Topics and features of academic medical library tutorials

Area of Science:

• Medical Librarianship
• Information Science
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Academic medical libraries increasingly offer online tutorials for user education.
• A previous study in 2007 analyzed the content and design of these tutorials.
• Understanding current trends is crucial for effective library instruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update the 2007 study by examining current online tutorials on academic medical library websites.
• To identify changes and trends in tutorial topics, design features, and active learning elements.
• To provide an updated resource list of third-party tutorials linked by medical libraries.

Main Methods:

• Librarians systematically reviewed freely available online tutorials from academic medical library websites.
• Tutorial topics, common design elements, and active learning components were identified and assessed.
• A comprehensive list of third-party tutorials was compiled.

Main Results:

• Significant evolution in tutorial content and design features has been observed since 2007.
• Trends indicate a greater emphasis on interactive and active learning components.
• The landscape of linked third-party resources has also changed.

Conclusions:

• Online tutorial offerings in academic medical libraries continue to evolve.
• Ongoing annual assessments are necessary to track emerging trends in tutorial development.
• These findings inform best practices for creating and curating educational resources for medical information literacy.