East Coast Hospitals Utilize Consortium To Access Technology, Cut Costs
Sep 30, 2015, 02:51 ET
PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical and hospital librarians in the Mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States -- responsible for supplying their facilities with the latest academic research and healthcare information -- are joining forces and combating high costs by sharing group licenses to access electronic resources through a nonprofit consortium, the Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey's Group Licensing Initiative (HSLANJ GLI).
"Seamless access to quality, evidence-based resources is critical to clinical decision-making and improving health outcomes," according to Renae Barger, Executive Director, National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM), Middle Atlantic Region, Pittsburgh.
"There are very few other consortia in existence," Barger continues. "The HSLANJ GLI has a track record of more than a dozen years -- a history of success -- and it's only going to get stronger and expand further, with more buying power which significantly reduces costs for everyone."
Participation in the HSLANJ GLI is open to all hospitals and medical facilities in the NNLM's Middle Atlantic and Southeastern/Atlantic Regions -- an area encompassing 14 states; Washington D.C.; Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and representing more than 26% of the nation's hospitals and medical facilities.
October 30 is the deadline for participation in the current round of resources, offering more than 750 electronic resources from 15 vendors at a cost savings of 15-70% off regular pricing.
"Hospital libraries are very much challenged to stay open today, often falling prey to cost-cutting measures," according to Dale Prince, Executive Director, NNLM, Southeastern/Atlantic Region, Baltimore. "It's not a secret that the cost of quality medical journals, books and databases is exorbitant. The HSLANJ GLI makes it easier to afford this vital literature which directly supports patient care."
Managed by medical librarian and HSLANJ Executive Director Robert Mackes, MLS, AHIP, the GLI is guided by a committee comprised of librarians from different-sized health facilities in the regions served.
Founded in 1972, HSLANJ is a non-profit organization with the goals of encouraging the professional development and advancement of librarianship and improving the quality of library services provided by health care organizations in New Jersey. To learn more, visit www.hslanj.org.
The HSLANJ Group Licensing Initiative is funded in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Contract No. HHS-N-276-2011-00003-C, University of Pittsburgh, Health Sciences Library System, as well as Contract No. HHS-N-276-2011-00004-C, University of Maryland Baltimore.
Contact: Karen Hendricks 717-253-3553
SOURCE Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey, Group Licensing Initiative
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