Reviewer: Katherine A Prentice, MSIS (University of Oklahoma at Tulsa)
Description: This book discusses health science library spaces and how unique librarians approach their space transformations. The three-part book divides discussion between user-focused spaces, challenging or unique spaces, and libraries that implemented changes after loss of space and budgeting for change without additional money.
Purpose: The purpose is to share space transformation experiences of health science libraries through case studies and advice. Many libraries are exploring space changes and this book offers practical solutions to the wide spectrum of health sciences libraries. The book succeeds in its purpose with chapters written librarians from libraries of varied types, sizes, and scopes.
Audience: This book is written for health sciences librarians who are interested in transforming their library spaces. The book has the potential to meet the needs of librarians early in the process. Chapters challenge and inspire readers to think about internal and external forces related to space. While it doesn't provide answers to every problem, the book presents a diverse set of experiences librarians can draw upon in pursuit of transforming space. The author is a Ontario-based health sciences librarian who has researched library spaces. She has experience researching renovations and visiting library transformations, and presents her findings.
Features: The book includes cases from librarians in academic, hospital, and special collections settings. Chapters provide insights directly from librarians about their decision-making, thought processes, and outcomes. Many chapters include grayscale before and after images and related pictures to assist readers in understanding changes. The arrangement of the book into three major areas makes the content accessible for readers at any point in the change planning process.
Assessment: With a specific focus on health sciences libraries, this book offers a unique look at recent transformations of library spaces. Other books, such as Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on Any Budget, Rendina (International Society for Technology in Education, 2017), focus mostly on school libraries, while others, such as Transforming Libraries: A Toolkit for Innovators, Makers, and Seekers, Stark (EdTechTeam, 2017), discuss transforming libraries broadly. Even Planning Optimal Library Spaces: Principles, Processes, and Practices, Moore and Shoaf (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018), is about space planning in older physical spaces for phased or major renovations and, while it includes case studies, the broad scope is different. Health sciences librarians beginning space transformations will find the variety of chapters useful and will be able to build on the shared experiences of colleagues.
Chosen as a Doody's Core Title for 2023.
Transforming Health Sciences Spaces explores the need to consider all aspects surrounding how we regard the “library as place” whether it is a physical or virtual space. From new spaces, to reimagining old spaces, to contemplating no space, to the importance of aligning with user and community needs, this book leaves no corner of the conversation unexamined. It is a complete and critical resource for those involved or interested in any conversation regarding library “space.
This book provides excellent first-hand experiences of the trials, triumphs, and innovative ways that health sciences library spaces have been transformed to meet the needs of the users.
Health science library spaces still hold significant meaning and value in the digital age of electronic resources. There is opportunity now more than ever for library leaders to creatively rethink, reimagine, and repurpose libraries as physical destinations that users will want to visit. This is the takeaway message from this new Medical Library Association title edited by Allana Campbell, a public services librarian at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine Health Sciences Library. The text contains ten chapters written by contributors with extensive combined experience in health sciences librarianship. The majority of the chapters are written as practical case studies of initiatives that have proven successful. Images, figures, and tables illustrate key points and examples. The majority of the book explores user-centeredness in library space design as well as how to create unique library spaces (both physical and virtual). The book's final section focuses on a challenge that the majority of today’s libraries are surely experiencing: how to do more with less. While the topic of transforming library spaces is not new, this book fills a gap in available literature specifically addressing health science, medical, and hospital libraries.
Health science library spaces still hold significant meaning and value in the digital age of electronic resources. There is opportunity now more than ever for library leaders to creatively rethink, reimagine, and repurpose libraries as physical destinations that users will want to visit. This is the takeaway message from this new Medical Library Association title edited by Allana Campbell, a public services librarian at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine Health Sciences Library. The text contains ten chapters written by contributors with extensive combined experience in health sciences librarianship. The majority of the chapters are written as practical case studies of initiatives that have proven successful. Images, figures, and tables illustrate key points and examples. The majority of the book explores user-centeredness in library space design as well as how to create unique library spaces (both physical and virtual). The book's final section focuses on a challenge that the majority of today’s libraries are surely experiencing: how to do more with less. While the topic of transforming library spaces is not new, this book fills a gap in available literature specifically addressing health science, medical, and hospital libraries.
Health science library spaces still hold significant meaning and value in the digital age of electronic resources. There is opportunity now more than ever for library leaders to creatively rethink, reimagine, and repurpose libraries as physical destinations that users will want to visit. This is the takeaway message from this new Medical Library Association title edited by Allana Campbell, a public services librarian at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine Health Sciences Library. The text contains ten chapters written by contributors with extensive combined experience in health sciences librarianship. The majority of the chapters are written as practical case studies of initiatives that have proven successful. Images, figures, and tables illustrate key points and examples. The majority of the book explores user-centeredness in library space design as well as how to create unique library spaces (both physical and virtual). The book's final section focuses on a challenge that the majority of today’s libraries are surely experiencing: how to do more with less. While the topic of transforming library spaces is not new, this book fills a gap in available literature specifically addressing health science, medical, and hospital libraries.
