JiscMail Logo
Email discussion lists for the UK Education and Research communities

Help for LIS-MEDICAL Archives


LIS-MEDICAL Archives

LIS-MEDICAL Archives


LIS-MEDICAL@JISCMAIL.AC.UK


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Proportional Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

LIS-MEDICAL Home

LIS-MEDICAL Home

LIS-MEDICAL  February 2013

LIS-MEDICAL February 2013

Options

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password

Subject:

Re: Summary - Policy on books for exams?

From:

Simon Alberici <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

Simon Alberici <[log in to unmask]>

Date:

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:48:36 +0000

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (157 lines)

Dear All

I've had several requests for a summary, so please find below. I'm none the wiser, but nonetheless entertained!

Kind Regards

Simon Alberici

Library Services
Healthcare Library
Jersey General Hospital
01534 442664



I fully sympathise - we have LOTS of these books and I eventually decided to stop buying them because it was getting ridiculous.

We don't have a policy as such but I will take into consideration all requests for purchase and then consider the library as a whole rather than the needs of the individual.

I am quite tempted to advise the user to buy their own copy as they are not that expensive!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


I tend to buy these as they come out in the publication lists I get.  I also consult with departments to see if they are worth buying eg some GP books are not suitable for the type of trainee we get here, also we get very few radiologist trainees so it is not worth buying for them.  I don't buy stuff that is not targeted for our UK trainees - eg sometimes I get asked for a US exam book - this is someone wanting to work outside the NHS so they need to fund themselves.

I've found most of the times MCQ/OSCE type books get heavy use by a wide range of people from medical students to registrars so they are in the main worth buying.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


We have a collection of MCQ type material and on the whole it is well used (we have titles that are a couple of years old with 40 - 50 issues on them each). Nearly all of it is limited to short loan (which for us is 7 days) and we buy multiple copies of the most popular titles where budgets allow.

We try to pick them off reading lists, but also get recommendations for Library users too. We haven't had the need to promote them - they seem to get well used without any help from us!

Not sure if this helps, but that is what we do...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


This answer should be in a cynical plain brown envelope, I think, and never acknowledged! We used to not buy them, because we didn't have adequate budget, but then our book purchasing fund increased a bit and I have to say, cynically, that I buy some of them now because it's good for the relationship of the library with medical trainees and for our loan numbers!  It still doesn't sit well with me, though, as there are only a few comparable books for non-medics (e.g. OSCES for nursing students) and I've spent the last 14 years stopping this from being a medical-dominated library! Yours, having got that off my chest

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


We buy them, unless we know that the exam format is about to change so that they'll have limited use for others in later years.  In which case we borrow from elsewhere.

Some get taken out a lot, some much less so but on the whole they're relatively cheap and they do get used. Also we get some of our funding from undergraduate and postgraduate departments, so feel a bit obliged to keep the stock up to date!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


In our case, we seem to be buying them for the individual who is quickest at removing them from the library while we have our backs turned... :( Junior doctor exam books are the category that walks more than any other. We try to respond by purchasing ebooks as replacements whenever possible, but of course not all of them are available electronically!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


No policy as such here, but usually a firm no.
We do subscribe to Medical masterclass, and to be honest that's as far as I am willing to go.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


We've had this problem too - I was not thrilled when I found out our brand new STJ books had been written in, grrrr!

I've seriously considered trying to get these online, but haven't managed to find all of them yet - if you come up with a solution could you share it please?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


We buy these books but I agree that we do sometimes feel like we are buying them because of pressure from an individual, not for the wider library community. It is also difficult to keep a balanced collection as there are quite a few exams and occasionally we have staff taking the second or final part - but often not !

It also annoys us that these books often get annotated. Pencil is bad enough but it happens in biro or highlighter too.

We keep on buying them because we often can't get them on ILL for very long. If anyone has really good advice about acquiring them - or not- do let me know.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Yes, Simon: my policy - after several books have been returned plus either biro or highlighter marks - is I Don't Buy. Most of these books are around £20 or under, which is less than a night out. Around London, that's about 4 pints of ale....
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I do buy these, but not everything - I try to get some for various departments and not just get all the ones requested by 1 particular person or department.
There are moments when I've been price-checking that I think "you've asked for x number and they are on special offer on a popular Internet bookseller, just get your own copy." In those cases, what I actually say to them is they've asked for a lot and we can't get them all, which ones are the highest priority?

However when push comes to shove, exam books get borrowed. If I spend some of our book budget on exam books I know they will be used, and the usage will be directly related to training / education. I just try to be fair in sharing out the resources between specialties.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



We certainly have a policy to buy exam aid books (the latest hot topic is situational judgement tests). We also have them in a separate set of shelves, rather than within the main run. They are possibly the most popular items with our medical students after anatomy and physiology.

We have also bought a small number of travel guide books for regions which are popular with the students going out on their distant electives.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


I agree with you - I don't have a  policy I just don't buy them! If we get any money through charitable funds or something similar we periodically update the collection but not with the same regularity that we would with general texts. I think exam books should be bought by the trainee - it's a small investment for them for their future career. Invariably once someone has the book on loan they never return it before the exam even if someone else is waiting for it - they treat it like their own copy anyway which is immensely frustrating for us and their fellow students.


I would love to know what other people think about this as I feel it is an area we are not really on top of.  I tend to rely on reading lists and limit purchases but we do have a policy of always responding to reader requests - when the readers are students I tend to suggest alternatives we have in stock or ILLs unless I think it has a general interest for students e.g. the Situational Judgement Tests, where we have added a couple of titles recently,

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


not a policy as such but we do buy exam books. I can't see they are any different from other books on reading lists. Presumably other users of the library will be taking those exams in the future, so you are not really buying for an individual. Hope this is helpful

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


I used to fret about buying these but came to the conclusion that they are what the reader needs and are supporting their education so why not buy them? They are generally not too expensive and are well used to boot.

The only exception I have made is that we do not buy exam books that prepare you for exams to go and practice in the states or elsewhere (USMLE).  I took a view that these are not in the best interest of the organisation and people can buy them for themselves.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++





 -----Original Message-----
From:   Simon Alberici
Sent:   12 February 2013 14:29
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Policy on books for exams?

Hello Everyone

I'm often asked for the latest MCQ / OSCE etc book, but sometimes feel more like the we're buying it for the requesting individual rather than the library. Maybe we should do a promotion and get the Lonely Planet books in for them to take on holiday when they've passed? Seriously though, does anyone have a policy on buying these types of books?

Kind Regards

Simon Alberici

Library Services
Healthcare Library
Jersey General Hospital
01534 442664




**********************************************************************************************************************
Care : If you have received this email and it was not intended for you, please reply to the sender, and then delete it. 
Please treat our information in confidence.  This communication may contain legal advice which is confidential and/or 
privileged. It should not be forwarded or copied to anyone else without the prior permission of the sender. 

Contract : This email does not form any binding agreement unless it is supported by an official States of Jersey 
purchase order form.

Content : All States information systems may be monitored to ensure that they are operating correctly.  Furthermore, 
the content of emails and other data on these systems may be examined, in exceptional circumstances, for the purpose 
of investigating or detecting any unauthorised use. This email has been scanned for viruses by the States of Jersey email 
gateway.
**********************************************************************************************************************

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

JiscMail Tools


RSS Feeds and Sharing


Advanced Options


Archives

April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998


JiscMail is a Jisc service.

View our service policies at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/ and Jisc's privacy policy at https://www.jisc.ac.uk/website/privacy-notice

For help and support help@jisc.ac.uk

Secured by F-Secure Anti-Virus CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager