Georgia Health Sciences Library Association

Miriam H. Libbey Lecture

Sandra G. FranklinDirector, Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library

Emory UniversityMarch 9, 2007

Impacting Change in Your Environment:

Do you make a difference?

Miriam Hawkins Libbey

Director A.W. Calhoun Medical

Library Emory University 1966-1984

Director Southeastern Regional

Medical Library Program National Library of Medicine

Emory University 1969 - 1982

Actual syllabusused for course

Table of contents

Previous Libbey Lecturers

First Libbey Address 1991 Tom Basler

Burns 2000

Rankin 2001

Markwell 2002

LaBeause 2003

Barry 2004

Fielder 2005

Prottsman 2006

Descriptions of Miriam Libbey

Personal life Southern lady Gracious Sociable Loved to entertain Gourmet cook Gardner

Descriptions of Miriam Libbey

Professional life Successful librarian and author Steel-like determination (Langer)

Gentle but tenacious fighter (Langer)

Demanding; high expectations Loved the profession of medical

librarianship; great instructor Believed in being a professional

WWMS

What Would

Miriam Libbey

Say

About being a professional…

American Hospital Association

Hospitals in the United States

1990 6,853

2004/2005 5,795

Statistics from MLA Headquarters

200030004000500060007000

Hospitals in US

Hospital Libraries

American Hospital Association 1990

3,030 Directory of Hospital

Personnel 2004/2005

2,513 NN/LM

2004/2005 1,950

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Hospital Libraries

MLA Task Force on the State of Hospital Librarians

Survey Sept. 2005 – October 2006

Identify data and trends on the status of hospital libraries and librarians

Help in recommending immediate and short-term actions to raise awareness of issues

Administered to four groups 611 usable responses = 31.3% of est.

hospital libraries per NN/LM # of libraries

Academic Health Sciences Libraries

Across the board budget cuts Downsizing Reorganization or reengineering* Buyouts or severance packages Retirements – est. 50% of current

medical librarians in the next 10 years

*Article: Future Shock by Tracey Caldwell in Information World Review, 01 Jun 2006

An example of planning

SWOT AnalysisSchott says every library should SWOT…

Strengths What does your library do well? Your library compared to

others? Clear strategic direction?

Weaknesses What are your liabilities? What could improve your library?

What should be avoided?

Opportunities What favorable circumstances are you facing? Interesting

trends? New markets? Advanced technology?

Threats Obstacles? Competition? Changing Paradigm?

Making a difference at Emory UniversityRick Luce, Vice Provost & Director of Libraries, 2006-

New edition

How can you make a difference in your environment?

Study to show thyself approved – then continue to learn

Get a mentor; assess your competencies*

Use available resources to make your case with administrators

Include user input to focus on services *Special Libraries Association, Competencies for Information Professionals of the 21st Century

How can you make a difference in your environment?

Engage in program planning/ strategic planning

Conduct a SWOT analysisMake your contacts meaningfulAdd value using ideas from MLA

webcast of March 7, 2007

Thank you for your attention!

Questions??

Comments??