CBC: “Health Canada Library Changes Leave Scientists Scrambling”

From the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation:

Health Canada scientists are so concerned about losing access to their research library that they’re finding work-arounds, with one squirrelling away journals and books in his basement for colleagues to consult, says a report obtained by CBC News.
The draft report from a consultant hired by the department warned it not to close its library, but the report was rejected as flawed and the advice went unheeded.
[Clip]
The report noted the workarounds scientists used to overcome their access problems.
[Dr. Rudi] Mueller [retired Health Canada pathologist] used his contacts in industry for scientific literature. He also went to university libraries where he had a faculty connection. .
[Clip]
One of the problems Mueller couldn’t work around was the disappearance of librarians who could help him in his search for scientific literature. The report said the number of in-house librarians went from 40 in 2007 to just six in April 2013.
“The librarian would sit down with me and specifically design the searches for what I needed,” said Mueller.
“A librarian is far better at doing a literature search than I am,” added Mueller. “It’s their profession.”

Read the Complete CBC Report
Includes comments from Health Canada.

Filed under: Academic Libraries, Libraries, News