Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Hospital Libraries: A Path Forward, Basia Delawska-Elliott, Wm. Brian Elliot

Books, Presentations, Posters, Etc.

Program Description: Despite our profession’s constant evolution to address the changing needs of our users, many health sciences libraries, particularly hospital libraries, are under scrutiny by their institutions. Many of these libraries are facing closure. In fact, a recent study of health sciences library closings [Schwartz, Elkin 2017] found that from 1989-2006 approximately 23-34% of US health sciences libraries closed. Furthermore, between 2011 and 2015, 613 libraries closed, for an average of 115 closings per year [Thibodeau, Funk 2009]. But why? What was the rationale for these closings? Was the decision based solely on economic reasons, or were there other …