Making a Commitment to EBLIP: The Role of Library Leadership

Authors

  • Suzanne F Grefsheim U.S. National Institutes of Health
  • Jocelyn A Rankin U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Susan C Whitmore U.S. National Institutes of Health

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18438/B8ZK56

Abstract

Purpose - The role of library management and administration is pivotal to successful adoption of evidence-based practice by library practitioners. As part of its long-standing commitment to a learning organization, the leadership team of the biomedical research library serving the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, USA planned and implemented a systematic approach to fostering EBLIP practice.

Method - The library initiated a program to build an environment conducive to EBLIP that included support and release time for library research projects, formal training in EBLIP methods, and team mentoring as research projects evolved. Library staff participating in the EBLIP initiative were the library’s 32 professional librarians as well as four other staff members. Many had scientific research experience but few if any had designed a library research study. All considered training as very important to the EBLIP initiative, as well as opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and present at professional meetings. Five teams undertook research projects; highlights of these team studies are described briefly.

Conclusions - By providing a supportive framework for EBLIP practice, library leadership can successfully engage staff in EBLIP thinking and small research studies. Librarians with some training in the research process and ongoing mentoring can design and conduct studies that find important practical answers to the questions that arise in daily practice.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Suzanne F Grefsheim, U.S. National Institutes of Health

Director, Division of Library Services/NIH Library

Jocelyn A Rankin, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Chief, Public Health Library and Information Center

Susan C Whitmore, U.S. National Institutes of Health

Chief, Information and Education Services Branch, Division of Library Services/NIH Library

Downloads

Published

2007-09-05

How to Cite

Grefsheim, S. F., Rankin, J. A., & Whitmore, S. C. (2007). Making a Commitment to EBLIP: The Role of Library Leadership. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 2(3), 123–129. https://doi.org/10.18438/B8ZK56

Issue

Section

Commentaries