Technical Competencies of Medical and Health Librarians in a Library 2.0 Environment

Abstract

This study determined the acquired knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of medical and health librarians in the Philippines on the impact of Library 2.0. The study verified the level of awareness and revealed the gaps among medical and health librarians in the use, creation and adaptation of Library 2.0 tools especially in informing, educating and empowering their users. It also recognized which technology is more common to Health Science Librarians, Library 1.0 or Library 2.0, in the time of abrupt technological changes. Furthermore, the study evaluated if the librarians have learned from the previous seminars conducted by MAHLAP (or from other library organizations) on the topic of emerging technologies and Web 2.0 through demonstration of applied skills as referred by the indicators set by technical competencies for health librarians.

The study had surveyed 43 health and medical librarians in the Luzon area. Two kinds of questionnaires were sent out. First is for the off icers of the Medical and Health Librarians Association of the Philippines and second is for the medical and health librarians. The first survey will determine if they allow the researcher to use MAHLAP as its collaborator for the study. The second survey is for MAHLAP members listed in the 2009 online directory.

The research introduced the draft technical competencies prepared for the medical and health librarians in the Philippines and its importance for a national and coordinated staff development program that is geared towards the improvement of their skills and knowledge that is relevant to the current demands of the library users and services.