Health Sciences Library Closings; A Context Sensitive Pilot Study

A significant number of U.S. health sciences libraries have closed since the mid-1990's. A pilot study was conducted with academic physicians to understand the impact of closing the health sciences library in the teaching hospital with which they were affiliated. A brief survey was designed and distributed to fourteen faculty members with thirteen useable responses received. The study elicited a context-sensitive perspective on the closing of the library with the most noteworthy outcome being the additional time required by attending physicians and trainees to perform the work that previously was performed by library staff. The loss of the expert literature search, instructional services, journal request, and interlibrary loan services had the most significant impact on study participants. Further research is needed to understand the long term consequences of closing hospital-based health sciences library on the education of physicians.