Date

June 2007

Document Type

Poster

Medical Subject Headings

Libraries, Medical; Education, Medical; Cooperative Behavior; Association of American Medical Colleges. Northeast Group on Educational Affairs

Disciplines

Library and Information Science

Abstract

Purpose:

Health science librarians play key roles in medical education by providing curriculum-integrated information skills instruction; by assisting faculty with research; by purchasing and maintaining collections of information resources; by participating in the development of standards and guidelines for educational outcomes; and by creating and managing libraries conducive to education.

A group of medical librarians from northeastern medical schools proposed Libraries in Medical Education (LIME) Special Interest Group (SIG) to benefit all NEGEA (Northeast Group on Educational Affairs) members. The SIG will promote communication and collaboration between librarians and NEGEA members on research and curricular initiatives; enhance librarians knowledge and skills of current trends and issues of interest to the medical education community; recognize librarians as valued components of the medical education team; and increase the professional knowledge and skills of NEGEA members through programming delivered at annual meetings by librarians.

Methods:

In 2006, medical librarians drafted and submitted a proposal to become an official LIME SIG. Librarians have successfully implemented special interest groups within professional organizations. The Libraries in Medical Education SIG instituted within the Central Group on Education Affairs and the active Libraries/Educational Resources Section of American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) served as models.

Results:

In 2007, the LIME was officially accepted by NEGEA as a special interest group.

Conclusion:

An enthusiastic LIME-SIG group looks forward to an exciting future of collaboration.

Presented at the Northeast Group for Educational Affairs Annual Educational Retreat held in Stony Brook, NY, on June 8, 2007.