Partnership Between HSLANJ GLI and NN/LM NER Set for Spring 2017

Partnership Between HSLANJ GLI and NN/LM NER Set for Spring 2017

We are excited to announce that our NEW brochure is available (click here) celebrating our Group Licensing Initiative’s 15^th year! The brochure explains how our consortium has carved an innovative path, to make high-quality electronic resources available for hospitals and medical facilities of all sizes and types throughout the MAR, SE/A, and—beginning in the Spring of 2017—the NER as well.

To say that we have the capability to partner with librarians from Maine to Florida, and everywhere in between, along the entire East Coast is something we never dreamed possible when we first launched in the state of New Jersey in 2002. We are thankful for the encouragement and interest from dozens and then hundreds of medical librarians and administrators through the years.

Looking ahead to the Spring of 2017, we will welcome participation from medical librarians in the NER, and Associate Director Mary Piorun shared a few thoughts with us recently regarding this exciting move.

The HSLANJ GLI has been on our radar screen—we’ve been talking to them for a few years (about participating in the Group Licensing Initiative).

I think that as the libraries are becoming dependent on electronic resources, that there’s a lot of opportunity for the (solo) hospital librarians who don’t have as much support (to participate with the HSLANJ GLI). There are opportunities for them to streamline purchasing, using cost-saving initiatives, really building a hospital consortium for the hospital librarians, trying to make their dollar go further.

Hospital librarians in many instances are solo librarians. I think working as a solo librarian they have to wear a lot of hats. The process of negotiation and investigating resources takes a lot of time. If some of that can be done on their part (by the HSLANJ GLI), their time can be spent supporting patient care and physicians.

I think the challenges faced by hospital librarians are reduced budgets, showing their value, demonstrating their impact… and the environment they’re in is very fast-paced, so it can be difficult for the patrons they’re serving, because they want quick answers. It’s difficult for librarians to showcase their skills and provide that extra level of service.

The process, the transition to electronic resources, is underway. Now librarians are trying to see what the impact is, and make adjustments. (Participating with the HSLANJ GLI) can free up time for them to focus on other services, outreach services, if they don’t have to worry about negotiating with vendors and reading contracts line by line.

I think the greatest value of using electronic resources is for the end user: fast 24-7 access, and the ability to search full text. It’s a great teacher and service for the end user.

At this point, the advice I have to librarians is that they listen to Robb’s presentations, read his promotional material, learn more about it, to voice their needs as clearly as they can, and be an active member in the process as it gets started. I want the program to be useful, so that it can be something that meets their needs and frees them up.

Robb Mackes is very knowledgeable about what all of this entails and that will be good for the region. He’s very much aware of what the process is–how to go about this expansion methodically… We have his attention and he’ll do whatever he can for us.

We look forward to welcoming participation from all medical librarians in the MAR, SE/A, and NER (beginning in the spring of 2017), growing the HSLANJ Group Licensing Initiative’s group purchasing power and expanding hospital collections!