The use of databases provided by the Consortium of the Center for the Development and Coordination of Scientific Information is essential for enhancing the quality of education and research. In line with its goals and mission to elevate educational and research standards, the Management of Medical Information and Scientific Resources at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences is committed to improving the quality of education and research.
To achieve this, the university aims to enhance the productivity of its libraries and provide training for users, including faculty members, students, assistants, and researchers, on effectively utilizing information resources. Accordingly, we are pleased to announce the guidelines for the quantitative and qualitative improvement of using scientific resource databases.
Definitions
Scientific Committee of Educational Workshops under the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology
The Scientific Committee of Educational Workshops under the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology includes the Director of Medical Informatics, the Head of the Scientific Committee for Workshops, faculty members, and experts from the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology. These individuals are appointed for two years following notification from the Deputy for Research and Technology.
Scientific Committee of Educational Workshops in Information Management
This committee is tasked with overseeing the scientific and operational responsibilities of selected workshops conducted by the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology, particularly in the area of information management. Its membership includes the Director of Medical Informatics, faculty members, the Head of the Central Library, the training expert for the Central Library, and librarians from affiliated centers. Appointments are made for two years upon notification by the Director of Medical Informatics. Furthermore, representatives from this committee will serve as members of the Scientific Committee of Educational Workshops under the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology, as appointed by the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology.
The notification regarding the Director of Medical Informatics will be issued by the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology.
Program for the Quantitative and Qualitative Enhancement of Electronic Resource Utilization
Article 1: The program dedicated to the quantitative and qualitative enhancement of electronic database usage will be executed through the following three principal initiatives:
A. Conducting training workshops focused on the effective use of electronic resources and the Nopa system.
B. Developing and disseminating both printed and electronic educational materials aimed at facilitating the utilization of electronic databases and the Nopa system.
C. Implementing a clinical librarian program.
Article 2: The Medical Information and Scientific Resources Management is mandated to present a comprehensive overview of all three initiatives in the form of a scientific program for the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology at the commencement of each academic year. These initiatives are to be executed throughout the year with the objective of enhancing both the quantity and quality of electronic database usage.
Note 2-1: The scientific committee responsible for educational workshops in the domain of medical information management is tasked with identifying young faculty members who possess expertise in the utilization of electronic databases within each faculty and medical education center on an annual basis. Additionally, the committee shall maintain a database of these members and leverage their expertise for educational purposes.
Article 3: The University Central Library holds the responsibility for implementing and monitoring a program designed to enhance both the quantity and quality of usage of electronic databases.
Note 3-1: All training provided must encompass databases acquired by the Center for the Development and Coordination of Scientific Information and Publications of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and it must be appropriately tailored to the target audience.
Note 3-2: The clinical librarian program will be detailed in a separate policy document issued by the Central Library.
A- Workshops on using electronic resources and Nopa systems
Article 4: Scientific workshops on searching for electronic resources and Nopa systems are held at two levels:
- Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology, focusing on the central library of the university
- Medical educational centers and faculties, focusing on the libraries of affiliated centers.
Article: 5 The committee on educational workshops in Vice-chancellor for Research and Technology is required to include a number of workshops on familiarization with electronic resources and Nopa systems in the executive program of the Central Library every year, based on a needs assessment and in coordination with the Director of Medical Information and Scientific Resources/Head of the Central Library.
Note: 5-1 The target group of the workshops on familiarization with electronic resources and Nopa systems at the Vice-chancellor for Research and Technology level are faculty members, postgraduate students, assistants and researchers.
Note: 5-2 The instructors of the workshops on familiarization with electronic resources and Nopa systems at the Vice-chancellor for Research and Technology level are faculty members, and also, as needed, instructors and representatives of accredited publishers.
Article 6: The University Central Library is required to include the required number of workshops on familiarization with electronic resources and Nopa systems in the executive program of affiliated libraries every year, based on the needs assessment.
Note 6-1: The target audience for the educational workshops aimed at familiarization with electronic resources and Nopa systems within the libraries of affiliated centers includes all undergraduate students, part-time undergraduate students, PhD candidates, postgraduate students, assistants, and researchers.
Note 6-2: The lecturer/instructor for the educational workshops on electronic resources and Nopa systems in the libraries of faculties and educational and medical centers will consist of librarians as well as faculty members who exhibit a strong interest in the subject matter.
Note 6-3: Librarians at the affiliated centers may, as necessitated, engage experts in research and faculty members to facilitate the workshops.
Article 7: Faculty librarians are mandated to obtain the class schedule from the faculty education experts prior to the commencement of each academic semester. They are required to communicate the workshop schedule accordingly, ensuring that the timing of the workshops minimally conflicts with class schedules. This information must be submitted to the central library biweekly for workshops to be conducted over a duration of two hours, preferably scheduled in rotation on weekdays.
Article 8: Librarians within educational and medical centers are obligated to execute the workshop schedule for familiarization with electronic resources on a monthly basis. This must be done in coordination with the educational director of the hospital and in alignment with the training programs of clinical groups. The workshops are to be conducted biweekly for two hours, preferably in a rotational format on weekdays. The schedule must be provided to the central library prior to implementation, and the planned workshops should be conducted as specified.
Article 9: Librarians associated with faculties and medical training centers are obligated to submit a report detailing the workshops conducted at the conclusion of each month. This report must include a breakdown of the workshop content, timing, instructor name, and number of participants. The following steps are required:
1) A call for workshops must be issued in the form of a semester program for faculties and on a monthly basis for medical training centers, with notification provided to users at least one week in advance. Coordination with the Central Library Education Unit is essential.
2) Documentation pertaining to the workshop must be submitted, which includes:
• A list of participants' names accompanied by their national identification code, student number, mobile phone number, field of study, educational level, and the respective faculty or medical training center, all of which must be duly signed.
• Survey forms together with an analytical report submitted to the Central Library.
Article 10: The Workshop Committee of Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology is responsible for approving workshops through the scientific committee for situations that fall outside the annual needs assessment framework, including those related to macro-regional considerations, current demand, and requests from audiences. These workshops shall be implemented in accordance with the stipulations of this policy.
Article 11: The Central Library of the University shall annually provide opportunities for faculty members, educators, and librarians of affiliated centers to become acquainted with new electronic databases.
Workshop Implementation Criteria
Article 12: The Central Library Education Unit shall bear responsibility for the effective oversight of the workshops.
Article 13: The Central Library Education Unit shall also be responsible for the supervision of the certification process for the workshops conducted.
Article 14: Certificates for each workshop at the level of the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology shall be issued with the signatures of both the Director of Medical Information and Scientific Resources and the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology of the University. Certificates for workshops at the level of faculties and medical educational centers shall be issued with the signature of the Director of Medical Information and Scientific Resources.
Article 15: The issuance of certificates of participation in workshops is the responsibility of the Education Unit of Medical Information and Scientific Resources Management.
Mandatory Workshops
Article 16: Faculty members seeking promotion from the rank of Assistant Professor to Associate Professor are required to present certificates of participation in two workshops: one on Familiarization with Electronic Resources and another on the Nopa System.
Article 17: It is mandatory for postgraduate students (MSc, PhD, Specialist Assistant, Subspecialist Assistant) and PhD students in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry to present a certificate of participation in a six-hour workshop focused on electronic resource searching prior to defending their proposals.
Article 18: Undergraduate and non-continuous undergraduate students are required to present a certificate of participation in a four-hour workshop on electronic resource searching in order to qualify for graduation.
B. Preparing and Publishing Educational Content for the Use of Electronic Databases and the Nopa System
Article 19: The Central Library is tasked with the completion and regular updating of educational content regarding the use of electronic resources, scientometrics, and the features of new systems such as Nopa, to be available on the portal of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology and Medical Information and Scientific Resources Management on a monthly basis.
Article 20: The Central Library is responsible for taking the necessary steps to compile and prepare offline educational guides, which will be subsequently uploaded to the portal of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology and subordinate management.
Article 21: The Management of Statistics and Information Technology shall ensure the capability to connect all common and existing operating systems, including iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and others, to the university's VPN.
Article 22: The Management of Statistics and Information Technology is required to provide the Medical Information and Scientific Resources Management with instructional materials in the form of educational files and videos on connecting to the university's VPN for the aforementioned operating systems, both within and outside the university network.
Article 23: The Central Library's IT expert shall be responsible for the coordination and uploading of educational materials and content in multimedia and PowerPoint formats onto the Central Library portal, and as necessary, on the website of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology and the university.
Article 24: Academic faculties and medical training institutions are obligated to provide essential information and resources for the dissemination, awareness, and application of existing guidelines to faculty members, students, and researchers through various channels.
This policy document comprises 24 articles and 8 notes and received approval from the Research Council on May 9, 2018, the Educational Council on June 13, 2018, and the University Council on October 1, 2018. It will be implemented following the final approval by the University Council.