Global Access to Health Information: The UNC Medical Library in Malawi

1. General PublicEnhanced current health information resources for practitioners, engagement with UNC Project • Local MedicalPractitioners and StudentsFree Internet access, all other benefits of library The UNC Health Sciences Library UNC Project -Malawi The Health Sciences Library (HSL) at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill serves five health affairs schools—dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health—as well as a robust health-care system. HSL also coordinates library services to the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (AHEC). In 2008 HSL crafted a new vision to adapt to the changing needs of its constituents by playing an integral role in UNC’s growing global presence. HSL’s vision for 2020 is to be a leader in the global health information network and an essential campus and community partner which is working to improve the health and well-being of the people of North Carolina, the nation, and the world. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been conducting research in Malawi since 1989, and in 1999 established UNC Project-Malawi in the capital city of Lilongwe. In 2003, UNC Project built Tidzewe Centre, a new state-of-the-art research, care and training facility on the grounds of Kamuzu Central Hospital.  To meet an increasingly urgent need for better access to current health information and research, the Health Sciences Library partnered with UNC Project to build a medical library as a central part of the new center. The NIH Fogarty International Center's AIDS International Training and Research Program (5 D43 TW 001039) provided initial support. • UNC Project EmployeesAccess to most UNC resources via ADL authentication, all other benefits • UNC Facultyand Students Full access to UNC resources, print reference and journal resources, and access to local librarian The UNC Project Library Needs Assessment • Human Resources: Interaction between HSL development collections librarian and Lilongwe library staff • Logistical Support: IGHID manages transport of and payment for new library materials • Electronic Resource Support: The AHEC Digital Library provides infrastructure and ability to offer multiple levels of access to electronic resources HSL – From Local to Global • Internet Access: Internet access is slow, expensive, and often unreliable • Accessibility: Available online resources are poorly organized and difficult to access for the average user • Resource Availability: Local library print resources are severely limited, out-of-date, and of inferior quality • Logistical Support: Transportation and shipping difficulties make print resources scarce • Human Resources: Availability of trained staff and access to technical support is poor • The partnership with the UNC Project Library has enabled HSL to collaborate with libraries around the world more effectively and thereby better support UNC’s global research and outreach interests. Providing this kind of support requires strong local and institutional partnerships, such as the collaboration with IGHID. • It also requires establishing new international partnerships. HSL has effectively done this in several ways: • Ties Between Senior-Level Leadership:Top administrators from IGHID & HSL serve on each other's advisory boards • Cross-campus Collaboration: HSL pursues possibilities of joint grant proposals with IGHID and other UNC units dealing with global health • Internal HSL Global Health Taskforce: Shapes HSL’s commitment to global health research • North Carolina Outreach • UNC and HSL strengthen local health care by providing opportunity for global connections • HSL houses the AHEC digital library, which promotes health education and research across North Carolina and provides the infrastructure for secure extension of resources to global research partners Key Partners Tidzewe Centre (Photo: Susan Swogger) • UNC Project-Malawi faculty and staff: Provide facilities, administration, and primary users • Kamuzu Central Hospital: Provides local support, users, in-country connections • UNC Health Sciences Library: Provides technical support, professional library expertise, collection development assistance, and training • N.C. Area Health Education Centers: Provide structure and security of electronic resource interface for UNC employees in Malawi • UNC Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases (IGHID): Provides administrative support and funding • Other local medical institutions & schools: Provide users, connections to local medical community Global Access to Health Information: The UNC Medical Library in Malawi Susan Swogger,1 Mamie Sackey Harris,1 Myron S. Cohen,1Irving Hoffman,1 Bernard Chilombe,2 Innocent Mofolo,2 Francis Martinson2 1The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , 2UNC Project-Malawi Levels of access available to UNC Project Library Patrons Using electronic resources at UNC Project Library (Photo: Susan Swogger) Core Services Benefits Beyond UNC Project • Locally-hired reference librarian • Up-to-date and organized print reference collection focused on clinical medicine, infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS, epidemiology, and maternal/child health • Small, current print journal collection with an emphasis on infectious diseases • Four computers with open high-speed internet access through a dedicated VSAT • An array of organized online resources and research tools Factors for Success • Provides a much-needed clearinghouse for local medical and epidemiological data and reports not otherwise collected in one place • Current and well-maintained health research library is essential to the growing number of Malawian health practitioners earning master's and doctoral degrees • Library resources support growth of an increasingly functional health-care system, building positive local perception of the UNC Project • Funding: IGHID continues to provide support, largely from grant overhead • Technical Support: HSL commits professional staff time for ongoing remote support and regular travel exchanges between the U.S. and Malawi Continuing Challenges • Funding: Stable funding specifically for library services • Human Resources: High turnover of trained staff • Internet Access: Slow and intermittent internet access despite dedicated VSAT