Bethesda Medical Libraries Emergency Preparedness Partnership
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This document summarizes interviews conducted with members of the Bethesda Medical Libraries Emergency Preparedness Partnership regarding the development and benefits of the partnership. Key findings include that the partnership was formed through discussions around the role libraries can play in disaster situations and provides benefits like increased networking, disaster training, and information sharing. The interviews also highlight the non-traditional roles libraries and librarians may take during emergencies.
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Bethesda Medical Libraries Emergency Preparedness Partnership
- 1. Working Together Interviews with the Bethesda Medical Libraries Emergency Preparedness Partnership & Promotion of the Disaster Information Specialist Project Amy Donahue Project Leader: Cindy Love July 29th, 2009
- 2. Outline Objectives Methods Interview Questions/Answers Results Conclusions
- 3. Objectives To gather qualitative information on the Bethesda Medical Libraries Emergency Preparedness Partnership (BMLEPP) Development of BMLEPP To promote the Disaster Information Specialist Project
- 4. Methods Interviews with every member library of the BMLEPP. The questions for the interviews were based on Robin Featherstone’s for her work collecting the stories of libraries that had experienced disasters for the Library Disaster Stories website. Attendance at monthly Disaster Information Specialist Project meetings and participation in the corresponding listserv.
- 5. Interview Questions How did you get involved with this partnership? How would the library/librarians in your location respond in an emergency? Would there be unusual/non-traditional roles? How have the library and/or its services changes as a result of joining this partnership? What, in your opinion, are the roles of librarians and libraries in general in disaster planning, response, and recovery? What training have you participated in? What training would you like to see?
- 6. Interview Answers “…because of discussions about the role library services could play with ASPR, the fact that a colleague of Alicia’s was already providing services to other offices under the Office of the Secretary, and Cindy Love and NLM’s interest and work on DIMRC…the NIH Library and Alicia (who also has a public health degree) got involved.” “Suburban Hospital has specific roles for department directors. As director of the library, Brittany’s role is to report to the command center, then do anything needed as told (e.g. distributing supplies).” “Networking has been a big plus. Cindy has to think nationally, but it’s nice to act locally, and to be a part of something.” “Being the point of contact and an information resource post-disaster.” “Interviews with faculty, nurses, doctors, etc. have been the most educational: learned what resources they want and hearing their stories…”
- 7. Results A total of six interviews were conducted with seven staff members at the five partner libraries. A “no-host dinner” took place during the Special Libraries Association annual conference in Washington, DC. A total of 12 librarians attended. Attendance at the SLA Emergency Preparedness & Recovery Advisory Council meeting with Alison Rollins (USUHS)
- 9. Conclusions The stories of the BMLEPP partner libraries may be useful to other libraries interested in forming similar local groups and so should be posted on the NN/LM Toolkit website. From the interviews: Benefits: NLM funding and increased networking both between and within each library’s the libraries’ institutions Disaster-related training From the promotion of the Disaster Information Specialist Project: Involvement of other types of libraries Avoidance of duplication of effort Creation of a “professional home.”
- 10. Reflections Meeting people Getting involved
- 11. Acknowledgments Cindy Love The interviewees: Tahirih Fusscas, Brittany Haliani, Alicia Livinski, Cindy Love, Alison Rollins, Dr. Jack Schmidt, & Linda Spitzer Robin Featherstone Dr. Lisl Zach (chair of SLA’s EPRAC) The AFP: Jason Broadway, Kathel Dunn, Sally Sinn, & the Fellows
- 12. Questions?
Notes de l'éditeur
- The motivation behind the first objective is the potential for the Partnership’s story to be added to NN/LM Emergency Preparedness & Response Toolkit: Library Disaster Stories. The Partnership could then serve as a more visible example for other libraries interested in creating similar groups.The Partnership had something of a grassroots development. 3 other projects started the wheels turning. First, the Bethesda Hospitals Emergency Preparedness Partnership was created in 2004 in response to the potential for huge patient surges if an attack should happen in the DC area (BHEPP = NIH, Naval, & Suburban). Perhaps more visible at NLM, however, were the Disaster Info Specialist pilot project and the NN/LM “buddy system” (which matched RMLs to coordinate and provide backup services for each other if necessary). Because of the BHEPP and DISP projects, the librarians at several of the locations were already talking, and it was realized that a local buddy system might be beneficial.The 2nd objective was to promote the DISP to libraries by taking advantage of the fact that SLA was meeting in DC. It was felt that the project is probably of interest to non-medical libraries, and that this meeting was a good place to look into promoting NLM’s work.These two objectives were almost two separate mini projects, but both are steps towards increasing the visibility of NLM’s work in disaster-related information and helping provide libraries of any type around the country (and world) with disaster resources (and examples) for their own work related to the topic.
- The project leader identified the relevant staff members of each library, and the author contacted them through e-mail and arranged a time to physically visit each BMLEPP library and perform the interview. The same five questions were discussed at every interview, after which the author transcribed the notes and sent them back to the interviewee for any revisions or additions.These two venues served as the primary places for gathering information on how to further promote the project (the second objective).
- ASPR – Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response (HHS)
- Two interviews were at the National Naval Medical Center’s Stitt Library – the first with library volunteer and disaster management researcher Dr. Jack Schmidt and the second with Tahirih Fusscas, Reference Librarian. The interview at the James A. Zimble Learning Resource Center, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) was conducted with both Alison Rollins (Reference and Instructional Librarian) and Linda Spitzer (Head of Reference and Interlibrary Loan) in the room. One staff member was interviewed at each of the remaining three partner libraries: Brittany Haliani, Director of the Medical Library at Suburban Hospital; Alicia Livinski, Biomedical Librarian at the National Institutes of Health Library; and Cindy Love, Technical Information Specialist at the Disaster Information Management Research Center, Specialized Information Services Division, National Library of Medicine.The librarians attending the no-host dinner included individuals from non-medical libraries who were previously unaware of the Disaster Information Specialist Project and NLM’s work in emergency preparedness and response. We also spoke at the EPRAC meeting about some NLM’s work and listened while the committee members discussed their goals for the upcoming year.
- Pictures!
- The interviews revealed that the BMLEPP provides a specific example of a local partnership that developed through grassroots organization for the benefit of all members. By providing this example through the Toolkit (and through the listserv and conference presentations), NLM is doing additional outreach. This story can be used to promote NLM tools & resources, but it is also a unique opportunity to reach out to other types of libraries. It’s also a unique demonstration of NLM’s involvement in something at a local level, which may help it empathize with other libraries and help other libraries see it as something besides the 800lb gorilla.Every library mentioned the funding (with the exception of NLM). Creating some kind of program for funding for similar partnerships, perhaps through the NN/LM might be considered. The networking aspect was also mentioned by nearly all the partners (USUHS the one exception). In fact, the networking was not only between libraries, but within the home institutions. For example, Brittany at Suburban Hospital specifically mentioned that as a result of the partnership between libraries, she’s now working with the Emergency Preparedness Group within the hospital.The disaster training ranged from Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) to training in disaster information tools (specifically the Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders or WISER). From the promotional work, and actually from the partnership interviews as well, it was apparent that the involvement of other types of libraries is of interest. For example, corporate libraries were interested at SLA and a couple of the BMLEPP interviewees mentioned getting public libraries involved.From discussions during the DISP meetings and SLA it was clear that there avoiding duplication is a priority, and the final conclusion is related. More work needs to be done to continue to bring all librarians involved in disaster planning, response, and recovery together. Continued communication with all library groups (such as the American Libraries Association and others) to determine what is out there and what is needed is important.
- Going around to all the different locations and also meeting new people at SLA was personally a great experience. I’ve gotten involved on the listserv, and I hope to become more involved with the related groups and people in SLA and MLA.It was a great experience, talking to people and learning what’s out there! I was also impressed with the collaboration in the partnership. The MOU is definitely an accomplishment, and I’d love to be involved with creating similar partnerships elsewhere, because the benefits are concrete, and sometimes surprising!