Knowing our Worth: Dismantling hierarchies in medical libraries

Abstract

Nearly all libraries are asked to prove their value to stakeholders: Surveys are regularly sent out and assessment undertaken, all with the goal of gathering purportedly objective data demonstrating the library’s value. Even when these efforts result in positive feedback, circumstances within the library rarely seem to improve: Austerity persists and librarian voices continue to be dismissed or ignored. Nowhere is this more true than in medical libraries. Medical librarians are often made to feel that the library is a drain on resources rather than an asset providing value. This lightning talks will help medical librarians a) better understand and appreciate their contribution to the field of healthcare, and b) recognize that the problems they continue to experience are not caused by a customer service failure on their part, but are due to the stratified nature of medical education as well as the unjust American healthcare industry.