Examples of Change and Practice in University-Affiliated Medical Libraries

Üniversitelere Ba¤l› T›p Kütüphanelerinde De¤iflim ve Uygulama Örnekleri

Abstract

Medical sciences constantly conduct research on combating diseases, healing, developing treatment methods, preventing diseases, and increasing the quality of health. Medical education, which supports and fosters medical sciences, has a very long history and it ensures that well-qualified and competent physicians are trained in the medical faculties of universities. States pay particular attention to health services and education in their health policies so as to have healthy individuals. Today, it is inevitable for medical librarians to participate in clinical practice, take part in scientific research activities, support medical education, and take part in university hospitals as an integral part of the medical team, both in the delivery of medical education and in the provision of quality health care. Physicians, academics, students, and other healthcare professionals should receive a high-quality medical education, as well as obtain accurate, up-to-date, evidence-based information about their field in the most economical, fastest and easiest way. Medical libraries provide the evidence-based, medical information and documentation required in this field. The services offered in medical libraries and the processes of managing medical information obtained through their own information resources have unique features. In the current study, the information seeking behaviors of medical library users, the characteristics of the information they seek and the information services offered in these libraries were analyzed using the method of description and literature review. To present the exemplary information services practices of some important and large medical libraries both in Turkey and the world, their web pages were analyzed by their content, collection, design, services and innovations. The change of medical libraries in the 21st century and the role of medical librarians were also analyzed. Based on the results, it can be highlighted that besides offering information management, medical libraries offer new services, while assuming new roles and responsibilities by drawing on evidence-based medicine and technological developments.

Özet

T›p bilimi; hastal›klarla mücadele etme, iyilefltirme, tedavi yöntemleri gelifltirme, hastal›klar› önleme, sa¤l›kl› yaflam kalitesini art›rma konular›nda sürekli araflt›rma yapar. T›p bilimini destekleyen ve gelifltiren t›p e¤itimi oldukça eski bir geçmifle sahip olup, üniversitelerin t›p fakültelerinde nitelikli ve yetkin hekimlerin yetiflmesini sa¤lar. Devletler, sa¤l›k politikalar›nda sa¤l›kl› bireyler yetifltirmek amac›yla sa¤l›k hizmetlerine ve e¤itime önem verirler. Günümüzde hem t›p e¤itiminin gerçeklefltirilmesinde hem de kaliteli sa¤l›k hizmetinin verilmesinde t›p kütüphanecilerinin klinik uygulamalara kat›lmas›, bilimsel araflt›rma faaliyetlerinde yer almas›, t›p e¤itimini desteklemesi ve üniversite hastanelerinde sa¤l›k ekibinin ayr›lmaz bir parças› olarak yer almas› kaç›n›lmazd›r. Hekimlerin, akademisyenlerin, ö¤rencilerin ve di¤er sa¤l›k profesyonellerinin iyi bir t›p e¤itimi almalar›n›n yan› s›ra alanlar›yla ilgili do¤ru, güncel, kan›ta dayal› bilgiyi en ekonomik, en h›zl› ve en kolay bir flekilde elde etmeleri gerekir. Bu alanda gereksinim duyulan kan›ta dayal›, t›bbi bilgi ve belgeyi t›p kütüphaneleri sa¤lar. Bu ba¤lamda t›p kütüphanelerinde sunulan hizmetler, sahip olduklar› bilgi kaynaklar› ile elde edilen t›bbi bilginin yönetilmesi ifllemleri kendine özgü özellikler tafl›r. Çal›flmada, betimleme ve literatür incelemesi yönteminden yararlan›larak t›p kütüphanesi kullan›c›lar›n›n bilgi arama davran›fllar›, arad›klar› bilginin özellikleri ve bu kütüphanelerde sunulan bilgi hizmetleri de¤erlendirilmifltir. Bu konuda hem dünyada hem de Türkiye’deki önemli ve büyük t›p kütüphanelerinin bilgi hizmetlerine iliflkin uygulama örneklerine yer verilmifltir. T›p kütüphanelerinin web sayfalar› içerik, derme, tasar›m, sunduklar› hizmetler ve yenilikler aç›s›ndan analiz edilmifltir. Çal›flmada, t›p kütüphanelerinin 21. yüzy›ldaki de¤iflimi ve t›p kütüphanecilerinin rolü incelenmifltir. Çal›flma sonucunda t›p kütüphanelerinin bilgi yönetimi ve teknolojik geliflmelerin yan› s›ra kan›ta dayal› t›p ile yeni hizmetler sunmas›, yeni roller ve yeni sorumluluklar üstlenmesine dikkat çekilmifltir.