Opinions of a Wolf

So at the meeting, librarians present their papers that were accepted to the conference.  These are organized into groups of four sponsored by one of the MLA’s sections.  I was a bit late to the Research Section, since I got caught up at the poster exhibit, but here are my notes for the two presentations I did see that day.

“The Analysis and Translation of Unpublished Health Sciences Data: Extra Innings for the Library Profession” by Wallace McLendon, David Potenziani, and Susan Corbett, AHIP

• The ability to use data to answer questions brings more work to library.
• When people say they want to access data, they really want the information that can be derived from it.
• analytics: reactive vs. proactive
• Libraries hold and curate data. Expand that to analysis.
• Do more to reach administrators in terms of competitive intelligence.
• Don’t define your job too narrowly.

“Hitting a Home Run: Statistician Consults at the AG-VET MED Library Improve Research Design Quality” by Ann Viera

• Medical libraries are partnering with statisticians.
• Librarian-statistician partnership to improve research design.
• The alternatives search was occurring too late in the process to improve animal welfare.  This frustrates the librarian and angers the researcher.
• Access to statistical reports needs to be happening earlier in the research program.
• Consulting on stats improves animal welfare.
• Having the statistician in the library improves the concept of library as space.
• Providing access to the statistician protects faculty from becoming overburderned.
• Do it right or do it over (in research and construction).
• Doing the research before designing the study helps you design the study correctly the first time.