In quantified logic, “binding” names the relation between a quantifier and one or more variables, e.g. ∀x and x in ∀x[P (x) → Q(x)]. In linguistics, the term has been used in at least three domains: First, for the relation between quantified expressions and pronouns that referentially depend on them, (1). Second for coreference, the relation between two referring expression with the same referent, (2), including hypothesized empty pronouns, (2c). Third, in theories that assume transformations, for the relation between a dislocated phrase and its trace, (3) (see GOVERNMENT AND BINDING THEORY ):
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a delightfully funny musical. Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (251–183 BC), this musical tells the story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The plot displays many classic elements of farce, including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity (frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class.
Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsJon C. DaltonJon Dalton is director and Susan Pillans is program coordinator of the Human Relations Center at the University of Kentucky.Susan PillansJon Dalton is director and Susan Pillans is program coordinator of the Human Relations Center at the University of Kentucky.
The current financial status of the health care industry is viewed both from its effect on the hospital library collection and the response of the hospital library to the financial crisis. Predecessors of this list have been intended as selection guides for a small or medium-size library in a hospital or comparable medical facility. As the prices of books and journals continue to soar, the secondary purpose as a core collection for a consortium of small hospital libraries or a network sharing library resources may eventually become its primary use. Books (607) and journals (140) are categorized by subject; the book list is followed by an author/editor index, and the subject list of journals by an alphabetical title listing. To purchase the entire collection of books and to pay for 1991 subscriptions would require about $77,700. The cost of only the asterisked items totals $29,300.
College and university libraries are primary aids to members of the teaching staffs and to graduate and undergraduate students inasmuch as they provide material for classroom use and for research. The Rutgers University Library is no exception to this rule, and our endeavor has been to supply library material in the following order: (1) for undergraduate study, (2) for the private study of each member of the faculty, (3) for graduate work, (4) for general development of the Library. As a result of this policy, there has been built up at Rutgers a large and well grounded collection of material, not only useful to students and faculty of the University but to many other persons.
OBJECTIVE:Reflecting patterns evident in past Janet Doe Lectures, the 2005 address reviews the Medical Library Association's (MLA's) professional development activities from their beginnings after World War II. A group of related but separate activities is traced through the establishment of an integrated professional development program. A further objective is to introduce newer members of MLA to their heritage and to remind others how the association has reached this point in its history.SETTING:The lecture provides an overview of the evolution of MLA's professional development program-with emphasis on certification and continuing education in the early years. It further reflects briefly on some of the more recent MLA activities that have greatly impacted professional development and underscores some new initiatives.ANALYSIS:The efforts of a virtual who's who of MLA's membership have been responsible for the convergence of the association's efforts over more than half a century to provide a comprehensive professional development program. As a participant in MLA's professional development activities for more than forty years, the 2005 lecturer provides a personal view of the growth and expansion of the program.CONCLUSIONS:Professional development has been a hallmark of MLA for many years. The association's challenge is to continue to develop creative and innovative programs, to continuously review and revise existing programs, and to have the vision and vitality to maintain a viable program that will provide the membership with the knowledge and skills needed to function effectively now and in the future.
In her column in the January 2001 issue of the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, Carolyn Lipscomb accurately pointed out how the idea of the library as a laboratory emerged in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, both as a symptom of the changes taking place in collections during the period and as an expression of the changing role of the library “in facilitating the use of information to develop new knowledge.” No one promoted this “workshop” model for the library more than Justin Winsor (1831–1897), appointed Harvard's chief librarian in 1877 and the first president of the American Library Association. “Books may be accumulated and guarded, and the result is sometimes a library,” he proclaimed, “but if books are made to help and spur men on in their daily work, the library becomes a vital influence; the prison is turned into a workshop” [1]. This revolutionary concept held special implications for professional practice. Melvil Dewey (1851–1931) pioneered reference service at Columbia and, in so doing, ushered in a tremendous advance for the provision of information resources, but, for all our veneration of Dewey, it should be remembered that he often referred to librarianship as that perfect “mechanical art” [2]. Dewey was interested in the technical proficiencies of collection organization and access, and his concept of reference service—indeed of librarianship in general—always left the impression of technical tinkering rather than substantive content development. Not so with the likes of Winsor or, for that matter, Pierce Butler (1884–1953), who came much later and understood that librarians needed a rather high degree of knowledge and sophistication with regard to the content of the collections they managed. Anyone who wants a primer on this should read John V. Richardson's The Gospel of Scholarship: Pierce Butler and a Critique of American Librarianship. Dewey saw the librarian as the scholar's helpmate; Winsor and Butler saw the librarian as the scholar's navigator and counselor and sometimes even as the scholar. The former aids the process; the latter is the process. Winsor and Butler exemplified this beau ideal in their own professional practice. Winsor, for example, produced an exhaustive biography of Christopher Columbus [3] and helped fashion the American Library Association that would help lead librarianship beyond a mere ancillary activity toward a complex profession [4]. Butler not only wrote a textbook on librarianship now considered a classic [5], he also supervised the work of thirty-five doctoral and fourteen master's degree students during his twenty years at the University of Chicago [6]. One never encounters this level of scholarship in Dewey, and there is no indication that he thought it particularly necessary. Medical librarianship had its counterpart in John Shaw Billings (1838–1913), whose Index Medicus (1879) and subject-based Index Catalogue of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office (1880) called upon both his expertise as a physician as well as his skill as a bibliographer [7]. His work reflected the scholarly role of the librarian as much as it expressed the library's emerging mission as the scholar's workshop. These dual concepts of librarianship persist at least in part, because librarians always exhibit a bit of both in their daily activities. The roles of librarians as helpers or scholars each have their appropriate place, and today a good deal of scholarship rests upon the technical ability to access and organize the information requisite to the task. In some measure, the distinction of librarians as proactive scholars and librarians as technical assistants has blurred. I worry sometimes about those administrators outside our field who see us only as the scholars' helpers never as the scholars. Such a view diminishes the librarian from an essential part of the academic faculty to a mere nicety that is in some measure appreciated but always expendable. Whenever I see administrations behaving this way, I cannot but help thinking that we have Dewey to thank for this reductio ad absurdum. My congratulations to Lipscomb on a thought-provoking piece.
The annual Janet Doe Lecture was established in 1966 to honor Janet Doe, emerita librarian of the New York Academy of Medicine. The lecture focuses on either the history or philosophy of health sciences librarianship. This lecture addresses three fundamental values of the field, highlighting basic beliefs of the profession that are at risk: privacy, intellectual property rights, and access to quality information. It calls upon readers to make the everyday choices required to keep the value system of health sciences librarianship in place. Robert Frost's poignant poem "The Road Not Taken" provides the metaphor for examining choices in an information economy.
The Web Redesign Committee at the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL) of the University of Maryland was formed to evaluate its site and oversee the site's redesign. The committee's goal was to design a site that would be functional, be usable, and provide the library with a more current image. Based on a literature review and discussions with colleagues, a usability study was conducted to gain a better understanding of how the Website was used. Volunteers from across the campus participated in the study. A Web-based survey was also used to gather feedback. To complement user input, library staff were asked to review the existing site. A prototype site was developed incorporating suggestions obtained from the evaluation mechanisms. The usability study was particularly useful because it identified problem areas, including terminology, which would have been overlooked by library staff. A second usability study was conducted to refine the prototype. The new site was launched in the spring of 2000. The usability studies were valuable mechanisms in designing the site. Users felt invested in the project, and the committee received valuable feedback. This process led to an improved Website and higher visibility for the library on campus.
The author of this book holds a degree in communications and has worked for more than a decade as the community relations manager at the Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library. Although he does not have a library or information science degree, he shows significant insight regarding how library staff and directors should manage the “difficult patron.” Also, despite the fact that this book is written for public library staff, many of the depicted scenarios and offered solutions can apply to medical library settings. In fact, at least two scenarios use health care–related examples. One such scenario involves an overwhelmed library patron looking for health care information regarding her ill mother (p. 15). Another is an analogy to a hospital setting, where a nurse inadvertently dehumanizes a patient with a possible brain tumor by saying to a technician, “I've got a head for you” (p. 16). These two examples, which occur at the outset of the book, unintentionally crystallize two important facts about the medical library setting: searching for medical information can be stressful, and patrons seeking such information—whether laypersons or professionals—can be harried or burned-out. Another book, Coping with Difficult People in the Health Care Setting [1], does not pertain directly to libraries but elaborates on the idiosyncrasies of dealing with health care professionals, who are described as “demanding” and as “expect[ing] special treatment” (p. 3). The book even devotes a chapter (pp. 111–117) to the high-tech professional (HTP), who “may become abrasive to others” (p. 113). So, in the medical library environment, guidance for coping with inherent potential conflicts can be used. The first chapter of Dealing with Difficult People in the Library points out many reasons why the present-day library is prone to stress. One such reason is that the environment is constantly changing, to the extent that “change is our motto” (p. 4). This change is contradicted by the tendency and need to “control” the environment (p. 8). This contradiction causes tension for both library staff and patrons. The first chapter also highlights “workable solutions,” which are elaborated on throughout the book, namely, developing communication skills, creating policies that reduce problems, and training for all library staff (pp. 4–5). Chapters 2 and 3 outline very specific techniques for how library staff can control themselves and thus control the difficult situation. The techniques are really keys to successful interpersonal communication in general. The remaining chapters in Section I, entitled “Problem Patrons? No Problem!,” are primarily devoted to specific types of problems or users. There are not only chapters on the more common occurrences of “angry” patrons or “complainers,” but also chapters pertaining to dangerous, mentally ill, and homeless (with some fascinating statistics) patrons, as well as dealing with suspicions of child abuse. Many medical libraries are open to the general public, so these scenarios can indeed arise. Perhaps the chapter about dealing with children is the least relevant for the medical library setting. Most of the chapters about specific types of users and situations are structured with goals, guidelines, and sample situations. This format, combined with the initial and closing general or summary chapters, leads to occasional redundancy across chapters of basic techniques such as “stay calm” (pp. 24, 32, 37). Nonetheless, having each chapter devoted to a specific type of scenario is useful. The chapter called “Real Problem Cases” suggests, in some instances, referring the problem patron to “the director or some other management person” (p. 27). Following this suggestion are very practical tips as to exactly what the director should do and say. For example, the director should tell the patron exactly “which behaviors are prohibited” and that “repeating these behaviors will result in banning from the library” (p. 27). Advice follows to put that information in writing for the patron. The importance of listening to the patron's point of view is emphasized, because “the patron may point out some issue that causes or exacerbates his or her behavior” (p. 27). Although these tips may seem obvious upon reading them, under stress, a director or manager may not have the presence of mind to take these steps without some advance training or advice to do so. In fact, much of the advice in the book boils down to seemingly obvious “common sense” and good communication skills, but many of us do not demonstrate those traits when stressed. Also in Section I is a chapter on “Taming the Internet.” In this chapter, the book's intended audience of the public library is apparent. This chapter is not as helpful for academic or medical libraries. Certainly, some issues and tips do relate, but the chapter takes a somewhat simplified perspective, comparing the taming of the Internet to the taming of videos (p. 45). The chapter does not fully address the very complex role the Internet plays in our libraries. Section II is entitled “Talking about Communication.” Skills alluded to in Section I are further developed. Section III, entitled “Preventing Problems,” introduces new ideas and elaborates on previously introduced ideas. It begins with a chapter about the importance of good customer service as a means of preventing problems. Indeed, discussing “dealing with difficult people in the library” is impossible without discussing good customer service. Perhaps such a discussion would have been more useful at the outset of the book. Nonetheless, the illustrated points would be useful in devising customer service guidelines. Section III also includes chapters about the importance of developing policies, training staff regarding policies, and improving staff morale and safety. The chapter about creating policies focuses on creating a “Rules for Patrons” document (p. 113). The guidelines are specific and very helpful, but, at least in one instance, the chapter does not draw upon some of the excellent advice stated earlier in the book. An outstanding example relates to the chapter on the homeless, which wisely advises that “when writing these rules, we need to focus on the behavior we are concerned about, and not focus on any certain group [of patrons]” (p. 59). That tip is not reiterated in quite the same way in the chapter about policies. Because of some scattered information such as this, it is important when using this book to take it in its entirety and not to skip to a particular chapter. The appendixes include sample policies and patron rules, a sample procedure manual, and an overview of mental illnesses. The content of Dealing with Difficult People in the Library is similar to two comparable books, Serving the Difficult Customer [2] and Defusing the Angry Patron [3], both part of the How-To-Do-It Manuals for Librarians series from Neal-Schuman. One difference is that the Neal-Schuman books take more of a workbook format. Serving the Difficult Customer categorizes difficult customers slightly differently than Willis's book. For example, there are chapters on passive-aggressive behavior (chapter 6) and unresponsive people (chapter 8). It also includes a useful appendix outlining guidelines from the American Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Committee for developing policies and procedures (pp. 155–157). These books are useful complements to Willis's book. Dealing with Difficult People in the Library is recommended for staff at all levels, from paraprofessionals to administrators. The book can be used as a tool for assisting managers to write policies, and it gives managers important advice such as the need to empower employees to make on-the-spot decisions (pp. 111, 147). The book is also full of useful tips for front-line staff.
PURPOSE:The Shared Hospital Electronic Library of Southern Indiana (SHELSI) research project was designed to determine whether access to a virtual health sciences library and training in its use would support medical decision making in rural southern Indiana and achieve the same level of impact seen by targeted information services provided by health sciences librarians in urban hospitals.METHODS:Based on the results of a needs assessment, a virtual medical library was created; various levels of training were provided. Virtual library users were asked to complete a Likert-type survey, which included questions on intent of use and impact of use. At the conclusion of the project period, structured interviews were conducted.RESULTS:Impact of the virtual health sciences library showed a strong correlation with the impact of information provided by health sciences librarians. Both interventions resulted in avoidance of adverse health events. Data collected from the structured interviews confirmed the perceived value of the virtual library.CONCLUSION:While librarians continue to hold a strong position in supporting information access for health care providers, their roles in the information age must begin to move away from providing information toward selecting and organizing knowledge resources and instruction in their use.
Objectives: To obtain basic information about non-librarian health professionals who become librarians and information specialists.Methods: The survey was a Web-based questionnaire. A non-random sample of persons was obtained by posting messages to several large Internet electronic discussion groups. Individuals who met the selection criteria and were willing to participate filled out a Web-based form designed using common gateway interface (CGI) programming.Results: 118 forms were analyzed. Three subgroups of participants were identified and statistical comparisons among these groups were carried out for many of the quantitative questions. Information concerning reasons they left their original field; factors influencing their choice of the field of library and information science; reactions of family, friends, and colleagues; and interactions with patrons and other information about this group was obtained and summarized. A health sciences background was seen as helpful in the new career as information specialist. Most people were happy with their new profession despite negative reactions from colleagues, relatives, and, occasionally, patrons. Feelings of regret and abandonment of their patients were noted by some. Many persons did not know that peers had made similar career changes.Conclusions: A health sciences background imparts an expertise in both the vocabulary and subject matter of medicine that non-biomedical individuals would not ordinarily have. Although becoming a librarian may be perceived as a very positive career change for an individual, societal opinion and pressure can make such a career change difficult. Nevertheless, participants in this survey demonstrate a high level of satisfaction with their new careers and are quite happy with their work.
The widespread availability of medical information on the Internet and the impact of this on the physician-patient relationship was a significant development in health care in the 1990s. It has been estimated that more than 40% of searches on the Internet are for health-related information [1]. An estimated sixty million patients annually turn to the Internet, sometimes instead of a family physician, for health care information [2]. It is safe to say that the volume of health and medical information accessible to patients and physicians at the turn of the century far exceeds that anticipated by all sectors of health care. Without question, access to information on the Internet is having a profound effect on the practice of medicine. Patients now have access to information heretofore available only to health care professionals. Although data are not readily available, evidently, “many clinicians are finding themselves upstaged and ill prepared to cope with patients who bring along information downloaded from the Internet” [3]. With Web technology becoming increasingly pervasive, not knowing the information-seeking patterns of patients puts physicians at a distinct disadvantage [4].
