The use of jargon in medical school libraries

The public services divisions of forty-seven medical school libraries participated in a survey to document jargon used by library staff and users in referring to information sources in the health sciences. The survey yielded 624 unique instances of jargon, 54% of which were acronyms of initialisms. Examples of problems created by the use of jargon are given and the importance of the librarian as a facilitator of communication, even in the presence of automated information systems, is discussed. Implications of the study for novice librarians are suggested. The body of jargon appears to serve as an effective cross-professions communications device.