(via Rory Litwin, Library Juice Academy)
Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship
Instructors: Gregory Laynor and Natalie Tagge
Dates: March 2 through 29, 2020
Credits: 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs
Price: $175
More information and registration available here
Course Overview and Schedule
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:
- 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
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.