Evidence shows that librarians positively influence clinical decisions, improve quality of care, and help prevent adverse events in patient care.
| Select Studies | What the Data Demonstrates |
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| Aitken EM, et al., found that the presence of clinical librarians on the health care team led to positive effects on patient care, including clinical decision-making. |
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Marshall JG, et al., showed that using information obtained from the library impacts patient care. It saves time, changes care, avoids adverse events, and supports the practice of evidence-based care.
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Research demonstrates that information literacy skills and evidence-based medicine training by librarians benefit the lifelong learning, research activities, and clinical decision making of learners and health practitioners.
| Select Studies | What the Data Demonstrates |
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Ayre S, et al., demonstrated the value of clinical information skills training by librarians on lifelong learning and patient care outcomes. |
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Gruppen LD, et al., This comparative study found that librarian-led instructional sessions on EBM literature searches have a “marked beneficial effect” on the quality of medical student searches. Students trained by librarians had fewer search errors and correspondingly higher quality searches than those who did not receive librarian training. |
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Librarian participation in the knowledge synthesis process ensures that published review search strategies are of high quality. Research indicates that library involvement in the process of securing grants is a key element in getting grant proposals funded.
| Select Studies | What the Data Demonstrates |
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| Golder S, et al., concluded that there were significant differences in the quality of literature searches carried out by information professionals compared to non-librarians. |
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| Luther J quantified the library’s contribution to the process of securing grants and demonstrated that libraries provide economic benefit to institutions through successful grant awards. |
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Evidence shows that medical librarians enable a significant cost-savings for their health institutions. Investments in library services have also shown to produce financial returns to their institutions and communities. Additionally, library services and resources contribute greatly to successful grant awards, and ultimately to improving an institution's bottom line.
| Select Studies | What the Data Demonstrates |
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| Banks DE, et al., concluded that a librarian’s presence at morning report correlated with lower hospital charges and length of stays. |
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| Perrier L, et al., concluded that librarian services influence clinical decision-making and reduce hospital length of stay of patients. |
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| Jemison K, et al., concluded that hospital libraries in the US Veterans Administration provided a good return on investment (ROI). |
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UHN Library and Information Services are available to UHN staff, clinicians, researchers, and learners. UHN Libraries has several library locations across UHN campuses. Our libraries offer:
UHN Libraries provide several educational opportunities and services:
Information Specialists (Medical Librarians) are assigned and dedicated to specific client groups. In that capacity, they provide free literature searches, in-depth reference and research, individual and group training sessions on the use of library information resources, and collection development in their assigned areas. Information Specialists regularly obtain feedback and input from their client groups as to new potential print and electronic tools and preferred formats.
Anyone with a valid UHN badge can borrow books from our library collections. To register as a library patron, please complete a client registration form―you can also register in person at one of our libraries.
Items may be renewed provided there are no holds on the item. To renew, please contact a library site.
Materials held at other UHN Library locations can be transferred at no cost. Books or articles not available at UHN may be requested through our Document Delivery Service for a minimum fee of $5.00 (additional fees may apply).
To request an item, complete the Book or Article Request form, or send an email with complete citation information to Caleb Nault.
Lost library books or journals are subject to the replacement cost of the item, plus a $10.00 library-processing fee per item.
Overdue notices will be sent via hospital internal e-mail. Refusal to return library materials, and/or to pay costs, may result in suspension of UHN Library privileges. Wightman-Berris Medical Students’ and PGYs’ overdue records will be forwarded to Medical Education offices.
