Resilience Practices in Health Science and Medical Libraries During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Medical Reference Services Quarterly

Volume

44

Issue

1

DOI

10.1080/02763869.2024.2420045

First Page

1

Last Page

16

Abstract

This paper uses the concept of resilience engineering as an organizing principle to discuss best practices that evolved within health science/medical libraries in the United States during COVID-19 crisis, focusing on the period March–August 2020. Protection of library staff, assistance to medical staff, reducing the circulation of misinformation and public health consumerism all required substantial changes to standard processes. These process changes had to arise in the context of both physical isolation and information overload. Some practices became widespread due to their utility, and these are the focus of this report.

Funding Sponsor

National Institutes of Health

Keywords

Accessibility, COVID-19, health science library, HIPAA, instruction, misinformation, public health, remote work, resilience

Department

Information

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