Vignettes: Diverse library staff offering diverse bioinformatics services.
OBJECTIVE
The paper gives examples of the bioinformatics services provided in a variety of different libraries by librarians with a broad range of educational background and training.


METHODS
Two investigators sent an email inquiry to attendees of the "National Center for Biotechnology Information's (NCBI) Introduction to Molecular Biology Information Resources" or "NCBI Advanced Workshop for Bioinformatics Information Specialists (NAWBIS)" courses. The thirty-five-item questionnaire addressed areas such as educational background, library setting, types and numbers of users served, and bioinformatics training and support services provided. Answers were compiled into program vignettes.


CONCLUSIONS
The bioinformatics support services addressed in the paper are based in libraries with academic and clinical settings. Services have been established through different means: in collaboration with biology faculty as part of formal courses, through teaching workshops in the library, through one-on-one consultations, and by other methods. Librarians with backgrounds from art history to doctoral degrees in genetics have worked to establish these programs.


CONCLUSIONS
Successful bioinformatics support programs can be established in libraries in a variety of different settings and by staff with a variety of different backgrounds and approaches.
Osterbur
David L
DL
Biological Labs, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. dosterbu@mcb.harvard.edu
Alpi
Kristine
K
Canevari
Catharine
C
Corley
Pamela M
PM
Devare
Medha
M
Gaedeke
Nicola
N
Jacobs
Donna K
DK
Kirlew
Peter
P
Ohles
Janet A
JA
Vaughan
K T L
KT
Wang
Lili
L
Wu
Yongchun
Y
Geer
Renata C
RC
D019295:Computational Biology / Q000193:education*; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods*; D007990:Libraries; D007999:Library Services / Q000639:trends; D016730:Program Development; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce