The Association of Vision Science Librarians: A Worldwide...

A V S LHISTORY

The idea of forming an organization of vision science librarians began at the 1965 meeting of the American Academy of Optom-etry in Denver, where representatives from all the Optometry Schools, met to discuss the idea. The informal gathering was repeated the following December, and at the 1968 meeting of the American Academy of Optometry in Beverly Hills, California, the Association of Vision Science Librarians (AVSL) was o�cially founded. A Statement of Purpose was formalized in 1969. This year we are celebrating over 40 years of service to the vision community.

PUBLICATIONS

Opening Day Collection – is a compilation of recommended books, journals, and digital resources for a vision science collec-tion. It identi�es materials that should constitute a basic or "open-ing day" collection for all types of vision science libraries. AVSL librarians use reserve lists, book reviews, expert opinions, faculty recommendations, usage statistics, and other criteria to make their selections. Additions/deletions to the list are reviewed by members present at the AVSL mid-year and annual meetings. Final selections are decided upon by the compilers. The Opening Day Collection is updated periodically.

WHO WE ARE:

AVSL is an international organization composed of more than 150 profes-sional librarians, or persons acting in that capacity, whose collections include the literature of vision. Among the current members are individu-als who work within libraries that serve educational institutions, eye clinics and hospitals, and private companies with an interest in eye or vision-related products and services.

AVSL Hall of FameThe Association of Vision Science Librarians Hall of Fame honors members who have retired from ophthal-

mology, optometry, and vision science libraries.

Patricia Carlson, Southern California College of Optometry

Nancy Clemmons, University of Alabama at Birmingham

*Maria Dablemont, International Museum & Archives of Optometry

Gerald Dujsik, Illinois College of Optometry

*Elizabeth Egan, Indiana School of Optometry

Doug Freeman, Indiana University

Nancy Gatlin, Southern College of Optometry

*Alison Howard, University of California Berkeley

Cindy Hutchinson, New England College of Optometry

Reva Hurtes, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

WHAT WE DO:

• Facilitate cooperative activities among member librarians throughout the world• Share our resources through loans of books, videos and journal articles• Work to improve access to vision information• Partners with NLM, NEI, ASCO, AAO and others to access information• Develop and promote standards and guidelines to improve vision libraries and the

services they o�er• Use our Listserv™ to exchange ideas, answer reference questions and share duplicate

materials• Promote open access to the vision literature • Maintain a vital Website that contains our publications and resources

HOW AVSL HELPS – excerpts from satis�ed users:

“I’ve lost count of all the ways AVSL has helped the AOA, especially now that the library has been eliminated!

“AVSL helps colleagues in the �eld make international connections to access the literature! “

“Our colleagues from down under were able to provide an article from an obscure Australian publication.”

“I can’t begin to count the times that one of my researchers needs an obscure chapter (harder to �nd than articles) STAT and gotten it within 30 minutes of sending out the request... The ability to make an informal request rather than going through the more cumbersome red tape of ILL. This is especially important when Dr. X doesn’t have a complete citation... chapter number, yes, page numbers, no; ILL/OCLC hates that, AVSL thrives on it.”

“There are “information scavenger hunts” where someone has a patron with �gure & legend but doesn’t know where it came from. Post it to the list — one person comes up with a suggestion or two, someone else takes those suggestions, thinks of something else, posts that to the list and with several people working on it, we come up with the answer. The synergy is amazing -- it might have taken one person hours to �nd it (if ever), the group narrows it down in the space of an hour at most.”

Standards for Vision Science Libraries – describes the minimum levels of sta�ng, services, budget, and technology that should be provided by a library specializ-ing in vision science. The Standards also include the scope and coverage of what materials vision science libraries should contain. These Standards may be used by institutions establishing libraries or by accrediting bodies reviewing existing libraries. AVSL librarians have maintained the Standards since 1976.

Guidelines for Vision Science Libraries – This 16th edition contains quantitative information about the collections and services of academic vision libraries. The Guidelines include monograph and serial prices and vision library statistics.

Union List of Vision-Related Serials – Lists more than 1,100 journals and the volumes/issues to which libraries own/subscribe. Thirty-four member libraries from around the world contribute to this Union List.

The Association of Vision Science Librarians: A Worldwide Information NetworkSuzanne Ferimer, University of Houston College of Optometry, Houston, Texas and Nancy Henderson, College of Optometry at Paci�c University, Oregon

Peg Lewis, SUNY Optometry

Ray Price, Carl Zeiss Vision

Judith Quilter, Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital

Rosa Rosario, InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico

Beverly Taugher, American Academy of Ophthalmology

Dolores Taylor, Pennsylvania College of Optometry

*Eleanor Warner, New England College of Optometry

Maureen Watson, Michigan College of Optometry

*Peter Weil, Illinois College of Optometry

*Grace Weiner, Los Angeles College of Optometry

* indicates that the person is deceased

NORTH AMERICA

CANADA

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Vancouver ONTARIO: Waterloo

UNITED STATES

ALABAMA: BirminghamARIZONA: GlendaleARKANSAS: Little RockCALIFORNIA: Berkeley, Fullerton, Irvine, Los

Angeles, Menlo Park, Pomona, San Francisco, Santa Ana

FLORIDA: Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, PensacolaIDAHO: PocatelloILLINOIS: Alsip, Chicago, GenevaINDIANA: Bloomington; IndianapolisIOWA: Iowa CityMARYLAND: Baltimore, BethesdaMASSACHUSETTS: Boston, WatertownMICHIGAN: Ann Arbor, Detroit, Big RapidsMISSOURI: St. LouisNEW YORK : Flushing, New York, RochesterNORTH CAROLINA: DurhamOHIO: Columbus, University HeightsOKLAHOMA: Oklahoma City, TahlequahOREGON: Forest Grove, Portland, RedmondPENNSYLVANIA: Elkins Park, Philadelphia,

Willow Grove TENNESSEE: MemphisTEXAS: Houston, Fort WorthUTAH: Salt Lake CityVIRGINIA: Leesburg

MEXICO

Monterrey, NL

CARIBBEAN

PUERTO RICO: Bayamon

SOUTH AMERICA

ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires

ASIA

INDIA

Annanagar, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore, Jodhpur, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, New Delhi, Thavalakuppam, Pudhucherry

CHINA

Hong KongTianjin, P.R.

NEPAL

Gaushala, Bagmati Bridge, Katmandu, Ghari Patan, Pokhara, Ghopa, Sunsari, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepalganj, Banke, Palpa, Lumbini Zone, Rupandhi, Siddharthanagar, Tripureshwor, Kathmandu

MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL

Jerusalem

SAUDIA ARABIA

Hafr, Miznab, Al-Qassim

AUSTRALIA

NEW SOUTH WALES

Bowral, North Rocks, Sydney

VICTORIA

Carlton , East Melbourne

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Lonsdale

QUEENSLAND

Kelvin Grove

NEW ZEALAND

AUCKLAND: Newmarket

OCEANA

NEW GUINEA: Papua

SOUTH PACIFIC

FIJI: Suva

AFRICA

NIGERIA: Lagos, Oboku Eleyele, Ibadan

EGYPT: Mansoura

TANZANIA: Moshi

SOUTH AFRICA

Durban, Kwazulu, Natal

EUROPE

MALTA: Madliena

SPAIN: Madrid

ITALY: Monopoli, Vinci (Firenze)

UNITED KINGDOM

ENGLAND: Birmingham, London , Nottingham, Oxford

WALES: Cardi�