Library and Information Science Commons^™

Creating A Library Holding Group: An Approach To Large System Integration., Isaac R Huffman, Heather J Martin, Barbara (Basia) Delawska-Elliott

Basia Delawska-Elliott, MLIS, AHIP

PURPOSE: Faced with resource constraints, many hospital libraries have considered joint operations. This case study describes how Providence Health & Services created a single group to provide library services.

METHODS: Using a holding group model, staff worked to unify more than 6,100 nonlibrary subscriptions and 14 internal library sites.

RESULTS: Our library services grew by unifying 2,138 nonlibrary subscriptions and 11 library sites and hiring more library staff. We expanded access to 26,018 more patrons.

CONCLUSIONS: A model with built-in flexibility allowed successful library expansion. Although challenges remain, this success points to a viable model of unified operations.

Combining Resources, Combining Forces: Regionalizing Hospital Library Services In A Large Statewide Health System., Heather J Martin, Basia Delawska-Elliott

Basia Delawska-Elliott, MLIS, AHIP

After a reduction in full-time equivalents, 2 libraries in large teaching hospitals and 2 libraries in small community hospitals in a western US statewide health system saw opportunity for expansion through a regional reorganization. Despite a loss of 2/3 of the professional staff and a budgetary decrease of 27% over the previous 3 years, the libraries were able to grow business, usage, awareness, and collections through organizational innovation and improved efficiency. This paper describes the experience--including process, challenges, and lessons learned--of an organizational shift to regionalized services, collections, and staffing. Insights from this process may help similar organizations going through …

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

Basia Delawska-Elliott, MLIS, AHIP

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 …

2018 American Nurses Credentialing Center’S (Ancc) Magnet Conference, Basia Delawska-Elliott

Basia Delawska-Elliott, MLIS, AHIP