Journal of EAHIL

Field, Peter

52 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (3): 52-53 
NEWS FROM EAHIL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
The meeting was held on Wednesday 11th July 2018, 17:30 – 18:30, in the Gibson Studio, at the Royal
Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff. A brief report is given below.
Attendees
Six people attended the meeting.  Five librarians work in information services in pharmaceutical companies
and 1 in a higher education institution.
EAHIL Continuing Education Courses
The Chair invited everyone to share their experiences of any Continuing Education Courses they may have
attended.  Delegates attended the sessions on the following topics: open source tools used for text data
mining (TDM); resource licencing; student-activated information literacy; critical appraisal in health care
research; gamification; synchronous online teaching.  All delegates gave positive feedback on the sessions,
some remarking on the immediate applicability of the content in their local settings.
Resource Discovery
The secretary asked what benefit this special interest group would have to members.  One delegate
highlighted the group’s potential as a good forum for networking and sharing ideas.  There was near-
consensus that pharmaceutical industry librarians sometimes work in isolation and initiate their own
solutions or make individual purchase agreements.   One hot topic discussed in detail was resource discovery
and delivery, which is moving from the model of licenced material on a commercial discovery platform to
an on-demand document delivery service.  One delegate recommended ‘RightFind’, a copyright clearance
company based in the United States that supplies articles on a token scheme.  One company uses
subscriptions, pre-paid tokens, document delivery or links to Open Access articles. Another company has
subscriptions and pre-paid tokens.  
Analysis of resource usage
Every information service represented conducts granular analysis of usage of subscribed material to
anticipate trends, justify spending and improve budget allocation. One delegate can see how many times
an article has been downloaded.
One attendee noted that PubMed users select the institutional link resolver link over Open Access ones.
This is useful because it generates statistical data.  Analysis also reveals to the same librarian that there has
been a significant number of turn-aways from pay-walled articles, which does not correlate to the number
Report of the Pharmaceutical Information Special 
Interest Group 
Peter Field
UCL School of Pharmacy Library
London, United Kingdon
peter.field@ucl.ac.uk
53Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (3): 52-53 
NEWS FROM EAHIL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
of document delivery requests received.    It was that suggested new models of statistical data may reveal
topical trends but for now it is mostly used for spending justification.
It was suggested that one topical focus of the group should be Text Data Mining (TDM) and Big Data.
This could well be the future of literature research and it was argued that we should know how it works.  All
present supported the notion that TDM should be a topic for the group.
Importantly however, all attendees were mindful of protecting copyright and IP when sharing news and
views.  
Inter-sector harmony
Making reference to the minutes of the meeting in Dublin, one delegate reported that, as an information
professional in industry, they had experienced offensive and prejudicial hostility from clinical librarians at
conferences, although not necessarily at EAHIL.  Another delegate reported the same.  All present found
the hostility perplexing and upsetting, whether they had experienced it themselves or not.  Another delegate
argued that there is no need to apologise for working in industry, which in their experience is collegiate and
purposeful.  Another delegate described the daily prejudice experienced as a librarian (regardless of the
sector) from other professionals and members of the public. 
Summary
The group adopted two themes for future action:
- improve the group’s visibility and reach so that it becomes a positive network, particularly for people
working in industry;
- explore TDM and its usage as a topical interest for the group with the potential for developing expertise
and advocacy.
The next meeting will be in Basel in 2019.


English

Report of the Pharmaceutical Information Special Interest Group

Napolitani, Federica

2 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (4): 2-3 
Editorial
We are approaching the conclusion of 2018 and what better time to express our good wishes and reflections?
I am conscious it is something we do year after year, and as with many other actions, the more it is repeated
the easier it can be for it to lose its original meaning. Greetings and reflections can become void of their initial
luster, but let us not make this the case. I remember that during my school years I used to live in trepidation
those last days of December, waiting for that fateful first of January as if it were the first page of a book yet to
be written. I’ll try and do the same this time.
This end-of-year issue pushes us in this direction with its brief monographic section “Re-imaging libraries:
partnerships with businesses large and small” edited by Michelle Wake, member of EAHIL Editorial Board.
I invite you, therefore, to read the interesting professional experiences of Anu Ojaranta (Åbo Akademi
University, Turku, Finland) entitled “Never say never: how I became an entrepreneur in the library and
information field”, and Deena Maggs (The King's Fund, London, UK) entitled “Working in partnership and
building relationships as a specialist information service”. A big thank you to Michelle and the authors for
collaborating on this December issue.
I am sure that these contributions will be of inspiration to librarians and information specialists who have had
similar experiences in other libraries and who now have the opportunity to share such experiences, presenting
their contributions by February 5th next year. The first issue of 2019 will in fact be a no-theme issue, and will
be dedicated to original articles on different topics. Do feel free to write to me at any time if you were to need
more information or advice. I will be happy to clarify or help. Don’t miss this opportunity!
Going forward in this journal issue, you will find the pages dedicated to the next EAHIL Workshop (17-20
June, Basel, Switzerland) with updates on the Programme, venues and dates and the Letter from the President
Maurella Della Seta who keeps us constantly updated on the many activities of the association and on the
profession worldwide. Although in this issue there are no updates from our Special Interest Groups leaders, I
am happy to say that the "Council Members' Corner" after a first article signed by Lotta Haglund published
in the September issue, is enriched with a contribution by Luc Hourlay (Belgian Health Care Knowledge
Center), Bruxelles, Belgium who tells us about the situation in his country “Health Libraries: a rapid Belgium
situation's overview". I wish to thank Luc for accepting, during the Cardiff Council Meeting, the invitation to
cooperate. We hope that, in the next issues, other Council members will send their own annotations and
thoughts. Do not be shy. This is a space entirely dedicated to you!
As you have certainly understood by now, I am convinced that the editors of the different columns that appear
on these pages carry out a task of great importance because they allow us all to keep ourselves constantly
informed. In this issue Dianne Babski describes the implementations to the strategic plan of the National
Library of Medicine “Do you want an easy way to find journal articles with associated data sets? New search
filters in PubMed Central (PMC) and PubMed provide options for finding citations or journal articles with
data information”.  She also illustrates the extraordinary NLM Digital Collection.
Federica Napolitani
Editor in Chief
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
Contact: federica.napolitani@iss.it
3Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (4): 2-3 
EDITORIAL
We also received from IFLA, thanks to Octavia-Luciana Madge (Associate Professor at the University of
Bucharest, Romania), the news about the 84th IFLA General Conference and Assembly held at Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia in August 2018.
Unfortunately, Benoit Thirion (Chief Librarian at the University Hospital, Rouen, France) has informed me
that he can no longer continue his “Take a look” column which has been an inspiration for all of us over the
years. I wish to thank him wholeheartedly on behalf of all the members of the Editorial Board and, I am sure,
of all readers of the journal for his invaluable contribution. Thanks Benoit! Let's now rely on Letizia Sampaolo
(Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy), who is already in charge of the excellent column entitled
"Publications and new products", to carry on this wonderful legacy of information.
In 2019 the members of the Editorial Board will discuss new developments for JEAHIL, in particular the
possibility of indexing the journal in bibliographic databases. I wish to name and thank each of them for their
help throughout the year: Petra Wallgren Björk (Sweden), Gerhard Bissels (Switzerland), Fiona Brown
(Scotland, UK), Katri Larmo (Finland), Letizia Sampaolo (Italy) and Michelle Wake (UK).
Hoping that the readers find amongst these pages the inspiration to embark in new ideas and research, or
simply the push to continue on their line of work with newfound interest, I wish everyone a peaceful and joyful
celebration.
Happy New Year
Federica


Editorial

Hourlay, Luc

NEWS FROM EAHIL – COUNCIL MEMBERS’ CORNER
18 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (4): 18-19 
During the recent Council Meeting in Cardiff, Wales, Federica Napolitani, Editor in chief of this publication,
proposed to open the EAHIL Journal pages to Council members to allow them to give an overview of the
context of health libraries in their own countries and to share their experiences and perceptions of their
professional situations.
At the time, my first thought was, “What a great idea. This is an opportunity to discover and better understand
the daily life of my colleagues across Europe”. My second thought was to ask myself if I could do it for a
country like Belgium from the point of view of Information Manager working for a federal agency. After some
hesitation, I decided to let my “Latin” side speak and to take up this challenge modestly.
To be able to do that, I first have to set the scene.
The Belgian context is itself a little particular, we have a population of 11,358,000 inhabitants who are divided
into Dutch speakers (about 57%), French speakers (about 47%) and German speakers (about 0.6%). It is a
federal state made up of three Communities (Flemish, French and German-speaking) from three Regions
(Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels-Capital). Each entity has specific competences, and overall the federal state
retains what concerns the general interest of all Belgians.
Currently, we are experiencing the sixth reform of the state (2014) which aims to transfer specific skills to
Communities and Regions such as the organization of front-line health care.
I have been working for the Federal Health Care Expertise Centre (KCE)1 for 10 years. It is a “research centre
that provides scientific advice on topics related to health care”2. It is funded by the federal authorities (National
Health and Disability Insurance Institute, Federal Public Service Heath, Food Chain Safety and Environment
and Federal Public Service Social Security). The KCE conducts studies in health services research, health
technology assessment and clinical practice. We are similar to organizations such as the National Institute for
Health and Care Excellence3 or the Zorginstituut Nederland4 . KCE works on reports, systematic reviews and
rapids reviews. For this we use clearly described and regularly updated methods5.
The information, documentation and research support are provided by three people, a knowledge manager
who supervises the internal processes of the KCE, an information specialist who provides support for the
definitions of the research equations and myself, an information manager, whose primary missions are the
management of the library and access to documentary resources in electronic or paper format.
Health Libraries:  a rapid Belgium situation's overview 
Luc Hourlay
Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre
Bruxelles, Belgium
luc.hourlay@kce.fgov.be
1 https://kce.fgov.be
2 https://kce.fgov.be/en/missions-and-values
3 https://www.nice.org.uk
4 https://www.zorginstiuutnederland.nl
5 http://processbook.kce.fgov.be/ 
19Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (43): 18-19
NEWS FROM EAHIL – COUNCIL MEMBERS’ CORNER
1 De Meulemeester A, Schietse B, Vermeeren B et al. Current and future directions in Belgian medical and health sciences librarianship:
a user-tailored approach. Health Information and Libraries Journal. 2018; 35:336-40. DOI: 10.1111/hir.12237
Federal context
Within this dynamic, it is possible to identify two major trends at the federal level.
The first is a reduction in operating costs of about 20%. This reduction applies to all federal services and all
positions in the same way. This has an impact on, for example, staff replacement, collection renewal, access
to databases, and online resources. In the context of my institution, my management, composed of former
researchers, has fought to protect the funding of documentary resources and limit the loss of resources.
The second significant trend is the regrouping and merging of thematically related institutions to achieve
economies of scale, eliminate redundant missions of the institutions and improve the efficiency of services to
the population.
This is illustrated for us by the merge of four institutions in a new structure called Sciensano. The process
currently underway is planned in two phases, the merger of the Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Center
and the Scientific Institute of Public Health in 2018 and a second phase (during 2019), with the merger of
the KCE and the Superior Heath Council.
Academic context
After several discussions with different colleagues from the academic world, university medical library and
reading different documents , I can sketch a quick overview of their situation.
First and foremost, the Belgian Health sciences libraries continue to provide the services traditionally expected
by their public. However, these libraries face budgetary constraints that threaten both the services offered and
their very existence.
The evolution of documentary resources impacts users’ expectations with a consultation of available resources
regardless of the place or time. This also concerns the physical space of the library, which becomes a place for
work and study.
At the staff level, this digitisation leads to new challenges that require more technical profiles and specialists-
run teamwork. 
Several services are developing with training in information literacy, support for research data management
(RDA) or the exponential growth of systematic reviews and the need for support for the creation and
translation of research strategies or the need for methodological support. Medical humanities appear as a new
field to explore as well.
Conclusion
This quick overview allows us to say that regardless of the context, we must all manage budgetary challenges,
organizational challenges, the increasingly rapid evolution of technologies and expectations of our various
users.
Above all, it is a question of meeting these new challenges which make our professions more and more exciting
and necessary.


Health Libraries: a rapid Belgium situation\u27s overview

Lefebvre, Carol

31Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (1): 31-33
NEWS FROM US MLA
Focus on MLA ’18:  Atlanta, Georgia, US, 18-23 May 2018
http://www.mlanet.org/meeting
The next US Medical Library Association (MLA) Annual Meeting will be held in Atlanta at the “Hyatt
Regency Atlanta” from 18-23 May 2018.  Even if you cannot plan to attend in person, please see below
for information on attending “remotely” via the e-Conference options.
This will be the first time that MLA has been held in Atlanta.  The symbol of the rising phoenix in the
meeting logo reflects Atlanta’s official seal and celebrates the city’s rise from the ashes of the Civil War to
become the 21st century “capital city of the Southeast” with its rich history and diversity.  For those seeking
inspiration as to how to make their case and persuade their boss to support their attendance, there is a
page of hints and tips including a draft letter!
http://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=1294
This is a major event on the medical and health care library conference circuit and is expecting to attract c.
2,500 participants including delegates and over 100 exhibitors.  There will be c. 200 papers presented, in
addition to posters and so-called “Lightning Talks”.  These are five-minute presentations and focus on
one main topic, submitted as either a research abstract or a programme description abstract.  Submissions
for the Lightning Talks closed in late February this year, i.e. prior to publication of this article but please
bear this in mind for future years, as this later deadline for these presentations (c. 5 months after the
standard deadline for oral presentations and posters) can be beneficial for international visitors who may
not have their funding confirmed well enough in advance to commit to submitting under the general call
for abstracts.  
A “One Page Schedule” is available from the meeting home page at:  http://www.mlanet.org/meeting
Plenary keynote speakers this year offer the usual MLA eclectic mix.
William Powers will deliver the John P. McGovern Award Lecture.  He is author of the New York
Times bestseller Hamlet’s BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age, widely praised for its insights
on the digital future.  It has been published in many countries and languages.  He is currently a research
scientist at the Laboratory of Social Machines at the MIT Media Lab, where he is developing new
technologies for journalism, governance, and the public sphere. He is also a former Washington Post
journalist. 
https://www.williampowers.com/
Dara Richardson-Heron will deliver another of the plenary sessions.  She is chief engagement officer of
the “All of Us” research program at the (US) National Institutes of Health (NIH).  “All of Us” aims to
build one of the largest biomedical data sets in the world, involving participants from diverse communities
US Medical Library Association report for EAHIL
Carol Lefebvre
MLA Representative to EAHIL
Independent Information Consultant                            
Lefebvre Associates Ltd, Oxford, UK
Contact: Carol@LefebvreAssociates.org
NEWS FROM MLA
32 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (1): 31-33
across the US.  She will lead outreach efforts to enrol and retain one million or more volunteers in this
landmark effort to advance innovative health research that may lead to more precise treatments and
prevention strategies.
https://www.nih.gov/research-training/allofus-research-program/dara-richardson-heron-md-named-chief-
engagement-officer-all-us-research-program
David Satcher will deliver the Closing Keynote.  He is a physician-scientist and public health
administrator with an extensive track record of leadership, research, and community engagement.  He is
the founding director and senior advisor for the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse
School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.  He has served as surgeon general of the US, assistant secretary for
health in the Department of Health & Human Services, director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).
He has an interest in inequalities in health.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Satcher
Networking Events offered as part of the “conference only” registration include:
Welcome Reception and Opening of the Hall of Exhibits 
New Members/First-Time Attendees Program and Breakfast
Open Forums 
International Visitors’ Reception
Additionally, the ‘Silver and Gold’ Networking Dinner is available to those with the fully “inclusive”
registration package.
http://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=1292
Dinner Dine Arounds are also being offered again this year by the Local Assistance Committee, where
you are invited to “go Dutch” (i.e. each pays their own bill) for those arriving early, on Thursday May 17
and Friday May 18 at 1800 (following the CE courses).  The restaurants will be in various locations near
the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.  For further information see:
http://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=1292
Conference registration is open at the link below this paragraph.  There is a discount for EAHIL members
through EAHIL’s association with MLA.  The fully inclusive meeting registration package is 699 US
dollars (reduced from 999 US dollars).  The reduced ‘conference only’ package (which does not include
the conference dinner) is 599 US dollars (reduced from 899 US dollars).  For those of you for whom,
even with these discounts, the travel costs remain prohibitive, there is an individual “e-Conference” rate
of just 129 US dollars (reduced from 225 US dollars).  All these rates apply until 18 April 2018, after
which higher rates apply.  Additionally, “Institutional e-Conference Licences” at 699 US dollars
(reduced from 1,049 US dollars) are being offered for those who wish to share video and audio presentations
with staff and colleagues at training sessions.  (Note:  The individual ‘e-Conference’ rate is just what it says
– individual!  Not for sharing with your colleagues!)
http://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=1282
Continuing Education courses will take place on Friday 18 May (1000-1700) and Saturday 19 May
(0800-1700).  (There will be no CE courses on the following Wednesday again this year.)  There will, as
ever, be a very wide range of courses, typical of MLA annual meetings.  You do not have to register for the
conference to register for these courses.  There are suites of courses on popular topics allowing delegates
to sign up for a number of related courses and these are marked by a special icon in the programme.  These
suites of courses include:
(CHIS) Consumer Health Information Specialization Program:  presenting the latest resources and
ideas in the consumer health information field.
(DM) Data Management:  providing the latest information and resources in the field of data management.
(EBP) Evidenced-based Practice:  emphasizing the librarian’s role in the practice of evidence-based
health care.
(ES) Expert Searcher Training Initiative:  emphasizing librarians' roles as expert searchers in health
care and biomedical research.
33Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (1): 31-33
NEWS FROM US MLA
(M) Management Track:  addressing topics relevant to library administration for current managers and
individuals with an interest in management.
A number of the courses offer the opportunity for hands-on practice and these are marked by a special icon
in the programme. 
http://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=1285
Symposium: Health Information for Public Librarians will be held in parallel during the last 1.5 days
of the MLA conference from 0700 on Tuesday 22 May to noon Wednesday 23 May.  MLA delegates may
attend the symposium as part of their registration for the MLA ’18 annual meeting.  The symposium, of
interest to both public librarians as well as medical and health care librarians, offers programming in the
area of health information for the public.  It also provides a unique opportunity for public and medical and
health care librarians to network.
The MLA ’18 Blog will provide coverage of a range of topics including programme sessions, plenary
sessions, exhibition activity and social events, before, during and after the meeting at:
http://www.mlanet.org/p/bl/et/blogid=126
Additionally, you can follow the meeting on Twitter with the MLA ’18 hashtag #mlanet18 and follow
MLA more generally on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/MedicalLibraryAssn
Future MLA annual meetings - dates for your diary:
Atlanta, Georgia, 18-23 May 2018 
Chicago, Illinois, 3-8 May 2019
Portland, Oregon, 15-20 May 2020
Washington, DC, 21-26 May 2021
Membership of MLA
MLA offers International Membership to individuals at a reduced rate.  This category applies if you
work or have worked in a health- or health information-related environment and live outside the US or
Canada.  The current annual subscription rate for International Membership is 150 US dollars (or 25
US dollars if you are from a HINARI-eligible Group A or Group B country.)
http://www.mlanet.org/join
News and publications from MLA
The latest issue of the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) (Volume 106 (1) January
2018) is now available (open access) at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/93/latest/
Open access to back issues of the JMLA (and its predecessors back to 1898) is available from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/93/
Preprints of articles from the forthcoming issue of the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA)
are available (for members only) two months prior to the print publication by selecting JMLA Journal
then JMLA Preprints under the Publications option when you login to the MLA web site with your
username and password.  
MLA News is MLA’s members-only electronic-only newsletter, featuring the latest resources, professional
advice, and association news. It is published ten times per year and is accessible under Publications when
you login with your username and password. 
http://www.mlanet.org/mlanews
MLA-FOCUS is MLA's members-only e-mail newsletter, published twice a month. 
http://www.mlanet.org/page/mla-focus


US Medical Library Association report for EAHIL

The number of systematic reviews and other types of reviews published worldwide to assist in clinical decisionmaking is increasing rapidly. A large number of these studies point to the need for expert searching as anopportunity for librarians to develop a literature review search service as a key medical library service. The aimsof the study are to analyse the review practices at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (systematic) and to identifythe potential for establishing a comprehensive literature review support service. A quantitative analysis of theInstitute’s 101 systematic reviews and 534 other review articles from 4 databases shows an increasing number ofpublished articles from 2000 onwards. An analysis of 45 surveys identifies a high need for and expectation fromlibrarians’ participation in the review process and in the research/clinical team

OÅ¾ura, David

9Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (3): 9-12. doi: 10.32384/jeahil1426
16th EAHIL CONFERENCE, CARDIFF, UK
Introduction
This paper is based on an award-winning poster
presented at the EAHIL Conference in Cardiff, UK,
9-13 July 2018. 
The research is a further development and practical
implementation of previous study findings on the
current level of library services’ embeddedness in
biomedical libraries in Slovenia (also presented as the
poster Embedded health librarianship in Slovenia: current
practice and challenges at the ICM + EAHIL Workshop
in Dublin, Ireland, 12-16 June 2017). Previous study
among Slovene biomedical libraries has brought a
clearer view on the advantages, barriers, and unutilized
potentials in developing embedded library services. It
identified the participation of a librarian in literature
searching and their presence as a co-author or team
member in conducting and publishing systematic
reviews (SR) as highly needed among Slovenian
researchers and healthcare professionals. However, in
most libraries, the literature search service is offered
upon user’s request only. The actual level of librarians’
participation in conducting and publishing reviews is
low (1).
Recently published papers show that the participation
of a librarian in a review process is a step to ensure that
search strategies are comprehensive, sensitive, and
reproducible. Librarian-mediated searches are better
than medical staff searches in the range of databases
and other sources of information searched, in the
methodical approach, in the reliability of results, and
in cost-effectiveness (2-5).
Aims
The aims of the study are to analyse the (systematic)
review practices at the Institute of Oncology
Ljubljana, and to identify the potential for establishing
a comprehensive literature review support service.
Methods
In October 2017, a literature search was carried out
for the Institute’s published SRs and other review
articles across 4 bibliographic databases (Web of
Abstract
The number of systematic reviews and other types of reviews published worldwide to assist in clinical decision
making is increasing rapidly. A large number of these studies point to the need for expert searching as an
opportunity for librarians to develop a literature review search service as a key medical library service. The aims
of the study are to analyse the review practices at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (systematic) and to identify
the potential for establishing a comprehensive literature review support service. A quantitative analysis of the
Institute’s 101 systematic reviews and 534 other review articles from 4 databases shows an increasing number of
published articles from 2000 onwards. An analysis of 45 surveys identifies a high need for and expectation from
librarians’ participation in the review process and in the research/clinical team.
Key words: evidence-based medicine/methods; review literature as topic; library services; professional
role; authorship/standards.
Identifying the potential for a comprehensive 
literature review service at the Institute of Oncology
Ljubljana
David Ožura
Special Library of Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Address for correspondence: David Ožura, Special Library of Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 
SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. E-mail: dozura@onko-i.si
10 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (3): 9-12 
David Ožura
Science, Scopus, Medline, and the Slovenian
COBISS.si) from 2000 onwards (Fig. 1). 101 SRs and
534 other review articles were identified. After de-
duplication and screening, 46 SRs and 304 other
reviews were selected. We conducted a quantitative
analysis of the Institute’s publishing practices and
trends as related to the reviews (6). 
An online survey was sent to researchers and other
healthcare professionals of the Institute. Of the 75
responses received, 45 were fully completed and
analysed. The survey included questions about
information-seeking and review publishing behaviour
and about the needs for a librarian’s involvement in
the review process (consultation on formulating
review questions, identifying relevant databases and
other sources of information, developing search
strategies, use of reference management tools,
developing methodology protocol, co-authorship,
etc.).
Results
The results of the quantitative analysis of the review
publishing practices were:
• all 46 SRs published in English, of which 15%
published in one Slovenian journal;
• majority of SRs are published in co-authorship
with non-Slovenian authors;
• 17% of SRs were written exclusively by Slovenian
authors;
• from 2013 onwards, an average of 8 SRs have been
published per year; 
• 23% of other review articles are published in the
Slovenian language or in the Slovenian language
with an English translation;
• from 2013 onwards, more than 20 other review
articles were published per year; from 2015, that
number has increased to more than 25 articles per
year;
• on average, between 2012 and 2016, 35 SRs and
other review articles were published per year.
The results of the online survey (Fig. 2 and 3) were:
• frequency of searches: 40% of respondents search
more than once per week, 28% more than once per
month, 13% once per month, and 11% once per
week;
• average time spent per search: 49% of respondents
search from one to three hours, 20% occasionally,
in small parts over a longer period, 18% less than
one hour;
• 60% of respondents asked the Institute’s librarian
for assistance with systematic searching;
Fig. 1. Number of SRs and other review articles published between 2000 and 2017. 
*A literature search was carried out in October 2017.
11Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (3): 9-12 
Award for the best poster presentation
• 73% have already published one or more
(systematic) review articles, 84% of them asked for
assistance with searching;
• just 10% of respondents would not want to include
a librarian in their teams, the main reason being
the specific nature of their professional work;
• the librarian was never acknowledged as a co-
author of an article methodology section (7);
Fig. 2. At which phases of literature review would you need a librarian’s help?
Fig. 3. Would you like to include a librarian in your research (team)?
12 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (3): 9-12 
David Ožura
• those who have already published one or more
review articles, or those who search the literature
on a weekly to daily basis, have similar habits and
needs as the average respondent;
• active researchers want to include a librarian in
their group, would like to undertake a course on
how to write and publish a review article, and
would welcome support when writing
methodology.
Discussion and conclusions
The results of the survey and the quantitative analysis
of the review publishing practices identified the need
and the potential for establishing a new
comprehensive literature review support service. 
The results of the quantitative analysis show that the
number of the Institute’s published (systematic)
review articles is increasing. 
Based on the survey responses, we were able to
identify the average library end-user profile (that does
not differ from the profile of the active researcher)
with their high needs for, and expectations from, the
librarian’s participation in the review process and in
their research/clinical team.
The results will help the Institute’s library
management in planning to establish, develop,
implement, and promote the library service in next
two years. 
We hope that this paper could be useful to other
(medical) libraries (in Slovenia) working in similar
environments.
Submitted on invitation.
Accepted on 29 August 2018.
REFERENCES
1. Ožura D, Kocbek M, Cafuta V. Embedded health
librarianship in Slovenia: current practice and
challenges. Poster presented at ICML + EAHIL
Conference; 2017 June 12-16; Dublin.
2. Koffel JB. Use of recommended search strategies
in systematic reviews and the impact of librarian
involvement: a cross-sectional survey of recent
authors. PLoS One. 2015;10(5):e0125931.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125931
3. Meert D, Torabi N, Costella J. Impact of librarians
on reporting of the literature searching component
of pediatric systematic reviews. J Med Libr Assoc.
2016;104(4):267-77.
4. Rethlefsen ML, Farrell AM, Osterhaus Trzasko
LC, Brigham TJ. Librarian co-authors correlated
with higher quality reported search strategies in
general internal medicine systematic reviews. J
Clin Epidemiol. 2015;68(6):617-26. 
5. Roper T, Playforth R, Brbre I. What do users
perceive to be the strengths and weaknesses of
librarian-mediated and unmediated
evidence/knowledge searches? Paper presented at
ICML + EAHIL Conference; 2017 June 12-16;
Dublin.
6. Gornitzki C, Agne L. Systematic reviews at
Karolinska Institutet: a structured approach to
promoting search consultation services. Poster
presented at ICML + EAHIL Conference; 2017
June 12-16; Dublin.
7. Recommendations for the conduct, reporting,
editing, and publication of scholarly work in
medical journals [Internet]. ICMJE; 2013
[updated 2017 Dec; cited 2018 Aug 21]. Chapter
II.A. Defining the role of authors and contributors.
Available from:
http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/rol
es-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-
authors-and-contributors.html.
This paper is published under a CC BY license


Identifying the potential for a comprehensive literature review service at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana

Ceccarini, Alessandra

MeSH SIG: What’s new about 2018 MeSH

2 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (2): 2
Editorial
It is a hard task for clinicians to remain up to date with current medical information in the hustle and bustle
of their everyday medical practices. Nor is it easy for them to find the information needed, often urgently,
whilst making relevant decisions regarding the care of a patient. In the midst of complex health situations,
actions are often taken with little to no support by the most recent medical evidence. In this context, the role
of the clinical librarian can be extremely relevant; providing information on research evidence, supporting
decision making, and being part of a clinical team can improve the health of the patients, carers, and of their
the respective families.
Clinical Librarianship emerged in the annual meeting held last year in Dublin as one of the themes for future
issues. It was approved by the Editorial Board and strongly supported by Gerhard Bissels, member of the
Board whom also kindly recommended a possible guest editor. I am thus pleased, and honoured, to not only
present this issue of the Journal, but to introduce its guest editor, to whom our deepest gratitude goes towards:
Tom Roper, clinical librarian at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, UK. I would like to thank him
for having accepted to guest edit this theme issue on Clinical Librarianship and for the excellent work he has
accomplished, attracting a number of interesting papers from European countries (Britain, Ireland, Denmark)
as well as Iran and Australia.
During the 16th EAHIL Conference, to be held in Cardiff, Wales, UK on 9-13 July 2018, the Editorial Board
of the Journal will reconvene to discuss about new possible themes. If you would like to suggest a topic, please
contact me or a member of the Board.
JEAHIL is meant to be an open window on the different either carried out, or of interest by EAHIL and the
sister organisations. I therefore encourage you not to miss the Letter from the President Maurella Della Seta,
and the columns by Dianne Babski, Carol Lefebvre, Michael Eklund, Benoit Thirion and Letizia Sampaolo.
Please find a list of the next issues of JEAHIL and their content in the Table below.
JEAHIL future issues 
Issue Theme Deadline
2018
3 Memories from the 16th EAHIL Conference, Cardiff, Wales, UK 5 August
4 Re-imaging libraries: partnership with businesses large and small 5 November
(edited by Michelle Wake)
2019
1 No-theme issue  5 March 
I’m very much looking forward to the next big gathering of the “EAHIL family” in Cardiff, 
and in the meanwhile wish you all lots of success in your different librarian roles, clinical ones included.
Federica
A librarian at the heart of a hospital
Federica Napolitani
Editor in Chief
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
Contact: federica.napolitani@iss.it


Sampaolo, Letizia

43Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (2): 43-46 
PUBLICATIONS AND NEW PRODUCTS
Publications and new products
Letizia Sampaolo
Settore Documentazione,
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
letizia.sampaolo@iss.it
Can we talk about stress?
I do not actually know who wrote the following story or where it came from, but it had the right impact on me and I
have to share it with all of you just as I found it on the web. It is true, from time to time it happens to come across the
perfect story at the perfect time in your life, the one through which you can see yourself like in a mirror. Is it about
the work at the library? The family? Time flying by? No matter what is the reason, I believe every single one of us has
times in life where needs a break and to consider the message and moral of this story. Enjoy the read!
The weight of the glass
Once upon a time, a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to
an auditorium filled with students.  As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they would be asked the typical
“glass half empty or glass half full” question.  Instead, with a smile on her face, the professor asked, “How heavy is
this glass of water I’m holding?”
Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds. 
She replied, “From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter.  It all depends on
how long I hold it.  If I hold it for a minute or two, it is fairly light.  If I hold it for an hour straight,
its weight might make my arm ache a little.  If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp
up and feel completely numb and paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor.  In each case,
the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.”
As the class shook their heads in agreement, she continued, “Your stresses and worries in life are very
much like this glass of water.  Think about them for a while and nothing happens.  Think about them
a bit longer and you begin to ache a little.  Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and
paralyzed – incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.”
The moral:  It is important to remember to let go of your stresses and worries.  No matter what happens during the
day, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down.  Do not carry them through the night and into
the next day with you.  If you still feel the weight of yesterday’s stress, it is a strong sign that it is time to put the glass
down. 
JOURNAL ISSUES
Health Information and Libraries Journal: Contents of June, issue 2018
Editorial
Epistemic lenses and virtues, beyond evidence-based medicine.
Mark Murphy, GP and Lecturer in the Department of General Practice in the Royal College of Surgeons,
Ireland
44 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (2): 43-46 
PUBLICATIONS AND NEW PRODUCTS
Review Article
Trends in infodemiology studies: a scoping review. 
Zeraatkar K, Ahmadi M
Original Articles
• The development of search filters for adverse effects of surgical interventions in MEDLINE
and Embase.
Golder S, Wright, Loke Y
• Relationship between orthodox and traditional medical pratictioners in the transmission of
traditional medical knowledge in Nigeria. 
Adekannbi J
• Information literacy skills and training of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in Alberta,
Canada: Results of a survey.
Wadson K, Phillips L
Regular features
• Dissertations into Practice
Proposed information outreach programme in primary and secondary health care of Punjab,
Pakistan 
Naeem SB, Bjatt R
• International Perspectives and Initiatives
New directions in health sciences libraries in China 
Zhiyun X, Jianjing Z
• Teaching and Learning in Action
Opportunities for faculty-librarian collaboration in an expanded dentistry curriculum 
Stone S
FROM THE WEB
• Agar art news 
Do you remember last’s year annual Agar Art contest conducted by
the American Society for Microbiology? This year edition, the fourth,
had 156 entrants from 23 nations, and announced the winners two
weeks ago (May 23). Just like for the previous editions, participants
grew different microbes on agar to create varied patterns, often using
the organisms’ natural pigments to enhance their designs.
The first place was won by “The Battle of Winter and Spring,” an
exquisite, romantic homage to microbes by Ana Tsitsishvili, a talented
undergraduate student at the Agricultural University of Georgia in
Tbilisi. Last year she won the third place with a submission called
“Dancing Microbes”, that perhaps you remember. At the prize award,
she stated that where the microbes meet in the middle of the plate, “they melt, as warmth of the spring
melts the snow. She used Staphylococcus and Bacillus mycoides to depict the harshness of winter
tangling with the red pigmented “flowers” of Serratia marcescens that portrayed spring. Check out the
full article. 
45Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (2): 43-46 
PUBLICATIONS AND NEW PRODUCTS
• LOVE …. At the 2018 Orphan Film Symposium
Sarah Eilers is the Manager of Historical Audiovisuals in the History of Medicine Division at the
National Library of Medicine. As she tells in her interesting article, she “had the privilege of collaborating
with Dr. Oliver Gaycken, professor of film studies at the University of Maryland-College Park, to present
several rarely-seen films from the National Library of Medicine’s historical audiovisuals collection. The
occasion was the 11th Orphan Film Symposium held at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens,
New York, which this year included participants from 15 nations.” Dr. Gaycken’s paper, titled “Love
Doctors and Medical Media” discussed four NLM-held training films dating from the 1970s and showed
excerpts from each. The films were intended to educate physicians and psychologists in couples-
counseling, particularly in the area of sexual dysfunction.
During the last portion of the session, the audience was also introduced to the planned redesign of
NLM’s Medical Movies on the Web, which offers curation of rare and sometimes unique film content
in the NLM collections.
Check out the full article
• TAKE NOTICE!
Communication from The AHRQ National Guideline Clearinghouse: The NGC -- guideline.gov --  web
site will not be available after July 16, 2018 because federal funding through AHRQ will no longer be
available to support the NGC as of that date. AHRQ is receiving expressions of interest from
stakeholders interested in carrying on NGC's work. It is not clear at this time, however, when or if NGC
(or something like NGC) will be online again. In addition, AHRQ has not yet determined whether, or
to what extent, the Agency would have an ongoing role if a stakeholder were to continue to operate the
NGC. We will continue to post summaries of new and updated evidence-based clinical practice
guidelines until July 2, 2018. For any questions, please contact Mary.Nix@ahrq.hhs.gov.
• Why failure matters
Samuel West is the founder and curator of the Swedish Museum of Failure. He says we need to flaunt
failures so we can learn from them. “Failure is inherent to the research process—observing results and
then continuing with iterations to make progress. But the problem is that failure isn’t automatically
communicated with the outside world. Even within the research community, where failure should be a
given, publication bias means there is a huge problem with discussing and accepting failure.”
This Museum is a collection of interesting innovation failures showcased to provide visitors a fascinating
learning experience.
The collection consists of a wide variety of failed products and services from around the world, such as
Apple Newton, Bic for Her, Google Glass, Nokia N-gage, Orbitoclast Lobotomy (medical instrument),
Harley-Davidson Perfume, Kodak Digital Camera, Sony Betamax, Lego Fiber Optics, and many many
others. Currently it can be visited in California and in Sweden. Check the websites to learn more and
be updated with upcoming events.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
August 24-30, 2018, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Transform Libraries, Transform Societies. World Library and Information Congress. 
84th IFLA General Conference and Assembly
For further information: https://2018.ifla.org/cfp-calls/health-and-biosciences-libraries-section
46 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (2): 43-46 
PUBLICATIONS AND NEW PRODUCTS
September 11 -14, 2018, Manchester, UK
Why we do what we do. The purpose and impact of guidelines
For further information: https://www.ginconference.net/ 
October 8-12, 2018, Monterey, California, USA
The 17th International Semantic Web Conference. The premier international forum for the
Semantic Web and Linked Data Community
For further information: http://iswc2018.semanticweb.org/ 
October 9-11, 2018, Kraków, Poland
ISIC 2018 – The Information Conference
For further information: http://www.isic2018.com/, https://www.facebook.com/isic2018/,  
   https://twitter.com/ISIC2018
October 22-26, 2018, Turin, Italy
CIKM 2018 International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management. From Big
Data and Big Information to Big Knowledge.
For further information: http://www.cikm2018.units.it/
Please feel free to contact me (letizia.sampaolo@iss.it) if you have any further suggestion about events you would
like to promote


Publications and new products

Della Seta, Maurella

Dear Colleagues,
This is my first letter for 2018, so, at the beginning of this New Year, I wish you the very best for your
professional and personal life. I am sure it will be a very busy year for all of you and for our association as
well. Below, some topics that need your attention and participation in the forthcoming months.
Elections for President and Board
2018 will be another election year.  This spring EAHIL needs to elect President, one executive Board
member, and two co-opted Board members for terms starting in 2019. The voting period will be in May,
and the outcomes will be announced at the General Assembly in Cardiff. The newly elected will take up
their roles in January 2019. As you can see in this number of JEAHIL, in the website, and in the e-mails
that you received, the Nominations period will be between 1 March and 20 April. Therefore, think about
being a candidate or about colleagues that might be happy to be a candidate for the next elections.
Remember to vote in the voting period.
Update your membership record
In order to vote in this year’s elections, your membership record must be active. Please update your
membership record details and above all, you e-mail address at the following URL:
https://fd8.formdesk.com/EAHIL/membership.
Elections for Council members
The nominations and voting for Council members for each country where there are vacancies will be in late
summer and autumn. The new Councillors will begin their terms in January 2019. You are strongly
encouraged to consider becoming a Councillor for your country or suggesting possible candidates among
your colleagues.
Next EAHIL Conference in Cardiff
As you know from my last letter, I took part in the IPC in Cardiff last November. Therefore, I know that
Sue Thomas and Lori Harvard are preparing an exciting conference programme, which should be online in
mid-February, together with the registration opening. Many of you will take advantage of the early birds
discounted registration fee. We all look forward to know more details about the excellent continuing
education programme, presentations and posters. I really hope to see as many of you as possible in Cardiff
in July.
Letter from the President
Maurella Della Seta
Scientific Knowledge and Communication Service / Documentation 
Istituto Superiore di Sanità
Rome, Italy
Contact: maurella.dellaseta@iss.it 
22 Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (1): 22-23
NEWS FROM EAHIL
23Journal of EAHIL 2018; Vol. 14 (1): 22-23
News from EAHIL
EAHIL Executive Board
At the time of writing this letter, we are preparing the midwinter Executive Board meeting, which this year
will be in Tromsø, Norway, (February 22-23), thanks to Eirik Reierth kind invitation. One issue on the
agenda will be the President’s and the Treasurer’s report 2017: both reports will be presented at the General
Assembly in July, in Cardiff. Another important issue is the scholarship process: among the aims of EAHIL,
there are “the training, education and mobility of health librarians and information officers in Europe”. The
EAHIL scholarship programme is one of the tools used for reaching the association’s goals, and I am happy
to inform you that also this year we were able to offer six scholarships, jointly sponsored by EAHIL and
EBSCO.
FUTURE EAHIL EVENTS
I am glad to remind you that we already have a very good proposal for 2019 EAHIL event that will take
place in Bern (Switzerland). Unfortunately, the SBBL (Biomedical Libraries Regional Service) in Milan
(Italy) withdraw its previous offer for organizing 2020 EAHIL Conference, due to lack of support from
Lombardy Region. 
Therefore, events from 2020 onward are still to be set. Hence, I renew my invitation to send
expressions of interest or proposals to the secretariat email address (EAHIL-
SECR@LIST.ECOMPASS.NL). Please feel free to contact me or other Board members for discussion and
support.
Looking forward to hearing from you with proposals or suggestions,
Maurella
Please note that EAHIL events (conferences and
workshops) from 2020 onward are still to be set.
You are all kindly invited to send expressions of 
interest or proposals to the secretariat email address 
(EAHIL-SECR@LIST.ECOMPASS.NL)


Not a member yet

Report of the Pharmaceutical Information Special Interest Group

Editorial

Health Libraries: a rapid Belgium situation\u27s overview

US Medical Library Association report for EAHIL

Identifying the potential for a comprehensive literature review service at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana

MeSH SIG: What’s new about 2018 MeSH

Editorial

Publications and new products

Letter from the President

Take a look! Collected during November 2017 to February 2018

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