The Health Sciences Library and the IACUC in Animal Research: Collaboration for More Effective Use of Electronic Resources

ABSTRACT

Collaboration between an institution's library and the IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) provides a relevant platform to promote the use of available electronic resources in a context that is meaningful for faculty, staff, and students involved in research using animals. Librarians can leverage governmental mandates that require appropriate justification for animal use in research to promote the effective use of library resources and services. This article will briefly review some legislative history that has led to the formation of today's current practices and requirements for an institutional committee that oversees the care of animals used in research; discuss the “language” of animal research protocols and various resources that a librarian can use to become more integrated into the research environment at an institution; and give examples of quality library Web sites that demonstrate how libraries can better inform research personnel. As costs increase for the electronic resources that are purchased or leased, the library needs to continue to find venues for collaboration, such as support of the requirements of an IACUC, that “make sense” to the scientist or administrator who manages institutional funds.

KEYWORDS:

• Animal care
• animal research
• AWIC
• IACUC
• literature searching
• reduction
• refinement
• replacement
• veterinary resources

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Virginia A. Lingle

Virginia A. Lingle, MSLS, AHIP ([email protected]) is Librarian for Collection Development and Access, George T. Harrell Library, Penn State University College of Medicine and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, P.O. Box 850, Hershey, PA 17033–0850. She is also the liaison to the Comparative Medicine Department and other basic science departments at her institution and was a member of an IACUC in 2006 and 2007.