Jonathan Eldredge, MLS, PhD University of New Mexico Asociaci贸n de Bibliotecas Universitarias, de Investigaci贸n e Institucionales del Caribe Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries Association des Biblioth猫ques Universitaires, de Recherche et Institutionnelles de la Cara茂be
June 9, 2010
多What does the Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP) process have in common with the first voyage of Christopher Columbus to the Americas?
By completion of this keynote presentation, each attendee should be able to:
Describe Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP) in her or his own words; Describe the EBLIP Process through the steps of: (1) Question formulation; (2) Searching for the evidence; (3) Critically appraising the evidence; (4) Making a decision
• Distinguish between EBLIP and librarian support for Evidence Based Practice in other professions • Distinguish between the roles of EBLIP practitioners (“consumers”) applied researchers (“producers”) • Articulate the reasons why formulating important and answerable questions holds high importance in EBLIP
• Professionals • Managers • Leaders Is that they all make important decisions Mark D. Bennett and Joan M. Gibson. A Field Guide to Good Decisions. 2006
Provides a process for integrating the best available scientifically generated research evidence into making important decisions‌.
EBLIP seeks to combine the use of the best available researchderived evidence with a pragmatic perspective developed from working experiences in librarianship‌
EBLIP emphasizes the importance of answering the most relevant questions facing our profession.
“Science is cognitive, involving accurate observation and clear description, hypothesis generation, data gathering and interpretation, and the creation of theory.� More
“But science is also a state of mind: skeptical, open, balanced, respectful of evidence, thorough, always on the alert for bias.� Frank Davidoff, Editor, Annals of Internal Medicine
EBM has: • • • • •
Served as a catalyst for EBLIP Inspired the name “Evidence-Based” Influenced the steps in the EBLIP Process Codified the idea of Levels of Evidence Shares concept of producers and consumers of evidence
EBLIP Differs from EBM: • Not the same as “EBM Librarianship” • Distinct types of questions (decisions) • Unique types of Evidence
EBLIP Practitioner: One who applies appropriate research evidence to make important decisions AND EBLIP Producer: One who develops the needed applied research evidence
1. Formulate and articulate a clearly defined, relevant and answerable question 2. Search for an answer 3. Critically appraise the relevance and quality of the answer from the research 4. Assess relative value of costs/benefits to make a decision 5. Evaluation
Formulate and articulate a clearly defined, relevant and answerable question
Catalysts for Questions: • When we realize “ I don’t know” or more likely “I’m not sure” how to proceed. • Breadth and depth of the problem. • Situation does not match past experience. • Nagging facts that do not match patterns noted from education or others’ experiences
• Does the merger of multiple service points (reference, circulation, reserves, & ILL) into a single service point increase user and staff satisfaction? • What personality characteristics in librarians make them good online database searchers?
• How does one measure the economic impact of a reference service upon the institution or government agency? • Do library staff members provide accurate information at public service desks?
• Will a virtual reference service improve user satisfaction? • What reference books do we still need to buy now that so many reference questions can be answered with free web resources?
“Questioning the fundamentals of daily work practice is a defining characteristic of a professional.” Andrew Booth. “Clear and present questions” Library Hi Tech 2006.
The reference team at the ______ library consists of 40 colleagues who rarely interact with one another due to their diverse job responsibilities and divergent schedules‌
What would be the more effective method for training these colleagues on how they can provide great customer service?
• An interactive online tutorial? • OR • A wiki containing the training content?
An interactive online tutorial A wiki containing the training content
Far better an approximate answer to the right question, than the exact answer to the wrong question, which can always be made precise.� John Tukay. Scientist 1915-2000
“As the saying truly goes, a question well put is half answered.”
How We Think. Chicago: DC Heath, 1933: 108
Search for the needed evidence
Where do we search for answers? • Library literature? • Gray literature for librarianship? • Other disciplines’ literatures? • Google? • Library-based data (example: annual reports) • A colleague? • Other?
Index Coverage for JMLA Year
PubMed
CINAHL
1998
74
52
Library Literature 93
1999
61
64
52
2000
50
41
60
2001
51
45
32
2002
66
46
42
• • • • • •
Information Access & Retrieval Collection Resources Management Education Reference Professional Issues Koufogiannakis D, Slater L, Crumley E. A content analysis of librarianship research. Journal of Information Science 2004; 30 (3): 227-39.
Critical Appraisal
• Prediction • Exploration • Intervention
Predicts an outcome under similar circumstances • Which personality factors in librarians make them good database searchers? • Exposure to learning experiences (pre- and post-test comparisons)
• Tend to be more open-ended questions • Often ask “Why” questions or questions that imply a “Why.” • Require a careful matching of question to appropriate research method
Examples: • Why do students, who are expected by teaching faculty to use the library, still refuse to use it? • How can the library be made to be a more appealing place to study?
• Seeks to compare one course of action with another course of action • Goal: To determine most effective action
• Example: • Does library skills training, when compared to no training at all, for professionals result in their articulating more profession-related questions?
The reference team at the ______ library consists of 40 colleagues who rarely interact with one another due to their diverse job responsibilities and divergent schedules
What would be the more effective method for training these colleagues on how they can provide great customer service?
• An interactive online tutorial? • OR • A wiki containing the training content?
Highest to Lowest (Descending) Systematic Review Meta-analysis Randomized Controlled Trial (Experiment) Prospective Cohort study Retrospective Cohort Study Survey Case Study
Prediction Type of Question
• Population • Intervention • Outcome
It doesn’t matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn’t matter how smart you are. If it doesn’t agree with experiment, it’s wrong.” Richard Feynman 1818-1988. Physicist
Highest to Lowest (Descending) Systematic Review Meta-analysis Randomized Controlled Trial (Experiment) Prospective Cohort study Retrospective Cohort Study Survey Case Study
Prediction
Intervention
Exploration
Systematic Review
Systematic Review
Systematic Review
Meta-Analysis
Meta-Analysis
Alternatives to Metaanalysis
Prospective Cohort Study
RCTs
Qualitative Studies
Retrospective Cohort Study
Prospective Cohort Study
Survey
Survey
Retrospective Cohort Study
Case Study
Case Study
Survey Case Study
多What does the Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP) process have in common with the first voyage of Christopher Columbus to the Americas?
IN 1492 In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue. He had three ships and left from Spain; He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.
He sailed by night; he sailed by day; He used the stars to find his way. A compass also helped him know How to find the way to go‌
‌.Day after day they looked for land; They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand. October 12 their dream came true, You never saw a happier crew!
Articulate an Important Question
Search for the Evidence Example: Paolo Toscanelli, Astronomer from Florence, Italy Experience as a sailor
Critically appraise the evidence for relevance and validity
Make a Decision
Evaluate one’s performance
One Final Question (Please Use Your Handout)
Prediction Questions: Eldredge JD. Cohort studies in librarianship: an underutilized research design. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 2002 Oct; 90(4): 380-92. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi? tool=pubmed&pubmedid=12398244
Intervention Questions: Eldredge JD. The randomized controlled trial design: unrecognized opportunities for health sciences librarianship. Health Information and Libraries Journal. 2003 June; 20(Suppl. 1): 34-44.
Exploratory Questions: Eldredge JD. Inventory of research methods for librarianship and informatics. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 2004 Jan; 92 (1): 83-90. Available from: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi? tool=pubmed&pubmedid=14762467 Accessed 11/8/06 Marshall C, Rossman GB. Designing Qualitative Research. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1994, 2006.
Copyright Š June 9, 2010 by Jonathan Eldredge, Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico USA. All rights reserved.
Contact Information:
Jeldredge@salud.unm.edu 505/272-0654 For more information see Eldredge JD. EvidenceBased Librarianship: The EBL Process. Library Hi Tech 2006; 24 (3): 341-354. No portion of this presentation or accompanying handouts may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author.
File: EBLIP ACURIL 2010 Keynote