Understanding the foundation: The state of generalist search education in library schools as related to the needs of expert searchers in medical libraries

Abstract

Purpose: Explore the current state of generalist search education in library schools and consider that foundation in respect to the Medical Library Associationâ s statement on expert searching. Setting / Subjects: Syllabi from courses with significant searching components. Ten of the top library schools, as determined by the U.S. News and World Report rankings. Methodology: Mixed methods, but primarily quantitative bibliometric methods. Results: The educational focus in these searching components was on understanding the generalist searching resources and typical users, and performing a reflective search through application of search strategies, controlled vocabulary, and logic appropriate to the search tool. There is also a growing emphasis on Web-based search tools and a movement away from traditional set-based searching and toward free-text search strategies. While there is a core set of authors used in these courses, there is no core set of readings. Discussion/conclusion: While library schools provide a strong foundation, there is still need for future medical librarians to take courses that introduce them to the resources, settings, and users associated with medical libraries. In addition, as more emphasis is placed on Web-based search tools and free-text searching, instructors of the specialist medical informatics courses will need to focus on teaching traditional search methods appropriate for common tools in the medical domain.