When I submitted the first issue of Medical Reference Services Quarterly to the Haworth Press in mid-1981, I never dreamed that 37 years later, I would still be editing the journal. My aim in founding MRSQ was to serve the needs of practicing medical reference librarians. In the long run, MRSQ has, hopefully, furthered the profession of health sciences librarianship.
In the years since volume 1, issue 1, 1982, the field of medical librarianship, and with it, reference services, has changed, literally to the point where much of what we do as librarians is totally different; it’s a new world. Amidst all of the change, though, medical librarians have adapted to new technologies and assumed new roles as they have continued to provide new and different services to the health care profession and to health care consumers.
To be sure, some things remain the same. Medical librarians still provide many of the same services – library instruction, database searching, collection development, provision of information (e.g., answering reference questions and interlibrary loan). But, the tools that they use are different. Gone are print indexes and many print materials in favor of all things online/electronic. Small reference collections have given way to point-of-care tools. Library instruction involves flipped classroom techniques and online tutorials. In-class instruction is now combined with online/distance education. Instead of in-person reference questions and check-out of materials, librarians are monitoring website accesses and downloads of full-text articles. As technologies and roles have changed, so, too, has the content of MRSQ, reflecting the changes in health sciences librarianship.
Along the way, MRSQ has adapted its scope, moving from simply reference services to encompass health sciences librarianship in general – public services, library education, online and electronic products, collection development, management of health sciences libraries, role of librarians, covering both academic health sciences librarianship and hospital librarianship, and much more. Health sciences librarians are creating institutional repositories, working on systematic reviews, and providing data management services. Instead of waiting for patrons to visit the library, librarians are now working as liaisons within departments and offering new services designed to fit their specific situations and institutions. Virtually all aspects of health sciences librarianship are now covered with the exception of technical services, and in some cases, that area has been included.
As I look back on these 37 years, one thing has stood out – medical librarians will go to any length to help the patrons they serve locate and utilize information when and wherever it is needed. At heart is the concept of service. It has been my goal as editor of MRSQ to facilitate the sharing of information among health sciences librarians, providing a medium through which librarians can write about the programs and services they provide to their patrons, thus furthering medical librarianship.
I am forever indebted to all of the Column Editors and members of the Editorial Board, who over the years have provided encouragement, ideas, feedback, and valuable critique to help me put together the quarterly issues of MRSQ – 148 in total. The Column Editors have been the heart and soul of MRSQ throughout the 37 years; please know that you all have contributed significantly to the literature and made me a better editor. The Editorial Board has provided valuable reviews and been a sounding board for me throughout. I thank both Column Editors and Editorial Board members for your friendships over the years. And, thanks to the authors, who worked to incorporate the critiques from reviewers into their manuscripts, with the intent of improving the final articles. Thanks, also, to the editors and staff at Taylor & Francis, who took over publication of MRSQ in 2008.
It was a difficult decision to step down as Editor – it’s been a labor of love; but for me, the time was right. With volume 38, issue 1, January-March 2019, Jonquil Feldman will take over as Editor of Medical Reference Services Quarterly. I know that Jonquil will do an excellent job and wish her the best. I encourage all health sciences librarians to welcome her – and continue to submit excellent manuscripts to her as you have done for the past 37 years.
Editor, MRSQ