Journal of EAHIL

Metzendorf, Maria-Inti

13Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (4): 13
NEWS FROM EAHIL
JEAHIL is the official Journal of the European Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL). It 
publishes original articles, reviews, theme issues and brief communications in the field of health information 
and libraries. It also publishes news from EAHIL and from other medical library associations, meeting reports, 
product reviews, opinion and discussion papers and news items. The aim of the European Association for 
Health Information and Libraries is to unite and motivate librarians and information officers working in medical 
and health science libraries in Europe. EAHIL encourages professional development, improves cooperation 
and enables exchanges of experience amongst its members 
 
We invite you to submit articles for publication in the first issue of JEAHIL in 2024 which will be a themed 
issue titled “Evidence syntheses and Medical Librarians - an evolving duo” (deadline for submissions: 
5th of February2024).  
 
Editor of the issue is Maria-Inti Metzendorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany.  
Please contact Maria-Inti with any article proposals at: maria-inti.metzendorf@hhu.de.  
 
Guidance for authors can be found at http://ojs.eahil.eu/ojs/index.php/JEAHIL/information/authors. 
Journal of the European Association for Health  
Information and Libraries (JEAHIL)  
 
Call for Papers for issue 1 vol. 20 (2024):  
Evolving types of evidence synthesis 
 
Editor: Maria-Inti Metzendorf 
 


English

Call for Papers for issue 1 vol. 20 (2024):  Evolving types of evidence synthesis

Zayim Gedik, Kubra

18 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (4): 18-20 
NEWS FROM US MLA
Introduction 
In the ever-evolving landscape of medical research, the role of libraries remains pivotal. In 2023, I embarked 
on a transformative journey through various medical libraries in the United States, courtesy of the prestigious 
Cunningham International Memorial Fellowship, generously funded by the US Medical Library Association. 
I had the privilege of crisscrossing the United States, immersing myself in the rich resources and unparalleled 
learning environments of various medical libraries. This fellowship not only provided me with the opportunity 
to explore the vast repositories of medical knowledge but also allowed me to delve into the heart of cutting-
edge research and innovation. 
 
This year, with my colleagues from Kazakhstan, Botswana, Zambia, and me from Turkey joined forces, 
embarking on a journey that transcended borders, fostering cultural understanding and facilitating the exchange 
of ideas in the field of medical librarianship. Our journey unfolded against the backdrop of the United States, 
a melting pot of cultures and a hub of innovation in the medical field. The fellowship allowed us to immerse 
ourselves in the vibrant tapestry of American medical libraries, each one offering a unique perspective on the 
intersection of healthcare and information management. 
 
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, none of our colleagues could travel within the scope of the fellowship for 
three years. Our mentor and the fellowship committee were always in contact with us for 3 years. They made 
a lot of effort to make the travel program in the best way. And in the end, the COVID-19 pandemic enabled 
us four friends and colleagues to meet and have the experience of traveling together.  
 
Through the fellowship program we visited the following libraries, hospitals and university campuses:  
- Johns Hopkins University, Welch Library, Baltmore, MD 
- National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 
- George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, Washington, DC  
- Library of Congress, Washington, DC  
- University of Chicago, Regenstein Library, Chicago, IL   
- Northwestern University, Galter Health Sciences Library, Chicago, IL  
- Rush University Medical Center Library, Chicago, IL 
- University of Michigan, Taubman Health Sciences Library, Ann Arbor, MI. 
 
 In every institution we visited, all our colleagues welcomed us with interest. We are grateful to all of them! 
Cultivating global connections:  
a journey through US medical libraries with  
the Cunningham Memorial International Fellowship 
 
 
 
Kubra ZAYIM GEDIK 
 
Vocational School of Health Services, Bezmialem Vakıf University,  
Istanbul, Turkey 
Contact: : kzayim@bezmialem.edu.tr 
ORCID: 0000-0001-7945-3480 
19
NEWS FROM US MLA
Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (4): 18-20
Collaborative spaces 
American medical libraries showcased a commitment to fostering collaboration. We observed collaborative 
spaces that encouraged interdisciplinary research and facilitated partnerships between healthcare professionals 
and information specialists. The collaborative ethos was palpable, sparking discussions on how to enhance 
collaborative efforts within our own countries. 
 
Community engagement 
Community engagement emerged as a central theme during our visits. From outreach programs to initiatives 
promoting health literacy, American medical libraries demonstrated a strong sense of social responsibility. 
These experiences prompted reflections on how we could strengthen community ties back home, tailoring our 
services to meet the specific needs of our diverse populations. 
 
Diversity and inclusion 
The diversity within American medical libraries mirrored the multicultural fabric of the nation. Libraries actively 
promoted inclusivity, embracing the unique contributions of individuals from various backgrounds. This 
emphasis on diversity challenged us to reconsider the inclusivity of our own institutions, sparking conversations 
on strategies to make our libraries more welcoming and accessible. 
 
Shared challenges and solutions 
As we traversed the landscape of American medical libraries, we discovered shared challenges and collectively 
brainstormed solutions. The fellowship facilitated an exchange of best practices, enabling us to learn from each 
other's experiences and adapt strategies to suit our distinct contexts. 
 
Resource allocation 
Discussions on resource allocation were particularly enlightening. We explored strategies for optimizing limited 
resources, whether through collaborative acquisitions or leveraging open-access initiatives. These conversations 
empowered us to rethink resource management in the context of our own institutions' challenges. 
 
Professional development 
The fellowship emphasized the importance of continuous professional development. We engaged in workshops, 
attended MLA/SLA 2023 conference, and networked with seasoned professionals. This exposure ignited a 
passion for ongoing learning, prompting us to consider novel ways to enhance professional development 
opportunities for medical librarians in our home countries. At the same time, we were invited by the scholarship 
committee to the session "Forging Ahead: Key Insights on Global Health & Equity from Around the World" 
and provided information about our country to the participants. I also had the experience of presenting a poster 
at the conference (Subject of my poster: Open Science and Wikimedia: what medical libraries can do with 
Wikipedia?). We experienced all these experiences with an effective program for about three weeks. 
 
Conclusion: a mosaic of learning 
The Cunningham Memorial Fellowship, funded by the US Medical Library Association, has not only 
broadened my understanding of the vast landscape of medical literature but has also connected me with a 
network of passionate individuals dedicated to advancing the frontiers of medical knowledge.  As the 
Cunningham International Memorial Fellowship unfolded, each medical library etched a unique impression 
on my journey. The collective experience painted a mosaic of learning, where the pages of medical literature 
turned into a canvas of discovery.  
20 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (4): 18-20
NEWS FROM US MLA
In conclusion, this fellowship has been more than a series of visits to medical libraries; an expedition that has 
enriched my professional outlook and reaffirmed the profound impact that libraries have on the advancement 
of healthcare worldwide. This expedition reaffirmed the pivotal role that medical libraries play in shaping the 
future of healthcare. It was a journey into the heart of medical research, a communion with the past and 
present, and an exploration of the collaborative future of healthcare knowledge. As I reflect on this enriching 
experience, I am grateful for the opportunity to explore, learn, and contribute to the ever-evolving narrative of 
medical discovery.  
 
I recommend the fellowship experience to all my colleagues! 
 
 
Cunningham Fellows 2023, from left to right: Anar Kairatovna Dautova (Kazakhstan), 
Mercy Wamunyima Monde (Zambia), Khutsafalo Kadimo (Botswana) and Kubra Zayim 
Gedik (Turkiye). 


Cultivating global connections:  a journey through US medical libraries with the Cunningham Memorial International Fellowship

Napolitani, Federica

Letter from the Editor in Chief

Bissels, Gerhard

Brbre, Igor

Lefebvre, Carol

Buroh, Sabine

21Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (1): 21-22 
NEWS FROM EAHIL
Report from the Training, Education and  
Development for Medical Information and Library 
professionals (TrEDMIL) sub-group of EAHIL 
 
 
 
 
Gerhard Bissels, Co-Chair 
Igor Brbre, Co-Chair 
Carol Lefebvre, Secretary 
Sabine Buroh, Past Secretary 
 
 
Launch of the EAHIL TrEDMIL Events Diary  
The Training, Education and Development for Medical Information and Library professionals (TrEDMIL) 
sub-group of EAHIL identifies and provides training and education opportunities for our profession, both for 
new entrants to the profession and for practitioners who need to update and develop their skills and knowledge. 
 
TrEDMIL has just launched an events diary to provide information about training and educational 
development events in the field of medical and health care librarianship / information science, of interest to 
EAHIL members. 
 
The idea for the calendar of training events came about in 2019, as a result of discussions around activities of 
the TrEDMIL Continuing Professional Development sub-group, during the TrEDMIL meeting in Basel.  There 
was consensus that this could be one of the interventions facilitating and supporting CPD activities of EAHIL 
members and more widely. 
 
In early 2020, a proposal to advertize a course on systematic searching in JEAHIL confirmed the idea that a 
diary was needed as well as the channels provided by JEAHIL and this provided an impetus for the TrEDMIL 
SIG to put forward the idea to set the diary up on its webpage.  
 
Two volunteers were identified (Igor Brbre and Justyna Zawada – see below), who looked into possible technical 
solutions and contents. After a thorough exploration of the possibilities and resources required, the decision 
was taken that Google Calendar was the most appropriate and feasible solution. 
 
The proposal was put forward and endorsed by the EAHIL Executive Board.  The diary has been set up and 
is being managed by the chairmanship of TrEDMIL, with Igor Brbre taking the lead.  It is publicly available 
to EAHIL members and the wider medical librarian and information specialist community at: 
 
https://eahil.eu/sig-2/training-education-development-group/ 
 
The criteria for inclusion are any training or educational development event in the field of medical and health 
care librarianship / information science of interest to EAHIL members.  
22 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (1): 21-22 
NEWS FROM EAHIL
 
The diary currently contains c. 50 entries between now and December 2023.  Among them are webinars, short 
courses, half-day events and conferences. Some offer free registration; some require a registration fee.  Events 
can be in-person, virtual / online only or hybrid and in any language of interest to EAHIL members. 
 
Please send examples, especially from your own region, of events meeting our criteria above to be added to 
the diary, to Igor Brbre (NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland): 
  
igor.brbre@nhs.scot 
 
We should like to acknowledge support from Petra Björk (Karolinska Institutet University Library) and Justyna 
Zawada (Wroclaw Medical University Library). 
 
The image below shows a sample entry: 
 
  
 
For more information about the TrEDMIL sub-group, please see: 
 
https://eahil.eu/sig-2/training-education-development-group/ 
 
 


Report from the Training, Education and Development for Medical Information and Library professionals (TrEDMIL) sub-group of EAHIL: Launch of the EAHIL TrEDMIL Events Diary

Babski, Dianne

23Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (1): 23-25 
NEWS FROM NLM
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) based in Bethesda, 
Maryland serves as an engine for innovation and discovery as 
the world’s largest biomedical library and a leader in research 
in computational health informatics. Our mission is to collect, 
preserve and disseminate trusted biomedical literature and 
health information to improve public health. We sponsor 
research, development, and training in data science, 
information science, biomedical informatics, and health 
sciences librarianship, all of which facilitate open science and 
drive innovation through a wide range of products, resources, 
and tools that we make available. Over the course of the last 
year, NLM has made concrete efforts to strengthen our 
leadership and staff capacity, to carefully and strategically plot a course towards a future that anticipates 
users’ needs, and to continuously improve access and discovery to biomedical information.  
 
Leadership announcements 
NLM’s leadership team has had some exciting developments these past several 
months. In September of 2022, Stephen Sherry, PhD, was named the Director for 
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and NLM Associate Director 
for Scientific Data Resources. In these roles, Dr. Sherry oversees the development 
and deployment of advanced computational solutions to meet life and health 
science information needs and facilitate open science and scholarship through a 
growing array of data, literature, and other information offerings and services 
from NLM.  
NLM’s Office of the Director also appointed Jerry Sheehan to the role of Deputy 
Director for Policy and External Affairs. This strengthens the role NLM plays at NIH and across the federal 
government related to policies on matters such as open science, public access to literature and research data, 
and data management and sharing policies. 
Finally, NLM will be actively searching for a permanent candidate to fill the newly added NLM Deputy 
Director for Operations and Innovation role created to drive operational excellence and innovation at NLM. 
National Library of Medicine update  
 
for the Journal of EAHIL  
 
 
 
 
 
Dianne Babski 
Associate Director, Library Operations 
National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health,  
US Department of Health and Human Services  
dianne.babski@nih.gov 
Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (1): 23-2524
NEWS FROM NLM
In the meantime, Mike Huerta is acting in this position and helping to develop frameworks and models for 
innovation and new growth opportunities.  
 
Library Operations 2036 long range plan update 
Library Operations (LO) is the division that I head with Amanda Wilson as Deputy. As one of NLM’s largest 
divisions, we comprise over 400 talented staff committed to furthering NLM’s mission. With emerging 
technologies and managing information needs during a global pandemic, Libraries continue to evolve as 
their users’ needs and expectations change.  
In 2021, LO created a “3Cs” framework—Collect, Curate, and 
Connect—to describe the work we do. Each component 
represents the critical, interconnected work we perform to 
achieve operational success. Leveraging these 3Cs, we 
developed and initiated our Library Operation’s Long Range 
Plan (LRP) to address the challenges that come with the 
accelerated pace of changing technology, the rise and spread 
of health misinformation, evolving user expectations, and need 
for equal and inclusive access to unbiased information. Staff 
in LO envision a future in which data and information will continue to transform and accelerate biomedical 
discovery and improve health and health care globally. 
Our Plan, currently in its second stage of implementation, defines five goals:  
1) to create a modernized organizational structure; 
2) to unify and transform NLM collections;  
3) to support and promote the use of health data standards and terminologies; 
4) to provide customer design and experience support; and  
5) to know and equitably engage our users. 
The interrelated 3Cs and five goals will allow us to continue to collaborate across our institution and beyond 
to serve NLM’s diverse users, enhance our role as a national library, maintain stewardship of the world’s 
largest biomedical collection, and serve as a key NIH institute. Our core values of user focus, service, 
knowledge sharing, quality, and trustworthiness continue to serve as our beacon to confidently deliver on 
the goals outlined in this bold 15-year plan. 
 
Improving access and discovery 
Evolving into its 3rd century as a biomedical information 
and data powerhouse, NLM is also focused on policy and 
technological advancements to increase findability, 
accessibility, and interoperability of its vast and growing 
collection for research discovery.  
2023 is being celebrated as the Year of Open Science and 
NIH was among several US Federal Agencies 
highlighted as part of this multi-member initiative. In 
support, we just announced the launch of the second 
Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (1): 23-25 25
NEWS FROM NLM
phase of our Preprint Pilot with the addition of more than 700 new preprint records to PubMed Central 
(PMC). NLM partnered with GreyNet International to cohost the all-virtual 2022 International Conference 
on Grey Literature, under the theme of “Publishing Grey Literature in the Digital Century” this past 
December.  
On January 25, 2023, NIH's new Policy for Data Management and Sharing (DMS Policy) went into effect 
for most competing funding applications and intramural research protocols, requiring researchers to submit 
a DMS Plan with their application for funding detailing how they will share and manage the data derived 
from their research. This is a great opportunity for librarians to support research by encouraging policy use, 
answering researchers’ questions, and pointing to relevant resources.  
From a technology and product perspective, NLM is committed to making open and machine readable data 
the new default for biomedical information. We are unifying our platforms and databases to provide more 
interoperability and discoverability. We are making our interfaces consistent to help users navigate more 
easily. Last year, after refining algorithms to meet human indexing quality standards, NLM moved to fully 
automated MeSH indexing of MEDLINE citations in PubMed. This provides our users with access to MeSH 
terms within 24 hours, enables curation at scale for the growing volume of MEDLINE published biomedical 
literature, and has allowed us to pivot resources to new programs. 
All this great work is disseminated and reinforced through our Network of the National Library of Medicine 
(NNLM) – a robust ecosystem of 8,000+ health science libraries and information centers extending into 
the public communities we serve. Our training and engagement programs are available to users across the 
world! Of particular interest, check out the Center for Data Services to help librarians to effectively support 
data policy and research in their organizations. 
By bolstering leadership, strategically planning organizational change, participating in the community, and 
evolving our products and services, NLM is well poised to foster a culture of continuous innovation and to 
lead in the field of biomedical research discovery and integrity. I hope you continue to follow us on our 
journey!  
 
 
 


National Library of Medicine update for the Journal of EAHIL

Cascant Ortolano, Lorena

von Gernler, Marc

14 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (2): 14-16   doi: 10.32384/jeahil19570
BRIEF NOTE
 
Introduction  
After lively discussions about the role that German 
medical librarians can play in the field of evidence-
based-medicine (1), and following a session entitled  
“Systematic searching light” at the annual meeting of 
the German Medical Library Association (AGMB) in 
2018, a general feeling remained that the communities 
of information specialists and medical librarians in 
German-speaking countries were somehow drifting 
apart. In order to remedy this situation by providing 
opportunities for exchange and networking, a working 
group on evidence-based-medicine (AG-EBM) was of-
ficially established within the AGMB in 2019 (2). 
Since then, three spokespersons have taken care of the 
organisation of the group, the mailing list and the con-
tent of the website https://www.agmb.de/de_DE/ag-ev-
idenzbasierte-medizin. The working group meets 
regularly in person at the annual meetings of the 
AGMB.  
The Working Group on Evidence-
Based Medicine (AG-EBM)  
An online survey of medical librarians in Germany, Aus-
tria and Switzerland was conducted by one of the 
speakers on behalf of the group in 2020. The main focus 
of this survey was to characterise the strengths, weak-
nesses, opportunities and threats that German-speaking 
medical librarians face when trying to provide or imple-
ment systematic review services (2). To meet the needs 
expressed within the group and in the survey, several 
online training sessions in German have been organised 
by the speakers. Educational materials developed by 
group members have also been compiled and shared 
through the internal website. Many of these materials 
are under Creative Commons license, so that other 
members can reuse and adapt them to their needs. 
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the year 2020 
brought unforeseen challenges for the new AG-EBM 
working group and its speakers. The group’s annual 
Abstract 
The Working Group on Evidence-Based Medicine (AG-EBM) founded in 2019 within the German Medical 
Library Association (AGMB) aims to create a space where German-speaking AGMB members, experienced and 
inexperienced, can meet, share, discuss, collaborate and learn on a voluntary and altruistic basis in the areas of 
EBM and systematic literature searching. The group is working to establish informal training formats such as 
journal clubs and workshops. In recent years, the speakers have organised a wide range of virtual training events. 
The working group meets regularly in-person at the AGMB’s annual conferences. 
 
Key words: medical libraries; evidence-based medicine; Austria; Germany; Switzerland.
“Clubbing” with the EBMs. A brief report by the  
German Medical Library Association’s working 
group on EBM 
Sabine Buroh (a), Lorena Cascant Ortolano (b) and Marc von Gernler (c) 
(a) University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center, University of 
Freiburg, Freiburg i. Br., Germany 
(b) University Mainz, University Medical Library, Mainz, Germany 
(c) University Bern, University Library, Medical Library, Bern, Switzerland 
Address for correspondence: Sabine Buroh, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, 
Hugstetter Str. 55, D-79115 Freiburg i. Br., Germany. E-mail: sabine.buroh@uniklinik-freiburg.de 
 
15Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (2): 14-16 
BRIEF NOTE
meeting, which was intended to facilitate networking 
through face-to-face meetings and thus reduce barriers, 
such as asking for individual support when needed, had 
to be moved to an online-only format. Furthermore, a 
planned face-to-face training session on literature 
searching had to be cancelled. Online meetings were 
quite new territory for most of the group members at 
the time, but everyone was willing to learn quickly. As 
a result, the presentation of the group’s activities during 
its first year, the brainstorming on the survey results, 
and the suggestions for the way forward worked quite 
well. One of the main positive outcomes of this new 
experience was the realisation that online meetings 
were a viable way for the group to stay in touch quite 
effortlessly. Another positive outcome was the consen-
sus that regular journal clubs were the easiest way to 
move forward with further training activities in addition 
to organising formal training events. 
In the same year, the speakers launched a series of vir-
tual training events. Two meetings on “Peer Review of 
a Search Strategy: (PRESS) Guideline” were followed 
by journal clubs and practical exercises on the 
“PRISMA Statement” and “De-duplication and updat-
ing of search strategies using Bramer's method”.  
The external training course “Worlds, Tools and Effec-
tiveness” provided informative insights into the use of 
the Ovid platform for systematic literature searches 
and the series continued with an “Introduction to Evi-
dence-Based Practice” and “Using systematic reviews 
in practice - risk of bias in clinical trials”. This was fol-
lowed by a journal club on “Search filters”. 
 
“Clubbing” with the EBMs 
As the series progressed, the speakers realised that the 
traditional format of a journal club, in which one per-
son is chosen to analyse and present a paper of interest 
to the group, followed by a discussion led by the pre-
senter, was not sufficient to encourage lively exchange 
within the group. They decided on an additional for-
mat, which they called the “Survival Club” (the name 
was inspired by a book called: “The snake bite survivors 
club”, which jokingly became: “Systematic review sur-
vivors club” and was eventually shortened to the now 
official name: “Survival Club” (4). Without discussing 
a specific paper, but with a set topic, this format pro-
vides space for an informal exchange of tips and tricks 
between experienced colleagues, as well as insights and 
help for newcomers to the field of systematic searching 
and EBM. 
Twelve journal or survival clubs have been held so far. 
Recent topics have included “Citation Tracking”, 
“Keeping up to date”, “PubMed Proximity Search” and 
“Service Forms –the first contact and the basis for ini-
tial discussions with our customers”. The topics of the 
sessions are agreed upon by the speakers or suggested 
by the group members. Presenters either invite experts 
in the field to attend the clubs and share their knowl-
edge, or in the absence of an expert, the speakers take 
the lead in the discussion. Slides and other materials 
discussed, as well as the minutes of the meetings, are 
posted on the website shortly after the training events. 
The 2024 calendar is currently filling up. So far, clubs 
on “Deduplication with Deduklick and other tools“, 
“Evaluation of five different deduplication tools”, 
“GRADE“, “Voyant“, “Epistemonikos” and “Different 
types of reviews” are planned. The future club meetings 
will be listed in EAHIL’s TrEDMIL Events Diary and 
we invite interested EAHIL members to participate as 
guests at these events. 
Invitations to the online clubs are sent to the AG-EBM 
mailing list one week before the club meetings. In May 
2023 there are 79 subscribers to this mailing list. Of 
course, not everyone interested in the working group 
can attend all the meetings. Over the year, between 23 
and 38 club members have met (admittedly on Mon-
days, in broad daylight, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon) 
to share and discuss. The number of participants in-
creased over time, starting with an average of 12 to 13 
people at the first online training sessions. 
Thanks to the enthusiasm, generosity and willingness 
to learn of all participants, the AG-EBM “Arbeits-
gruppe Evidenzbasierte Medizin” can look back on 
three very successful years. Membership of the working 
group can be obtained by simply subscribing the 
group’s mailing list. New members and guests are al-
ways welcome. 
Special thanks are due to the University Medical Li-
brary, Mainz for maintaining the mailing list and to the 
German Medical Library Association for providing 
webspace for the group. 
 
 
Received on 7 June 2023. 
Accepted on 15 June 2023. 
16 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (2): 14-16 
REFERENCES 
1. Knüttel H, Semmler-Schmetz M, Metzendorf MI. 
Medizinbibliotheken in Deutschland als Unter-
stützerinnen Evidenzbasierter Medizin: Situation 
und Entwicklung [Health sciences libraries in Ger-
many as supporters of evidence-based medicine: 
current situation and new directions]. GMS Med 
Bibl Inf. 2020;20(1-2):Doc07.  
doi: 10.3205/mbi000464 
2. Buroh S, Schweizer S. Gründung der Arbeitsge-
meinschaft Evidenzbasierte Medizin der AGMB 
[The new working group on evidence-based 
medicine within AGMB]. GMS Med Bibl Inf. 
2020;20(1-2):Doc09. doi: 10.3205/mbi000466 
3. Cascant Ortolano L, Schweizer S. SWOT-Analyse 
zu den Dienstleistungen für Systematische Re-
views medizinischer Bibliotheken in D-A-CH-
Ländern [SWOT analysis for systematic review 
services in German, Austrian and Swiss medical 
libraries]. GMS Med Bibl Inf. 2020;20(1-
2):Doc06.  
DOI: 10.3205/mbi000463 
4. Seal J. The snakebite survivors’ club: travels among 
serpents. New York: Harcourt; 1999.
Sabine Buroh, Lorena Cascant Ortolano and Marc von Gernler 


“Clubbing” with the EBMs. A brief report by the   German Medical Library Association’s working  group on EBM

Van Meel, Chayenne

Chierico, Laura

Mittermayr, Tarquin

Sandqvist, Karin

Stenholt, Louise

Walz, Julia

Wójcikowska, Karolina

Koobasi, Muguet

Memories from EAHIL Scholarship recipients

Barbaro, Annarita

20 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (2): 20-22
PUBLICATIONS AND NEW PRODUCTS 
Dear colleagues, 
Keeping on with my previous column, I suggest watching a webinar by the European Association of Science Editors 
(EASE) on the topic of ChatGPT, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool for content creation: “GPT, language models, and 
AI in scholarly publishing” (you can see it for free on their YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/ 
watch?v=WiPWaXrHpOI&t=3s). The speakers gave some very practical ideas on these tools to let us better understand 
how we can use them in our work, and what might be coming in future. Here some examples on how AI may be applied 
in the future to the daily working activities of librarians: writing primers for different audiences, language support 
(translations, writing in non-native English), doing literature review, writing review articles, summarising papers, writing 
social media posts. It seems very fascinating but, however, it is still too early to draw conclusions, the only thing we can 
do now is to deepen our knowledge of this tool without preconceived ideas.  
 
JOURNAL ISSUES 
Health Information and Libraries Journal: Contents of June 2023 (40:2) 
 
Editorial 
• In search of health information…  
Maria J Grant 
 
Review article  
• Drug information-seeking behaviours of physicians, nurses and pharmacists: A systematic review.  
Yu Xin Fiona Tan, Suzanne Tze Yin Lim, Jun Liang Lim, Tao Tao Magdeline Ng and Hui Ting Chng 
 
Original Articles  
• Application of text mining to the development and validation of a geographic search filter to 
facilitate evidence retrieval in Ovid MEDLINE: An example from the United States.  
Antoinette Cheung, Evan Popoff & Shelagh Evan 
• Development of a validated search filter for Ovid Embase for degenerative cervical myelopathy.  
Benjamin Davies, Maaz Khan, Oliver Mowforth, Isla Kuhn and Mark Kotter 
• Updated generic search filters for finding studies of adverse drug effects in Ovid MEDLINE and 
Embase may retrieve up to 90% of relevant studies.  
Su Golder, Kelly Farrah, Monika Mierzwinski-Urban, Beth Barker and Anna Rama 
 
Publications and new products 
Annarita Barbaro 
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy  
annarita.barbaro@iss.it
21
PUBLICATIONS AND NEW PRODUCTS 
Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (2): 20-22
• Classification of all pharmacological interventions tested in trials relevant to people with 
schizophrenia: a study-based analysis.  
Farhad Shokraneh and Clive Adams 
 
Regular Features  
 
Dissertations into Practice  
• New to Health Information, Library or Knowledge Work...  
Maria J Grant 
International Perspectives and Initiatives (Responding to Advances in Technology) 
• Technology and informatics in Australian health libraries.  
Daniel McDonald and Gemma Siemensma 
Teaching and Learning in Action 
• Adding value to learning and development through CILIP accreditation: The NHS Knowledge 
for Healthcare learning academy. 
Dominic Gilroy and Gil Young 
 
FROM THE WEB 
• ESAC Reference guide to transformative agreements 
The ESAC reference guide to transformative agreements serves as an authoritative and essential orientation 
for librarians and consortium staff just beginning to approach or looking to update their transformative 
agreement strategies based on the latest benchmarks. The Guide builds on the knowledge and insights of 
an “expert group” within the ESAC community with considerable experience in strategy development, 
negotiations, and operationalizing open access within their institutions, making it an essential and 
authoritative resource. Since the year of its first publication (2021), the Reference Guide has been expanded 
and updated to integrate new sources, making it even more robust and comprehensive. See the new 
addictions here: https://esac-initiative.org/everything-librarians-need-to-know-about-tas/  
• Science journals integrate Dryad to simplify data deposition and strengthen scientific 
reproducibility 
The Science family journals have announced a partnership with the nonprofit data repository Dryad to 
simplify the process by which authors deposit the data underlying their works. The Science journals will 
cover costs of Dryad data publication for accepted papers. The datasets of accepted papers will undergo 
Dryad’s curatorial process – to ensure the data is usable – and become public on the Dryad site once the 
article is published, with an associated DOI and with links to and from the published research article. To 
learn more: H. Holden Thorp et al., Strengthening the scientific record. Science 380,13 (2023). 
DOI:10.1126/science.adi0333  
• Lack of sustainability plans for preprint services risks their potential to improve science 
During the COVID-19 pandemic, preprint servers became a vital mechanism for the rapid sharing and 
review of research. However, discussing the findings of a recent report (The Case for Supporting Open 
Infrastructure for Preprints: A Preliminary Investigation), Naomi Penfold, the author of a post published 
on the LSE Impact Blog, finds that much of the infrastructure supporting non-commercial preprint 
publications is precariously governed and at risk of being acquired by commercial publishers. Read it here: 
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2023/03/02/lack-of-sustainability-plans-for-preprint-services-
risks-their-potential-to-improve-science/ 
22 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (2): 20-22
PUBLICATIONS AND NEW PRODUCTS 
• Identifying fake journals 
The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) recently issued a statement on lists of predatory (or fake) 
journals asking authors and institutions to treat these lists with the same degree of scrutiny as they do with 
the journals themselves. Lists that are not transparent about their criteria should not be relied on. Moreover, 
such lists may perpetuate systemic bias and include journals with limited resources, but which are legitimate 
journals with the best intentions. On the COPE website is also possible to read a discussion document on 
predatory publishing which expands on how authors, reviewers, editors, and institutions can identify 
predatory journals.  
It is possible to download the entire document here: https://publicationethics.org/resources/discussion-
documents/predatory-publishing 
 
 
SOME FORTHCOMING EVENTS 
88th IFLA general conference and assembly. Let’s work together, let’s library 
August 21 – 25, 2023 – Rotterdam, The Netherlands 
It is possible to register either for the onsite congress in Rotterdam or the virtual conference.  
More info at: https://2023.ifla.org/ 
 
OAI13 - The Geneva Workshop on Innovations in Scholarly Communication  
September 4 – 8   
The OR2023 conference will focus on the practices of the international repositories community to develop 
The conference will be taking place virtually and will feature sessions on:  
• Implementing the UNESCO recommendations on Open Science 
• Ownership of scholarly infrastructure 
• Research Evaluation 
• Open Science in times of conflict 
• Diamond Open Access 
Here you can find regularly updated information about the program: https://oai.events/oai13/  
 
4th Open Science Fair 2023. Charting the course: reimagining open science for next generations 
September 25-27, Madrid Spain 
OSFair2023 is organized by OpenAIRE. Conference topics are: 
• Advancing and reforming research assessment (RRA) and open science; connections barriers and way ahead 
• AI impact on open science and open science impact on AI 
• Innovation and disruption in scholarly publishing  
• Fair data, software and hardware 
• Openness in research and education 
• Public engagement and citizen science 
More info at: https://www.opensciencefair.eu/ 
 
 
Please feel free to contact me (annarita.barbaro@iss.it) if you have any further suggestion about initiatives or 
events you would like to promote 
 
 


Publications and new products

Haglund, Lotta

18 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (1): 18
NEWS FROM EAHIL
Dear EAHIL members, 
I hope this letter finds you well. When this is published, the Trondheim Workshop has come to a close, and I 
want to take this opportunity to thank the Trondheim team for their efforts in planning a great event, as well 
as all of our members who attended and made it such a success. It was great to see old friends and make new 
connections. 
At the Workshop, we had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about the latest trends and 
innovations in health information and libraries. We explored the conference theme of Radical Positive Change 
Agents in-depth and heard from colleagues who shared their insights and expertise. I hope all attendees left 
the workshop feeling inspired and empowered to make positive changes in their work.  
For members who didn’t have the opportunity to listen to Lankes’ keynote speech in Trondheim, you can now 
view it online on the EAHIL YouTube account. The presentation is entitled “Radicals, Rebellion, and Saving 
Our Communities”. For those interested I can recommend his book The Atlas of New Librarianship, where he 
introduces the idea of librarians as radical positive change agents. According to Lankes, librarians have always 
been change agents, helping shape their communities by providing access to information and resources. 
However, he argues that in today's rapidly changing world, librarians need to be even more proactive in their 
efforts to effect positive change. Lankes believes that librarians should be active participants in their 
communities, working to help people build the skills and knowledge they need to make positive changes in 
their lives and society. To be effective change agents, Lankes argues that librarians need to embrace several 
fundamental values and practices. These include a commitment to openness, a willingness to take risks, a focus 
on community building, and a belief in the power of collaboration.  
Overall, David Lankes' vision of librarians as radical positive change agents is inspiring. By embracing this role, 
librarians can help to create a more just, equitable, and knowledgeable society. 
Looking ahead, we will launch a new mentorship program later this year, providing opportunities for members 
to connect with more experienced colleagues and receive guidance and support as they navigate their careers. 
More information about this will be communicated in our channels. 
In addition, we are now accepting bids to host our events from 2025 and beyond. If you want to bring our 
community to your city and show us what you've got, please contact me or any Board member! We're always 
looking for new and exciting locations to explore. 
As always, I welcome your feedback and ideas for improving and growing as an association. Don't hesitate to 
reach out to me or any of our Board members with your thoughts and suggestions. 
Thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to seeing you at our next event. 
Letter from the President 
 
 
Lotta Haglund 
 
Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, GIH 
Stockholm, Sweden 
Contact: lotta.haglund@gih.se 
 


Letter from the President

20 Journal of EAHIL 2023; Vol. 19 (1): 20 
NEWS FROM EAHIL
Dear EAHIL Colleagues, 
 
At the time of writing, the snow is falling outside my window, and summer seems far away. But working on 
preparations for the next EAHIL event, I’m reminded that in just a few months, many of us will meet in the 
lovely city of Trondheim, enjoying the “white nights” of June in Scandinavia. Last week the IPC was presented 
with a draft programme for the upcoming EAHIL in Trondheim that looks very exciting. Look out for 
information about registering in the forthcoming weeks. You will find all the information on the workshop 
website: https://eahil2023.org/.  
In November, our new membership database was launched, and in February, Council members were invited 
as administrators for their countries. This will enable Council members to keep track of members in their 
country, including the possibility to e-mail them directly from the database.  
Since EAHIL has changed both the membership database and listserv provider, there is a risk that you might 
miss information if your e-mail server blocks the new domains. Please make sure that all e-mails from 
@myclub.se and @lists.eahil.eu are marked as safe.  
We still need to secure locations for the EAHIL events from 2025 onwards. Since our yearly events are the 
main activities of our Association, and the planning timeline for an event is approximately two years, it’s time 
to start thinking of submitting an expression of interest. It should be sent to the EAHIL Inbox: EAHIL-
SECR@LISTS.EAHIL.EU. Please refer to http://eahil.eu/events/arrange-conference/ for event guidelines, and 
feel free to contact other Board members or me for discussion and support. I’m looking forward to hearing 
from you with proposals and suggestions. 
Finally, I would like to express my condolences to our Turkish colleagues. Sitting safely in Sweden, it is 
impossible to understand the situation in Turkey right now and the difficulties that await in the coming weeks, 
months and years. If you would like to donate, our Turkish colleagues shared the information about an initiative 
to support Turkish librarians in the earthquake area. This was distributed to all of you by e-mail. Please get 
back to me if you would like me to re-send the information. I have also tried to contact Syrian colleagues to 
find out if there are similar initiatives and will share what I learn with you.  
 
Letter from the President 
 
 
Lotta Haglund 
 
Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, GIH 
Stockholm, Sweden 
Contact: lotta.haglund@gih.se 
 


Not a member yet

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Letter from the President

Letter from the President

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