This study compares health science librarian job postings in the MEDLIB-L listserv from 2018–2019 and 2021–2022 to assess whether there was an increase in remote or hybrid schedule arrangements listed in job advertisements after the pandemic’s onset. Results indicated a notable increase in advertising remote/hybrid work arrangements rising from 1.2% of listings in 2018–2019 to 16% of listings in 2021–2022. Data from a 2022 survey of library directors, however, indicated that approximately 70% of respondents expressed confidence in the continuance of remote/hybrid work. Additionally, from a very limited sample size, salaries for remote/hybrid positions did not appear to be less than in-person postings. While current employees at many institutions may benefit from flexible scheduling, this study examines whether job postings, which are often the primary information available to applicants, included information about remote and hybrid work options.

The ability to be flexible and adapt quickly to changing circumstances is a crucial skill for librarians to develop in a world increasingly characterized by rapid change. It can take a crisis to learn how effective librarians have become in developing the needed adaptive behaviors, including a willingness to change workstyles, experiment with new technologies and readily move on from failed experiments. In this paper, librarians from the Preston Medical Library at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, prompted by the crisis of COVID-19, present their response. Beginning with a description of how services were provided prior to the pandemic, librarians detail their response in several key areas and show how they implemented new approaches to teaching, collaboration, and mutual support, working together to handle patron issues and pursue scholarly activities.

For many librarians, searching the literature, assisting with research projects, and providing publication support are important roles. With those roles comes the arduous task of obtaining needed information in multiple databases. Dimensions attempt to simplify the process by linking needed information into one database. A comprehensive database, Dimensions indexes publications, data sets, grants, patents, clinical trials, and policy documents. Author profiles are also included, enabling one to search by author, institution, or subject. This review examines Dimensions and assesses whether the product would be useful to librarians.

Objective: This study assesses the prevalence, usage, and impact of remote/hybrid work in academic health science libraries in 2022 and 2023. Due to differences in survey distribution, we focus primarily on the results of the second survey. Methods: Researchers surveyed administrators at Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) member libraries in the United States in March 2022 and library staff at academic health sciences libraries in March 2023. Results: The first survey received 71 responses that met inclusion criteria. Ninety-five percent of respondents indicated that remote/hybrid work was allowed in their libraries. Majorities indicated that remote/hybrid work had a positive impact on morale (86%), recruitment (53%) and retention (67%). The second survey received 383 responses that met inclusion criteria. 78% of respondents indicated they were allowed to work remotely, and majorities indicated remote/hybrid work positively impacted work/life balance (75%), morale/job satisfaction (69%), likelihood of staying at their current institution (64%), and productivity/overall effectiveness (58%). Respondents were less likely to accept a fully onsite (45% unlikely) or fully remote (20% unlikely) position than a hybrid one (1% unlikely). In a list of 9 factors associated with recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction, only salary and benefits ranked higher than remote/hybrid work. Conclusions: Remote/hybrid work is common in academic health science libraries and highly valued by employees. While not without challenges, remote/hybrid work appears to be a valuable tool to support recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction of workers in academic health sciences libraries. The findings of this study can inform library decision makers about future use of remote/hybrid work.

Job postings for medical and health sciences librarians provide valuable data for those seeking a better understanding of the evolving field of librarianship. Our data indicate a decrease in the number of postings from 2022 to 2024, a modest increase in the percentage of postings advertising remote/hybrid work, an increase in the average minimum posted salary, and a majority of postings focused on one or more public service components of library services. Utilizing this data provides a more complete picture of a profession in transition.

Objective: At many institutions, literature search services are an important aspect of health science librarianship. This exploratory study analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the use of an academic hospital medical library’s literature search service. Methods: To evaluate the pandemic’s impact on literature searching at The University of Tennessee Medical Center’s Preston Medical Library, data were analyzed for changes from the year before the pandemic (March 1, 2019 to February 29, 2020) to the first year during the pandemic (March 1st, 2020 to February 28, 2021). This was accomplished using LibWizard, a library feedback and assessment application, to review literature search data during the two periods. Variables of interest included total searches, purpose of searches, affiliation of the searcher, and searches with a pandemic-related research question. Results: A 36.6% drop in literature search service usage was reported from the pre-pandemic year to the during-pandemic year. There was a 55.3% decrease in searches intended for research, as well as significant decreases in the number of searches requested by all patron affiliations. After March 2020, 10% of all searches concerned a COVID-related topic. Conclusion: The overall decrease in literature search requests, decrease in research searches, decrease in searches among all patron affiliations, and increase in searches on a COVID-related topic suggest that healthcare worker and institutional priorities changed during the pandemic. The results revealed research interests during the first year of the pandemic, as well as an overall change in library service functionality.