by Greg Winkler

Created on: January 19, 2009   Last Updated: October 04, 2010

Health Service Librarians are responsible for managing and accessing medical data for a wide range of clients and uses. Also known as Health Sciences Librarians, these professionals may work for universities, pharmaceutical companies, research center, colleges, hospitals, governments, or even groups of doctors. They specialize in finding specific medical information from sometimes arcane and widely-spread sources, and presenting it to users in an organized and usable form.

The work of these professionals, however, is as diverse as the organizations they serve. Depending on the employer, Health Service Librarians may spend most of their time in research, teaching, consulting, presenting workshops, or organizing diverse research. Librarians working in the public sector must deal with much broader clientele and requests for assistance than those in the private or research realms.

Librarians working in the public sector should be capable public speakers, and possess presentation skills necessary to communicate with the public in large and small forums.
Health Service Librarians must rely heavily on computers, search engines, and databases to perform their work. Increasingly, they are being asked to train others in accessing electronic information, including teaching workshops, computer skills classes for medical professionals, and individual consulting. Because of this, Health Service Librarians must be computer- proficient and comfortable both using and explaining the use of software and advanced databases.

Working as a Health Service Librarian requires a master's degree from a program approved by the American Library Association. An undergraduate degree in a health sciences-related field such as biology, chemistry, nursing, or pre-med would also be helpful. Some computer training or hands-on experience, may also be necessary to master the variety of electronic information sources.

Opportunities for advancement, and pay, vary with an individual's capabilities, responsibilities and the nature of the organization. At the highest level, Health Service Librarians can serve as the chief information officer of a hospital or research center, or the director of medical library. Most work as specialized medical librarians in institutions, agencies, or corporations. Salaries range from the $40,000 to over $100,000, though most Health Service Librarians earn below $70,000. Pharmaceutical and medical-related company compensation tends to be the highest, though work for government agencies and institutions is more secure.

The professional society for Health Service Librarians is the Medical Library Association (MLA) (http://www.mlanet.org/.

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