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Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA logoLink to Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA
. 2002 Jan;90(1):117–118.

Journal of Hospital Librarianship.

Reviewed by: M Sandra Wood 1
Journal of Hospital Librarianship. Edited by Carole M. Gilbert. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, v. 1, no. 1–, 2001–. $36.00 individuals; $48.00 institutions or libraries. ISSN 1532–3269.
PMCID: PMC64775

At a time when funds are short, especially in hospital libraries where institutions are downsizing and closing, and jobs are being cut, why would a publisher start a new journal? Gilbert's answer “is simply that there is a need for a journal focused on hospital librarianship—especially if we are to stop the trend.” In her introductory editorial, Gilbert goes on to say, “The Journal of Hospital Librarianship (JHL) is the ONLY journal dedicated to hospital librarianship. It is intended for the practicing hospital librarian and others who organize and disseminate health information to both the clinical health care professional and to the consumer.” JHL provides hospital librarians with an opportunity to share ideas and solutions to the challenges they face in an economically challenged health care environment.

The Journal of Hospital Librarianship takes its place beside the Journal of the Medical Library Association and Medical Reference Services Quarterly as a major journal in the field of health sciences librarianship. Each occupies a special niche, serving unique but overlapping audiences.

The first issue of JHL makes good on the promise “to provide in-depth articles on administrative, technical, and program issues relevant to practicing hospital librarians.” Following the pattern of other Haworth Press journals, JHL consists of several feature articles (six in this first issue), along with several columns, including reviews. The feature articles are peer reviewed by Editorial Board members, with columns reviewed by the column editor. JHL's editorial guidance is superb. In addition to Gilbert, there is a group of talented section editors (Brian Cameron, Marlene Saul Englander, Shane Godbolt, Marge Kars, Michele Spatz, Sandra Swanson, Anne Tomlin, Karen Tubolino, and Kay Cimpl Wagner) and an outstanding Editorial Board (Holly Shipp Buchanan, Janet Cowen, Jacqueline Donaldson Doyle, Rosalind Dudden, Donna Flake, Ruth Holst, Susan Schweinsberg Long, Michelynn McKnight, Kathleen Moeller, Mary Fran Prottsman, Debra Rand, Connie Schardt, Bernie Todd Smith, and Kay Wellik).

Each feature article of the first issue makes a significant contribution to the literature. The initial article, “Information Needs of Clinicians in Ambulatory Settings: Results of a Survey,” by Gilbert et al., is a research article that examines what library services can be offered to support clinicians in ambulatory settings in rural or unaffiliated settings. Two papers address Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) accreditation. Rand and Gluck review librarians' roles in the JCAHO process since 1991, including how the Medical Library Association is involved in JCAHO, and discuss proactive roles for hospital librarians' involvement in the JCAHO process. Long shows how libraries can systematically prepare for the accreditation process. With the need for privacy and network security, hospitals must maintain firewalls; Swanson gives some very specific advice on how hospital librarians must work with their institutions' information access policies to “design an Internet-based resource collection around a firewall.” Holst discusses the advantages of both paid and unpaid hospital library internships and presents the results of a survey of sixteen libraries with experience with library interns. Snape et al. analyze the use of full-text electronic journals at Cedars-Sinai hospital; the appendix at the end compares journal-by-journal use of hardcopy and electronic versions.

While not peer-reviewed, the columns are well written. Columns in this issue are “Consumer Health Connections,” “Research,” “Specialty of the House,” “Technology,” “Patchwork,” and “Reviews.” Most of the columns are short, practice-oriented pieces that introduce everything from new technologies and software (e.g., “SnagIt 5”) to public relations and marketing plans, Website design, and software lending (e.g., “Shrinkwrap Collections”). The consumer health column contains an extensive and useful 146-title list of core consumer health books. Reviews in this issue are of two books but in the future will include electronic media.

If the first issue of the Journal of Hospital Librarianship is any indication of the content of future issues, this journal will be a required purchase not only for all hospital libraries, but also for academic health sciences libraries and other medical libraries that strive to keep current with new trends in health sciences librarianship.


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