Team building with information system departments: a hospital librarian's experience in coexisting, collaborating,...

Hospital librarians and information systems (IS) staff regard themselves as information professionals and have coexisted in the same institutions for many years. While hospital librarians have increased their computer literacy, IS staff have begun to recognize the value of knowledge-based information as an IS resource. Parallel growth and mutual interest have resulted in increased opportunities for information professionals to share skills and network for mutual advantage. Creating positive relationships between the hospital librarian and IS staff can be critical to the success of the hospital library. This paper provides a framework in which to explore the levels of relationship that exist within institutions between hospital librarians and IS staff. The "knowing/caring ladder" is presented as a model to illustrate levels of relationship and their consequences. The authors contend that recognition of the levels of professional relationship determines the success or failure of team building.