Book Reviews

Introduction to Health Sciences Librarianship: A Management Hand–book. By Frank R.Kellerman. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997. 217 p. ISBN 0–313–29761–4. (“The Greenwood Library Management Collection”, ISSN 0894–2986.)

This is one of the best expositions of health sciences librarianship to appear in many years. It is well written, complete but not comprehensive, and a pleasure to read and study. To quote the author,

Health sciences librarianship today demands a balance among computer files, human ingenuity, and print sources. Thanks to computerization and telecommunications, librarians can do much more now than just a few years ago. With access to information at the heart of the library’s purpose, those tools have opened up new worlds to us.

Mr. Kellerman also notes that “information continues to be dominated by paper — the paper journal”, and that “Moving to electronic formats... many features and problems will carry over from paper.” He realizes, and warns repeatedly, that neither paper nor electronic media are all things for all people. (This is one of the most important ideas presented.) He is fully aware that each form has its advantages and disadvantages, and points these out whenever it is appropriate.

The seven chapters of the book are preceded by a Preface and an extensive list of useful abbreviations and acronyms. The chapters are followed by a bibliography, with articles whose dates of publication range from 1934 to 1995. This is followed by a well–constructed index.

Chapter 1 on the Biomedical Journal provides a little history of journal publication, the reasons for writing and the content of journal articles, peer review of articles, citation of articles, quality of journals, selection and handling of journals, access to journals, cost of journals, and the impact of publication on a person’s career. It also reports on the ways in which health sciences libraries handle journals differently from academic and general libraries.

Chapter 2 briefly presents the principles of indexing and abstracting, and describes the major titles of these services in the health sciences area. There is a caution given here that sometimes searches must extend beyond the very obvious titles, and this point needs to be made. It is easy to forget that some biomedical information appears outside the usual biomedical literature.

Chapter 3 gives excellent coverage to searching by computer, with its advantages and pitfalls, and emphasizes the need for skill and imagination on the part of the searcher, whether that person be a librarian or the end–user. Technical Services are covered in Chapter 4, with particular emphasis on selection of material and the sources which can and should be consulted for help in selection.

As a reference librarian I was especially pleased with Chapter 5 on Reference Services. Here the author notes that it is not the method (paper or computer) of locating information that is important, but rather the knowledge of the sources available and of the reliability of the information found in each source. These points are so often forgotten that we need to be reminded of them every so often. Brief general descriptions are given of the different kinds of sources and what can be expected from each. Chapter 6 describes the Computerization of Biomedical Information and presents the need to know, to evaluate, and to organize “what is out there”. Because biomedicine was one of the first successful fields to use computer searching of the literature, this information is frequently taken for granted, but it should not be.

Finally, Chapter 7 talks of the Habitat of the Health Sciences Librarian. This encompasses the actual physical surroundings of the library or information center, the personnel and their educational needs, the users, the supporting institution(s), and the use of the information provided.

Mr. Kellerman has done an excellent job of presenting the concrete information and the abstractions of the field. I would, however, have liked to have a little more extensive and forceful coverage of the “do nots”. These are few and far between, but I believe that we need to be reminded that we, the librarians, are not health personnel and should not be giving advice — although I often hear this being done. We also neglect, on occasion, to caution our patron on the reliability of a particular source. Maybe it is old, or of obscure origin, or incomplete, or.... By forgetting to transmit such warnings, we are not helping, we are hindering. Let us beware! With this one caveat I strongly recommend this title to teachers in the area of health sciences librarianship, and also to practicing librarians for the reminders of some of the thoughts and information we sometimes forget as we focus on our own special area of expertise. The book is pleasant to read, the format is comfortable, and the information up–to–date and reliable. It is an excellent addition to the literature of the field.

About the author

Aletha A. Kowitz is Director (retired), Bureau of Library Services, American Dental Association, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.