Into the Future: Three Keys to Success for Medical Libraries.

The role of medical librarians is transforming to meet the unique demands of their users who need rapid access to a constantly evolving body of information. Competence in Web 2.0 and other contemporary information and communication technologies is critically important. Search engines like Google and Yahoo that are popular among library users are becoming overloaded and therefore less effective tools. Also, library users tend to overestimate their search skills. Medical librarians are directing users back to traditional databases, fielded searches, and paper resources. Three possible roles are proposed to meet the challenges facing medical librarians in view of these developments: (1) blended librarianship involving both traditional librarians' skills and expertise in both contemporary information technology and pedagogy; (2) skills facilitating use of information and communication technology; and (3) building library users' learning behavior through a problem-based learning (PBL) process. Additionally, health care professionals need to keep abreast of the latest research in their respective fields by being trained in research skills that will accompany them throughout their careers. Because of these, medical librarians, who are ideally placed to design instructional tools that can support these processes, have an essential role to play in the health care system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]