1. Challenges and Solutions in Library and Information Sciences
Robert D. Beckett, PharmD, BCPS – Moderator
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Director of the Drug Information Center
Manchester University

2. Conflict of Interest Disclosure
None of today’s speakers have relevant financial relationships with a commercial interest pertaining to the content of his/her presentation.

3. Objectives
Describe current challenges faced in library and information sciences.
Propose potential solutions to current challenges faced in library and information sciences.
Identify potential solutions that would be effective at your institution.

4. Outline Speaker(s) Topic Sandra Bai
DI Resources for Community Preceptors
John Redwanski
Academic DI APPEs
Kristin Laughtin-Dunker
Formulating a Pharmacy Collection without an Rx
Scott Perkins
Interprofessional Education in DI
Priya Shenoy and Sally Haack
Case-Based DI Question Assignment

5. Formulating a Pharmacy Collection Without a Prescription
Kristin Laughtin-Dunker
Coordinator of Scholarly Communications & Electronic Resources, Leatherby Libraries Chapman University

6. The Challenge
Librarians with no background in health sciences had to build a collection to support a new pharmacy school at a traditionally liberal arts institution.

7. Poll #1
If your institution has a pharmacy school or program, do you have any other health science programs?
Medical
Nursing
Dentistry
Physician assistant
Physical therapy
Other
We do not have a pharmacy school or program

8. Poll #2
If your institution has or is planning a pharmacy program, do you have a dedicated health sciences or medical librarian?
Yes No
No, but we are planning to hire one

9. The Challenge (cont’d.)
Existing library literature didn’t cover our scenario.
Focused on general medical collections, not pharmacy.
Assumes an existing medical collection that requires maintenance, not creation from scratch.
Written by health science librarians or pharmacists.
Healthcare jobs are growing by 19%, so many non-medical universities are planning pharmacy programs.1
1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Healthcare Occupations,” Occupational Outlook Handbook.

10. The Solution Rely on the expertise of others:
The Electronic Resources Librarian and the Science Librarian relied on lists of recommended titles developed by experts in the field:
AACP Core List of Journals for Libraries that Serve Schools and Colleges of Pharmacy
AACP Basic Resources for Pharmacy Education
Doody’s Core Titles
Analyzed these lists against existing holdings.
Investigated pricing for unsubscribed journals and ebook packages and compiled initial report for university and school administration.

11. The Solution (cont’d.)
For databases, the Electronic Resources Librarian worked with vendors for two years prior to the start of the program to set deals for pricing and begin to form a budget.
Created multiyear projections based on expected inflation and growth of the pharmacy school.

12. The Solution (cont’d.)
For one database, access to an extended “sandbox” trial for a small group of faculty was negotiated.
Signed a license in advance guaranteeing a full subscription once the school launched.
Vendor got a confirmed sale, and faculty could begin using the resource to plan curriculum in the year leading up to the opening of the school.
Ended up upgrading to a full subscription early so all of the faculty could use the database as they were hired.

13. The Solution (cont’d.)
For another database, a multi-year license with tiered increases was signed.
Pricing was calculated based off of expected growth, with the price for each year raising incrementally to account for higher FTE.
Paid for all four years upfront to avoid unpredictable inflation.

14. The Solution (cont’d.) Rinse and repeat:
New iterations of the recommended title lists were analyzed by the Electronic Resources Librarian with faculty input.
New reports written to track status of the library collection.
Electronic Resources Librarian and Science Librarian filled in as interim health sciences librarians until position was filled.

15. The Solution (cont’d.) Once a Health Sciences Librarian was hired:
Office was housed at the health science campus, rather than in the main library, to foster both casual and intentional interactions with the user base.
Assessed collection usage and unmet needs.
Attended faculty meetings, programs, and events.
Participated in drug information class to assess gaps in the collection in this area.

16. The Solution (cont’d.) Results:
Canceled one database that was difficult to use and licensed another more essential for meeting the program’s needs.
Trialed and successfully marketed an app students had been reluctant to use.
Collected and assessed faculty requests for materials to fine-tune the collection.

17. Future Directions
Though we are again searching for a Health Sciences Librarian, we will continue to foster collaboration between the library and the pharmacy school to develop and maintain the collection and assess and meet user needs.
The Electronic Resources Librarian will continue to negotiate with vendors and push for deals that recognize the growing nature of the program.

18. Read more about this process!
Laughtin-Dunker, K., & Galloway, L. (2016). Formulating a pharmacy collection without a prescription. Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries 13(4): doi: /
Read for FREE in Chapman University Digital Commons:

19. Challenges and Solutions in Library and Information Sciences
Robert D. Beckett, PharmD, BCPS – Moderator
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice
Director of the Drug Information Center
Manchester University