One Institution's Experience in Transforming the Health Sciences Library of the Future

Abstract

Recognizing a need to be more relevant to its constituents, and aligned with institutional priorities, the Taubman Health Sciences Library redefined its mission, roles, and space. This transformation facilitated innovative, team-based collaborations within the health sciences community and the addition of new roles and responsibilities in academic and clinical engagement, research and informatics, enabling technologies, community outreach, and global health. Library space is being redesigned, and a branch library dedicated to interdisciplinary partnerships has been established. Information gained from this experience will be useful to other libraries faced with budget, resource, and staffing challenges and will offer practical ideas for becoming more integrated into the academic, research, and clinical work of the health sciences enterprise.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic health sciences libraries
• collaboration
• health sciences librarians
• informationists
• liaison libraries
• library administration
• organizational innovation
• role of the librarian

Notes

Note. For the extended questions for 2012–13, 54% represent e-mail transactions, and 28% are in-person consultations.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nancy J. Allee

Nancy J. Allee, MLS, MPH ([email protected]) is Deputy Director

Jane Blumenthal

Jane Blumenthal, MLS ([email protected]) is Director

Karen Jordan

Karen Jordan, AMLS ([email protected]) is Special Projects Librarian

Nadia Lalla

Nadia Lalla, MLIS ([email protected]) is Assistant Director, Collections and Information Services

Deborah Lauseng

Deborah Lauseng, AMLS ([email protected]) is Assistant Director, Academic and Clinical Engagement

Gurpreet Rana

Gurpreet Rana, MLIS ([email protected]) is Global Health Coordinator

Kate Saylor

Kate Saylor, MSI ([email protected]) is Outreach Coordinator

Jean Song

Jean Song, MSI ([email protected]) is Assistant Director, Research and Informatics; all at Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan Library, 1135 E. Catherine Street 5726, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2038.