Developing competencies for medical librarians in Pakistan

Area of Science:

• Library and Information Science
• Medical Librarianship
• Health Sciences Education

Background:

• The evolving role of medical librarians necessitates a clear understanding of required competencies.
• Identifying and validating these skills is crucial for professional development and effective library services in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and validate essential competencies for medical librarians.
• To gather input from head librarians and employers on the importance of these competencies.

Main Methods:

• A survey method was employed using a structured questionnaire with 84 competency statements across eight areas.
• The questionnaire utilized a 5-point Likert scale and was distributed to head librarians and chairpersons of library committees in 115 medical libraries after literature review, expert scrutiny, and pilot testing.

Main Results:

• A high percentage of competency statements (83 by head librarians, 80 by CLC) were validated.
• Head librarians validated 44 statements with a mean score of four or higher, while CLC validated 27 statements with a similar high score.
• A significant number of statements received moderate validation scores, indicating a broad range of perceived importance.

Conclusions:

• Medical librarians require a strong foundation in general librarianship competencies.
• Adequate knowledge of the health sciences environment, including medical terminology, is essential.
• Specific competencies tailored to medical libraries represent an additional requirement for library personnel.