week 4 will look at the professional community of health sciences librarians (organizations, conferences, publications, and listservs) and the relevance of critical librarianship to the health sciences. The scenario involves utilizing resources from the health sciences librarian community to address a professional challenge.
By completing the modules, participants will develop a basic understanding of the following.
- different types of health sciences patrons and their information needs
- key information resources in the health sciences
- techniques for searching and evaluating health sciences information
- professional organizations, publications, and listservs in health sciences librarianship
- how critical librarianship applies to the health sciences
Gregory Laynor is Senior Librarian, Information Services at Thomas Jefferson University. He draws upon his teaching background in the humanities to develop library instruction in the health sciences. He has a Ph.D. in English from the University of Washington and an M.S. in Library Science from Clarion University. His recent writing appears in Journal of the Medical Library Association, Medical Reference Services Quarterly, and College & Research Libraries.
Natalie Tagge is the Head, Podiatry Library at Temple University. Previously, she was Education Services Librarian at Temple University Ginsburg Health Sciences Library. She has a Master’s Degree in Library & Information Science from the University of Illinois and is completing her Master of Public Health at Temple. She previously worked at the Illinois State Library; University of Illinois, Springfield; and The Claremont Colleges Library. She never imagined she would become a health sciences librarian (let alone head of a podiatry library, life is random!). Her favorite things are dogs, making people laugh and traveling to new places.
Course Structure
This is an online class that is taught asynchronously, meaning that participants do the work on their own time as their schedules allow. The class does not meet together at any particular times, although the instructor may set up optional synchronous chat sessions. Instruction includes readings and assignments in one-week segments. Class participation is in an online forum environment.
Payment Information
We accept registrations through the first week of classes, unless enrollment is full, and unless the class was canceled before it started due to low enrollment. The “Register” button on the website goes to our credit card payment gateway, which may be used with personal or institutional credit cards. (Be sure to use the appropriate billing address). If your institution wants us to send a billing statement or wants to pay using a purchase order, please contact us by e-mail, at inquiries@libraryjuiceacademy.com, to make arrangements.
For a list of all of the courses being offered next month, please go here.