title: Combining resources, combining forces: regionalizing hospital library services in a large statewide health system.
abstract: After a reduction in full-time equivalents, 2 libraries in large teaching hospitals and 2 libraries in small community hospitals in a western US statewide health system saw opportunity for expansion through a regional reorganization. Despite a loss of 2/3 of the professional staff and a budgetary decrease of 27% over the previous 3 years, the libraries were able to grow business, usage, awareness, and collections through organizational innovation and improved efficiency. This paper describes the experience--including process, challenges, and lessons learned--of an organizational shift to regionalized services, collections, and staffing. Insights from this process may help similar organizations going through restructuring.
authors.affiliation: heather.martin@providence.org , Director of Regional Library Services, Providence Health & Services, Oregon, Providence Portland Medical Center, 4805 Northeast Glisan Street, Portland, OR 97213; barbara.delawska-elliott@providence.org , Health Sciences Librarian, Providence Health & Services, Oregon, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, 9205 Southwest Barnes Road, Portland, OR 97225.
authors.forename: Heather J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: heather.martin@providence.org , Director of Regional Library Services, Providence Health & Services, Oregon, Providence Portland Medical Center, 4805 Northeast Glisan Street, Portland, OR 97213; barbara.delawska-elliott@providence.org , Health Sciences Librarian, Providence Health & Services, Oregon, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, 9205 Southwest Barnes Road, Portland, OR 97225.
authors.forename: Basia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Delawska-Elliott
mesh_terms: D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007992:Libraries, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007993:Libraries, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016243:Library Collection Development; D018966:Library Materials / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009922:Oregon; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012041:Regional Medical Programs