The contributions of library and information services to hospitals and academic health sciences centers: a preliminary taxonomy.
OBJECTIVE
This article presents a taxonomy of the contributions of library and information services (LIS) in hospitals and academic health sciences centers. The taxonomy emerges from a study with three objectives: to articulate the value of LIS for hospitals and academic health sciences centers in terms of contributions to organizational missions and goals, to identify measures and measurable surrogates associated with each LIS contribution, and to document best practices for communicating the value of LIS to institutional administrators.


METHODS
The preliminary taxonomy of LIS contributions in hospitals and academic health sciences centers is based on a review of the literature, twelve semi-structured interviews with LIS directors and institutional administrators, and a focus group of administrators from five academic, teaching, and nonteaching hospitals.


RESULTS
Derived from the balanced scorecard approach, the taxonomy of LIS contributions is organized on the basis of five mission-level concepts and fifteen organizational goals. LIS contributions are included only if they have measurable surrogates.


CONCLUSIONS
The taxonomy of LIS contributions offers a framework for the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data in support of communicating the value of LIS in hospitals and academic health sciences centers.
College of Information Studies, The University of Maryland, College Park 20742, USA. ea29@umail.umd.edu
Eileen G
EG
Abels
Keith W
KW
Cogdill
Lisl
L
Zach
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002965:Classification / Q000379:methods; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D006801:Humans; D007992:Libraries, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007999:Library Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D014481:United States