Building a Systematic Review Core in an Academic Health
Sciences Library
Mellanye Lackey, MSI Mary McFarland Michelle Fiander, MLS Melissa Rethlefsen, MSLS
How it was What happened
How it is
now Challenges Future
directions
How it was
SRs + full workload
2 experienced librarians, 1 staff, 3 early
career librarians
Requests via email, personal referrals
Informal peer review of
search strategies
Estimates only of time spent on SRs Mixed quality
of SRs from university Some
research on efficiency, methodology Rarely $ for
extensive librarian time
or expertise
Low awareness of
librarian expertise
Pitched “Systematic Review Core” to multiple units, incl CTSA
• 1 FTE
• focus on SRs
• boost research efforts of all
Director released 2 yr’s salary from endowment
• Build salary reserves from chargeback, grants, contracts
Population Health Research Foundation Director offered a place in his group
• Chargeback system
• Time tracking
• $103/hour
How it is now
Librarian expertise has a dollar
value
Promotion by Pop Hlth
Fdn
Increased visibility
and requests Structure
for file naming
Collect data on librarian contribution
to SRs
Increased capacity Streamlined
process for intake, interviews
ILL
Many more requests, much
larger orders
Expensive
Charge by blocks? Hourly?
At cost?
Who gets priority?
Searching
Becoming efficient
Meaningful training opportunities
Organization
Departmental &
external communications
Quality control w/ multiple hands touching
data/process
How much and what to teach
community
What about groups with no
money?
Technology
Tracking across systems w/o interoperability
Using product features as
standard functions
Increased research
capacity
Shift perspective from ‘help’ to
‘partner’
Integrate
& test new processes
and methods Organized &
organizational approach
Future directions
