







































Research Section Awards - De Groote, Lyon, Henner, and Kim Powell 

 

   

Hypothesis, vol. 28, no. 1, Fall 2016                                                                      42                                                                                

 

 

HONORABLE MENTION  

 

Authors: Rick Wallace, AHIP – Assistant Director, Quillen College of Medicine Library;                  

Nakia Woodward – Sr. Clinical Librarian, Quillen College of Medicine Library 

Title: Piecing Together the Mosaic of Rural Clinician Information Practices over a Twenty Year Period 

 

Abstract:  

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine how the information practices of rural 

clinicians in fifteen counties have changed over the last twenty years. This data is needed to 

design programs to meet the information needs of the population. 

Methods: This study is a longitudinal cross-sectional study. A validated survey methodology was 

used to gather data at a specific point in time. Physicians’ names were gathered from the state 

licensing verification database and librarians’ personal knowledge. Advanced practice and 

registered nurses were identified from a list from the state center for nursing. The questionnaires 

were sent by mail with a self-addressed stamped return envelope with a cover letter explaining 

the purpose of the survey. Returned surveys were accepted for a 6 week period. The physicians 

surveyed were the complete population of a fifteen county area and nurse/nurse practitioners 

were a random sample of the population. Previous iterations were done in 1998 and 2009. 

Results: In 1997, names of physicians and nurses in 17 rural Tennessee counties were obtained. 

A random sample (p=.05) was surveyed for a total of 707-(357 RNs and 350 MDs). In 2009, this 

exact procedure was replicated with slight adjustments to the survey instrument (477 RNs and 

312 MDs=789). Eighteen percent (125) of the information questionnaires were returned in 1997. 

In 2009, sixteen percent (124) of usable surveys were returned. In 2015, one hundred thirty 

useful surveys were collected. Clinicians were measured as to information barriers, resources, 

access points, smartphone use, and practice demographics. 

Conclusions: We need to be out in the community improving access to health information. A 

longitudinal, cross-sectional study is a good methodology to map progress and trends. Making 

changes in the community is hard. Hospital purchases by large corporations affect outreach 

opportunities. 

 



Research Section Awards - De Groote, Lyon, Henner, and Kim Powell 

 

   

Hypothesis, vol. 28, no. 1, Fall 2016                                                                      43                                                                                

 

 

BEST HOSPITAL PAPER/POSTER 

 

Authors: Sarah Sutton – Clinical Librarian, University Hospitals of Leicester 

Title: Has the Distribution and Role of Clinical Librarians in the United Kingdom Changed in the 

Last Ten Years? 

 

Abstract:  

Objectives: To establish if the number of Clinical Librarians (CLs) has changed over the eleven 

years since the first Clinical Librarian survey was conducted in 2004. To investigate whether 

newer roles such as Embedded Librarians or Informationists have been established. To see if 

there is geographical variation in such roles and to gain data to enable further networking of 

these post holders. 

Methods: A questionnaire was sent to the UK email discussion lists, also blogged and tweeted. 

The questionnaire was matched to the one used in 2004, so that trends could be identified. 

Results: The results of the questionnaire were analysed. In 2004 26 librarians responded to the 

original survey and identified themselves as working as CLs (although the actual job title may 

have been different) in 2015 47 respondents identified as CLs, with an additional 32 identifying 

as Outreach Librarians, 9 as Embedded Librarians and 2 as Informationists. The 2004 CLs were 

largely full time, with 92% in this category, in 2015 the split was 58% full time and 42% part time. 

Conclusions: Clinical Librarians have increased in numbers in the last ten years but so have other 

roles that mimic or build on the Clinical Librarian role. In 2004 Clinical Librarians were largely full 

time, in 2015 the part time roles have increased dramatically. A map will be included in the actual 

poster showing geographical distribution of the different roles. 

 

 

  



Research Section Awards - De Groote, Lyon, Henner, and Kim Powell 

 

   

Hypothesis, vol. 28, no. 1, Fall 2016                                                                      44                                                                                

 

 

 

BEST JMLA RESEARCH PAPER (2014-2015) 

 

Authors: Julie M. Glanville, MSc, Associate Director; Steven Duffy, PgDip, Senior Information 

Consultant; Rachael McCool, BSc, Research Consultant; Danielle Varley, MSc, Research Assistant; 

York Health Economics Consortium, University of York,, United Kingdom 

Title: Searching ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform to inform 

systematic reviews: what are the optimal search approaches? 

Citation: J Med Libr Assoc. 2014 Jul;102(3):177-83. doi: 10.3163/1536-5050.102.3.007. 

 

Abstract:  

Background: Since 2005, International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) member 

journals have required that clinical trials be registered in publicly available trials registers before 

they are considered for publication. 

Objectives: The research explores whether it is adequate, when searching to inform systematic 

reviews, to search for relevant clinical trials using only public trials registers and to identify the 

optimal search approaches in trials registers. 

Methods: A search was conducted in ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials 

Registry Platform (ICTRP) for research studies that had been included in eight systematic reviews. 

Four search approaches (highly sensitive, sensitive, precise, and highly precise) were performed 

using the basic and advanced interfaces in both resources. 

Results: On average, 84% of studies were not listed in either resource. The largest number of 

included studies was retrieved in ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP when a sensitive search approach 

was used in the basic interface. The use of the advanced interface maintained or improved 

sensitivity in 16 of 19 strategies for Clinicaltrials.gov and 8 of 18 for ICTRP. No single search 

approach was sensitive enough to identify all studies included in the 6 reviews. 

Conclusions: Trials registers cannot yet be relied upon as the sole means to locate trials for 

systematic reviews. Trials registers lag behind the major bibliographic databases in terms of their 

search interfaces. 

Implications: For systematic reviews, trials registers and major bibliographic databases should 

be searched. Trials registers should be searched using sensitive approaches, and both the 

registers consulted in this study should be searched.



Research Section Programs MLA16 - Marton and Ascher 

 

   

Hypothesis, vol. 28, no. 1, Fall 2016                                                                      45                                                                                

 

 
TITLE 

Research Section Programs at MLA’16 

 

AUTHORS 

Christine Marton 

Marie Ascher 

 

INTRODUCTION 

This year’s annual conference was co-organized by the Medical Library Association and the 

Canadian Health Libraries Association/ Association des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada.  

MOSAIC’16 was held in Toronto, Ontario at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Although the 

weather was unseasonably cold, attendees enjoyed a wide range of programming and 

entertaining social events in downtown Toronto, Canada’s largest city and financial capital. 

 

The Research Section offered two section programs. The first program focused on systematic 

reviews and the role of the librarian while the second program focused on professional 

communication skills for presenting and publishing research. Beyond the Search was identified 

as one of the highest ranked conference programs in the July 7, 2016 issue of MLA-FOCUS. 

 
 

Beyond the Search: Expanding the Role of the Librarian in the Systematic Review Process  

Session Program 3  

Monday, May 16, 2016  

1:00 p.m.–2:25 p.m.  

Room 104C  

Moderator: Marie T. Ascher, Lillian Hetrick Huber Endowed Director, Health Sciences Library, 

New York Medical College–Valhalla  

Speakers: Marie T. Ascher, Margaret J. Foster, AHIP, Mark MacEachern, and Whitney A. Townsend 

Direct Link:  http://eventscribe.com/2016/MLA/TwitterPres.asp?Pres=135613 

 

 

  

http://eventscribe.com/2016/MLA/TwitterPres.asp?Pres=135613


Research Section Programs MLA16 - Marton and Ascher 

 

   

Hypothesis, vol. 28, no. 1, Fall 2016                                                                      46                                                                                

 

 

Librarians are increasingly involved with systematic reviews, most frequently as creators of the 

exhaustive search strategy as recommended by the Institute of Medicine guidelines, and also as 

organizers, archivers, and writers of the search method component. In this session a 

distinguished panel of systematic review experts will present strategies and tools for expanding 

the role of the librarian "beyond the search," to  the project and data management aspects of 

the next steps during systematic review process- selection, appraisal, and data extraction.           

This session will dispel the notion that librarians are only suited for the search component of the 

systematic review process by describing some of the methods to select and assess studies, 

extract data, and present results.. Topics that will be covered include: 

 

  *   Overall systematic review process 

  *   Quality assurance through project management principles 

  *   Screening and selection of studies, including how to calculate inter-rater agreement 

  *   Risk of bias assessment tools, focusing on validated tools 

  *   Data extraction tools and techniques 

  *   Presentation of results and archiving data 
 

 

The goal of this session is to provide participants with an increased understanding of these 

components to move forward to expanding their roles in the overall systematic review process. 

 

 

Professional Communication Skills: Publishing and Presenting Your Research 

Tuesday, May 17 

3:00 p.m. - 4:25 p.m. 

Room 203D 

Moderator: Patrick McLaughlin 

Technical Information Specialist, MEDLARS MANAGEMENT SECTION, National Library of Medicine, 

Bethesda, Maryland 

Moderator: Ariel Deardorff 

Assessment and Data Management Librarian, NLM Associate Fellow, University of California,      

San Francisco, UCSF Library, San Francisco, California 

 

https://www.eventscribe.com/2016/MLA/SearchByKeyword.asp
https://www.eventscribe.com/2016/MLA/SearchByKeyword.asp


Research Section Programs MLA16 - Marton and Ascher 

 

   

Hypothesis, vol. 28, no. 1, Fall 2016                                                                      47                                                                                

 

Speakers: Jacqueline Wirz, Natalie Clairoux, Joey Nicholson, Carole M. Gilbert, AHIP, FMLA, Cari 

Markley, and I. Diane Cooper, AHIP 

 

This program brings together leaders from the profession to share professional communication 

strategies. The session is divided into two communication areas: presentations and publishing. 

The presentation component focuses on how librarians can improve their presentation and 

public speaking skills. The publishing component focuses on how to write for publication, identify 

publication venues, and successfully navigate the publication process. The emphasis of this panel 

discussion is effective communication strategies for sharing information.  Panelists include Jackie 

Wirz (Research Data Specialist, Oregon Health and Sciences University), Natalie Clairoux 

(Biomedical Librarian, University of Montreal / Université de Montréal), Joey Nicholson (Education 

and Curriculum Librarian, New York University Health Sciences Library), Diane Cooper (editor, 

Journal of the Medical Library Association), Carole Gilbert (editor, Journal of Hospital Librarianship), 

and Cari Merkley (co-editor, Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association / Journal de 

l’Association des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada). 

 

 
 

Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Entrance, downtown Toronto 


