Personal librarian programs in medical and academic health sciences libraries: a preliminary study

Area of Science:

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

Background:

• Personal librarian programs are emerging in medical and academic health sciences libraries.
• Understanding current implementation is crucial for developing best practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the implementation of personal librarian programs in medical and academic health sciences libraries.
• To create a knowledge base for establishing best practices.

Main Methods:

• A 22-item survey was distributed to medical and academic health sciences librarians via email listservs in October 2018.
• Survey responses were analyzed using Qualtrics and Excel.

Main Results:

• A 1.3% response rate yielded 38 completed surveys, with 12 libraries (31.5%) reporting active personal librarian programs.
• Programs varied in librarian-to-student ratios (50-150+ students per librarian) and served diverse health professions students.
• Services and communication methods were documented.

Conclusions:

• Personal librarian programs are uniquely structured yet share implementation similarities across institutions.
• These programs serve as practical models for libraries initiating similar initiatives.