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Informationist or Information Specialist in Context: Who is this?

Informationist or Information Specialist in Context: Who is this?. Jean P. Shipman MLA President jpshipma@vcu.edu. How did the concept begin?. Davidoff and Florance article in 2000 – ----------------------------------------------

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Informationist or Information Specialist in Context: Who is this?

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  1. Informationist or Information Specialist in Context: Who is this? • Jean P. Shipman • MLA President • jpshipma@vcu.edu

  2. How did the concept begin? • Davidoff and Florance article in 2000 – • ---------------------------------------------- • Davidoff F, Florance V. The informationist: a new health profession? [editorial]. Ann Int Med. 2000 Jun 20. 132(12):996–8.

  3. Why the Need? • Clinical questions should be answered on the basis of evidence • Health care providers don’t take time to review evidence – time, vast amounts, retrieval skills, etc. • Clinicians need concise, synthesized review of literature that is readily available

  4. What’s different about this person? • more specialized clinical training than health sciences librarians typically have • informationist takes part in a nationally recognized standard curriculum, has appropriate training and accreditation • answers directly to clinical directors and chiefs of staff, and their services will be paid for directly, as is done for other health care providers. • model is clinic driven, not library driven.

  5. Concept Sat Until… • Scott Plutchak, then editor of the BMLA, issued a call for action to MLA members • ---------------------------------- • T. Scott Plutchak , Informationists and librarians. Bull Med Libr Assoc. 2000 October; 88(4): 391–392.

  6. Initial Exploration • MLA Task Force charged in May of 2001 • Philadelphia conference and JMLA symposia • J Med Libr Assoc. 2002 January; 90(1 ] • Invitational conference , April 4-5, 2002

  7. Initial Exploration continued… • Conference summary – Shipman JP, Cunningham DJ, Holst R, Watson LA. The informationist conference: report. J Med Libr Assoc. 2002 Oct ; 90 (4) : 458-64. • MLANET.org website has rich content of events including video clips of conference

  8. Resulting Action Agenda • Agenda presented to MLA Board Sept. 2002 • Plan posted on MLANET • more than just MLA involvement • many partners needed • will take time to implement • will require funding sources • actions may change as progress is made

  9. Further Conversations • Web chat held May 9, 2002 • Open Forum held at Dallas MLA meeting 2002 • Chapter Roundtables held at MLA 2002 • Individual institutions addressed topic

  10. Change of Name • Board addressed comments received at January 2003 meeting • ISIC – Information Specialist in Context birthed • Why? • Appointed Implementation Task Force • Approved hiring a consultant for further review of concept – Vanderbilt U -3/04

  11. Consultant Report • Released May 2006 • Created 5 scenarios for different arenas • Librarians and health providers polled • Results posted on MLANET members site • Results shared at MLA 2006 Open Forum • Questions – how do we get there? • More acceptance of concept

  12. Consultant Findings • Provided results of surveys, focus groups and interviews with practicing informationists (ns=274, 39] • Presented training and assessment frameworks • Addressed funding and communication mechanisms for role diffusion

  13. MLA Implementation of Report • Started May 2006 • Divided recommendations among units for further action • Continuing education key • Partnering with others • Communicating and Publishing • Eventually – evaluation and R.O.I. value

  14. Theme 1 Clarify informationist definitions and identify and promulgate descriptive roles for these professionals, be they health sciences librarians or other information specialists working in context.

  15. Strategies 1.1 Support testing of the informationist concept 1.2 Inventory and critically analyze current examples of in-context information specialists and their funding -------------------------------------- …Definition still unclear or uniformly applied …Lots of variations on the theme …1.2 did recently with AAHSL listserv

  16. Strategies 1.3 Develop practice protocols and standards for informationist activities 1.4 Identify potential ideal backgrounds and traits for informationists ----------- …consultant report outlines perceived skills and educational needs

  17. Theme 2 Encourage systematic evaluation and dissemination of findings on the costs and benefits of providing in context information specialist services.

  18. Strategies 2.1 Support research to determine the financial aspects of an informationist 2.2 Support research to determine the impact of an informationist ------------- …Too early to do serious evaluation

  19. Strategies 2.3 Encourage NLM to fund evaluation studies on the cost and benefits of an informationist 2.4 Identify experts to assist with research / evaluation design of informationists

  20. Theme 3 Promote and support the entry of health sciences librarians and other interested health professionals into informationist positions. Effectively articulate informationist expertise domains to potential employers.

  21. Strategies 3.1 Publicize the role and accomplishments of in-context information specialists 3.2 Gather and highlight successful outcomes; include anecdotal evidence of improvement ----------- …jobs are being offered …of interest to second career individuals …MLA News articles highlight informationists

  22. Strategies 3.3 Encourage early adoption of the informationist concept by creating educational opportunities for key adopters 3.4 Identify potential partners to promote/market the concept

  23. Theme 4 Obtain funding to implement objectives and fund pilots.

  24. Strategies 4.1 Identify potential funding agencies 4.2 Encourage the funding of informationists 4.3 Outline and promote financial support models for an informationist based on research ------- …NLM Fellowships …Positions within institutions

  25. Theme 5 Identify and publicize opportunities for informationists training.

  26. Strategies 5.1 Explore and test various training methods 5.2 Develop critical mass of faculty to support informationist training 5.3 Identify organizations already providing or willing to provide specialty training for informationist and encourage partnerships

  27. Strategies 5.4 Develop model curricula for professionals who wish to enter information specialties 5.5 Encourage NLM to fund training for informationists in the various arenas and curricular development ----- …still institutional-based …NLM Long Range Planning Report 2006 …MLANET list of institutions willing to host fellows

  28. Meanwhile… • NLM funded 2-year fellowships to test models (2004+, individual throughout] • Training, a practicum, and research project • 3 librarians, 3 other types of professionals • Types of models funded: • Public Health – Hopkins, U Michigan, U of Iowa • Consumer Health/Social Work – VCU • Clinical Practice – Hopkins • Research – North Carolina Central U

  29. Jobs are being offered • AAHSL survey • (July 21 , 2006; n=34; clinical & research focused] • National Institutes of Health (16) • University of Pittsburgh [8] • U of Florida [2] • Houston Academy of Medicine, UTHSCSA • Indiana University • Northwestern • UCSF, UCSD, USC, Stanford University • International – more advanced ?

  30. More Information Needed? Consult: https://www.mlanet.org/research/ informationist/

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