title: Vignettes: Diverse library staff offering diverse bioinformatics services.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Biological Labs, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. dosterbu@mcb.harvard.edu
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Osterbur
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alpi
authors.forename: Catharine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Canevari
authors.forename: Pamela M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Corley
authors.forename: Medha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devare
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaedeke
authors.forename: Donna K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kirlew
authors.forename: Janet A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ohles
authors.forename: K T L
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yongchun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Renata C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Geer
mesh_terms: 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