Our Mission
The Health Science Libraries provide resources and information management expertise connecting clinicians, researchers, nurses, students, and staff with the biomedical information needed to advance educational, research, patient care and community services at Hartford Hospital.
The Libraries offer users the skills and knowledge to find and manage information effectively. The Libraries also provide information resources and services to the local community through outreach services and nationally through cooperative programs with other libraries. Timely access to that information has a direct impact on clinical diagnosis and treatment, medical outcomes and administrative success. With this in mind, library services and collections focus on providing information where and when it is needed.
Our Services
Clinical Librarian Program
The Health Science Libraries provide Clinical Library services to:
- The Department of Medicine
- The Department of Surgery
- The Department of Nursing
- Connecticut Children’s
The Clinical Librarian’s primary responsibility is for the rapid delivery of value filtered information in support of patient care.
- S/he, as a member of the patient care team, listens to discussions of patient care problems, taking care to note questions that can best be answered by knowledge-based information from the library.
- S/he quality filters information delivered back to the patient care team, finding the best references for the specific case in question.
Clinical Librarians significantly contribute to patient safety by providing practitioners with the latest patient care information in a timely manner, reducing distractions, thus allowing them time to concentrate on their own primary responsibility - patient care.
Division of Library Information Services
The Division of Library Information Services (DLIS) was created in 1989 within the Hartford Hospital Health Science Libraries to promote resource sharing among Connecticut hospital libraries.
From this initial goal evolved a consortium of hospital libraries known as the Hospital Affiliated Libraries (HAL). The mission of this consortium is to seek innovative-shared approaches to medical information delivery. Its member libraries provide priority reciprocal services to each other.
From these resource-sharing activities, the DLIS expanded to offer select information services to individual library clients. Clients range from health care organizations such as hospitals and nursing homes, to insurance companies and other diverse health care agencies.
Information services available through the DLIS include:
- Technical Processing Services
- Literature Searching
- Consulting
- Evaluation and planning of information centers
- Staffing and budgeting plans for information centers
- Collection development for books, journals, and audio visuals
- Individualized projects tailored to client's needs
- Customized packages of services
- Provided on a fee-for-service basis with the goal of fulfilling information needs in the most cost-effective and efficient manner
For consultation about your information needs, please contact Lisa Carter, Director, Health Science Libraries, Division of Library Information Services at 860.972.2425.
Instructional Services
Based in the Robinson Health Science Library, HSL staff offer one-on-one and small group classes in library-related subjects at Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children’s and at Midstate Medical Center.
Class Offerings
The Health Science Libraries provide excellent and varied educational opportunities for Hartford Hospital and affiliated staff. We serve professionals, students, staff, patients and consumers. Learn how to use our online resources, effectively search for healthcare information, and use of other information support tools.
View a list of class offerings
Library Orientation
Whether you are a new, returning or experienced Library user, we offer you an orientation to all of our libraries. To request instruction for any of the Library resources, use our online Instruction Request form.
For questions or to schedule time with an instructor, call or email the Robinson Library at 860.972.2230 or HH.Library@hhchealth.org.
Interlibrary Loan Services
Staff at Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children's and MMC may use this service to request items not available from any of our libraries.
Information Services
Authorized Library users may request Librarian Mediated Searches with a Literature Search Request Form. Consumers, patients and families may Ask Our Librarians online or by phone.