NER Hospital Librarians: NH/VT Hospital Libraries Focus Group

Abstract

NER Hospital Librarians is an educational series addressing the professional development needs of hospital librarians in the New England Region. Topics are determined by NNLM NER’s Hospital Libraries Advisory Group (HLAG). Example topics include: DOCLINE Update; Advanced PubMed; and Librarians Supporting Nursing Education and Scholarship. Webinars are schedule for one hour. In-person and virtual events are scheduled for one-five hours. Each session will highlight a topic of concern to hospital librarians. NNLM NER will identify subject experts to provide instruction either through WebEx or on-site at UMass Medical School. The sessions begin with introduction of topic and subject expert, include discussion on the impact on library management, and conclude with time for questions and answers. Whenever possible, the sessions will be recorded. For this virtual focus group, NER invited twelve people who are interested in the fate of hospital libraries in NH and VT. We asked three questions: How are librarians coping with the loss of their colleagues in NH and VT? How can NLM Public Services Division support the work of hospital librarians in NH and VT? How can NNLM support the work of hospital librarians in NH and VT? The goal was for the Network to gather perceptions, insights, and experiences of hospital librarians in New Hampshire and Vermont. We know that rural hospitals are economically stressed and that hospital libraries are closing. NER was interested in hearing how this is impacting the remaining hospital librarians.