- Stoking the fire: impact and expansion of the hot topics service. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Oct-Dec; 45(4):287-300.MR
- The current awareness service, Hot Topics, continues to promote and enhance library resources and services, support evidence-based practice, and librarian participation in research projects and studies. Participant feedback from across three hospitals reflects that the service, in part, positively impacts education, personal/professional development, and evidence-based practice projects. The stra…
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- Embedded librarianship supporting medical and health science educators' skills development: case report. [Case Reports]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Oct-Dec; 45(4):274-286.MR
- The authors present a case describing the role and activities of an embedded medical librarian in a professional development program designed to strengthen medical and health science educators' clinical teaching skills. The embedded librarian supported the program curriculum by identifying and sharing resources on educational practices and contributing to curricular content and methods. The progr…
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- FaceBase. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Sep 29; :1-9. [Online ahead of print]MR
- FaceBase serves as a premier database for human and animal research datasets within the craniofacial domains. Grounded in the principles of open data sharing, the platform not only houses critical research but also guides users on contributing their own data, creating data management plans (DMPs), and citing hosted datasets. This column explores the website's layout, search functionalities, and k…
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- Hospital information services: time is precious: organizing your time using time management techniques. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Oct-Dec; 45(4):311-319.MR
- Time is precious. The ideal goal is to be flexible and have the most efficient and effective methods in organizing all one needs to accomplish. As librarians in a service industry, we do not always own all our time. A phone call, an incoming search request, complicated reference question, or a curbside consult are just some examples that can occupy the time that was supposedly devoted to somethin…
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- Maker learning & academic health sciences libraries: a scoping review. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026; 45(4):251-273.MR
- This scoping review aims to explore and map the existing literature that encompasses academic health sciences libraries (AHSLs) and maker learning spaces. This research will identify and provide an in-depth analysis on how AHSLs engage with maker programming, technologies, tools, and services. The literature examined will include both scholarly and gray literature from 2005 to the present day and…
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- RHIhub: Rural Health Information Hub. [Journal Article]
- The Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) is a database for trusted information related to rural health. RHIhub offers a wide range of resources for researchers, individuals, community organizations, and other stakeholders committed to improving health outcomes in rural communities. This column highlights how readers can effectively search and use RHIhub's resources and tools to address the uniqu…
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- "No more boxes": students' experiences of information literacy. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Jul-Sep; 45(3):228-236.MR
- The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy provides a lens to examine learners' behavior, attitudes, and beliefs. In this follow up to a recent research study, we examine how students transitioning to clinical education understood how they learned to use information as new clinicians. Literature often describes learners with a deficit narrative, where students are expected to follow a prescribed…
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- Providing research education for capacity building of health professionals: delivery of a research support week. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Jul-Sep; 45(3):183-192.MR
- Research in the healthcare environment is required to facilitate improvements in clinical practice and patient care. Health and hospital libraries are in a unique position to support capacity building of health professionals wanting to undertake research. This paper presents a case report from a north Australian health service where Library Services initiated and delivered a Research Support Week…
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- Online patient education: results of a content analysis of disempowering language in patient education materials about type 1 diabetes. [Journal Article]
- Global health organizations urge the use of empowering language in patient education for type 1 diabetes (T1D). Twenty-nine online patient education materials (PEMs) were assessed in the first phase of a content analysis examining how disempowering terminology is used in both frequency and context. All of the PEMs used disempowering terms, were primarily from the U.S. (70%), and authored by healt…
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- Bridging the gap between student research needs and library services for a health sciences writing course. [Editorial]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Apr-Jun; 45(2):152-157.MR
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- National Agricultural Library (NAL) SEARCH. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Jul-Sep; 45(3):237-250.MR
- SEARCH is the USDA National Agricultural Library (NAL)'s main discovery platform that provides integrated access to the NAL Digital Collections, Special Collections, PubAg and AGRICOLA. NAL SEARCH is a valuable tool for health science librarians, students, and professionals seeking veterinary science, nutrition, or animal experiment alternatives. This article aims to give users a comprehensive ov…
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- Problem-based learning (PBL) library resources and support: survey insights from first-year dental students. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Jul-Sep; 45(3):211-227.MR
- Problem-based learning (PBL) is part of an integrated dental school curriculum using patient cases to learn about biomedical sciences. In PBL, students must find and evaluate information sources to support their patient cases. The library supports PBL students through course-related LibGuides, recommended textbooks, and librarian assistance. A feedback survey was conducted with first-year dental …
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- Curriculum collection alignment in pharmacy education: insights from Namibia for global practice. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Apr-Jun; 45(2):125-143.MR
- This study evaluated the alignment of the University of Namibia Library collection with the updated Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum to assess its adequacy and responsiveness to competency-based education. Through curriculum mapping and a policy-based 1:20 adequacy ratio, the review identified a strong alignment across anatomy, pharmacology, microbiology, and pharmaceutical practice. While two cor…
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- AI in practice: trends in hospital and clinic libraries. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Apr-Jun; 45(2):158-170.MR
- The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced new possibilities for hospital and clinic libraries. A research project surveyed hospital and clinic librarians regarding AI use in their libraries. AI tools are being used for cataloging, retrieving information, conducting systematic reviews, and answering research questions. Limitations such as hallucinations affect the value of AI for lib…
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- Onboarding experiences of early career health sciences librarians. [Journal Article]Med Ref Serv Q. 2026 Apr-Jun; 45(2):107-124.MR
- As health sciences libraries look to the future, one area of focus should be onboarding new hires. This project investigates the onboarding experiences of newly hired health sciences librarians. This study used a mixed method design to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the attitudes and perceptions of new health sciences librarians toward their most recent onboarding experiences. A survey …
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