This has reignited discussion among the HLA Executive about exploring a similar course for health librarianship. I say reignited because the HLA strategic plan for 01/02 notes:
...it is intended that HLA will seek to influence curriculum development at the tertiary level in order to provide a recognised specialist qualification (at least one unit) at the tertiary level.
I show my personal bias here but a specialist tertiary level course would:
- provide a benchmark in 'best practice' - currently young librarians learn on the job primarily from their seniors
- make the newly qualified more 'job ready' for the specialist environment
- give recognition to the specialist skills and knowledge required of a health/medical librarian
- increase exposure to health/medical librarianship as a career option to young, up and coming librarians, of which we so urgently need in our greying profession
among other benefits.
Over to you. What to you think? Leave a comment.
1 comment:
I think it would be great to have some sort of accredited standard - currently even things like Medline searching are taught by peers, and it would be good to know we're all teaching the same thing! However, I'm not sure about seeing it as a prerequisite to working in health - maybe some sort of apprenticeship model might be good? I've had great people join my library with no health background, but a standard set of tools and teaching (perhaps delivered on the model of the FOLIO suite, over 12-18 months) would ensure that everyone ends up with the same basic skillset. Just some very quick thoughts - more to follow as others comment.
Gillian
Gillian Wood
NSW
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