Informationssökning på sjukhusbibliotek : Bibliotekariers utmaningar och upplevelse av informationssökningsprocessen

Sammanfattning: Background: Scientific information is a central part of the evidence-based care (Rosenberg & Donald, 1995). Hospital libraries have opportunity to contribute to the clinical care, for example by offering information retrieval on behalf of healthcare staff. The aim of this study was to describe the information search process in hospital libraries in Sweden. This was made by identifying which components are included in the process and which aspects the librarians consider to be meaningful or challenging in the process. As a theoretical starting point for data collection and analysis, Ingwersen's model for interactions in the IR-process (Ingwersen, 1996) and Ingwersen and Wormell's description of important steps in a mediated information search process (Ingwersen & Wormell, 1990) were used. A questionnaire was sent to all managers of the hospital libraries in Sweden for further distribution to the librarians who worked in the libraries. 50 librarians responded to the survey. The study showed that the most important components in the information search process for the librarians that participated in this study were the user's request question, dialogue with the user and knowledge of databases' search and indexing rules. The biggest challenge was interpreting the user's question. The study provides an insight into the work of hospital librarians, which for example can increase the users’ awareness around the formulation of question and problem area when ordering information searches.