Library & Information Science

This is a list of some associations in the field, as well as some well-regarded library related conferences that are not association sponsored. Some national and international associations (besides those listed) have regional, local, or special subject focused chapters and divisions. 

RESOURCES FOR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

• Doody Core Titles (requires subscription or access through a book vendor platform)- annually updated list of recommended book titles selected by subject experts and librarians. FAQ.
  • Doody’s Review Service – subscription required – database of bibliographic information and book reviews on health sciences books from 1993 to present
  • Doody’s Collection Development Monthly – free – blog-style website that features reviews of electronic resources and  other health sciences collection development content
  • Doody’s Special Topics Lists – not sold/licensed separately/included with DRS and DCT; available for free through certain book vendor- ; available upon request if anyone writes to Doody's Customer Service line csr@doody.com- quarterly book lists on timely topics platforms
  • Newsletters (sign up link for all: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/Sox811j)
    • Doody’s Core Titles - monthly – free – includes a featured article on health sciences librarianship/collection development; articles are available at www.doody.com/dct for free.
    • Doody’s Collection Development Monthly – monthly – free – includes all the new content published to DCDM that month (e.g. electronic resource reviews); reviews are indexed in LERRN.
• Medical Library Association - Caucuses and member authors have compiled resource lists, directories, and tips for specialized subjects including:
  • Consumer Health
    • The Medical Library Association Guide to Developing Consumer Health Collections / Claire Joseph (Rowman & Littlefield information)
  • Nursing 
    • Raszewski R, Porcello L, Fial AV, Dennison CC, Stark RK, Alcorn KS, Wade S. Using expert knowledge and peer review to create a reproducible process for the NAHRS Nursing Essential Resources List (NNERL). J Med Libr Assoc. 2025 Jan 14;113(1):78-84. doi: 10.5195/jmla.2025.1964. PMID: 39975487; PMCID: PMC11835036.
• UK- Working Group of health librarians based in the UK NHS, higher education and specialist libraries
  • Hawker L, Blacklock C. Core collections: Essential titles for health libraries. Health Info Libr J. 2024 Sep;41(3):213-215. doi: 10.1111/hir.12547. PMID: 39161068. - ...curated list of reliable titles essential to health libraries...currently include nursing, midwifery, medicine and dentistry

Specialized databases and repositories

• HADES (Health Advertisements Database from Ebling Sources)- University of Wisconsin

Advertisements from journals in 1923-2007 range. Check copyright for permission to use in scenarios other than "Fair Use". See related links to other institutions' health-related advertisement repository projects.

• LERRN (Librarians' Electronic Resource Reviews Network) - citation database of reviews, overviews and comparisons of electronic resources in all subject disciplines
• OER Commons - a digital public library and collaborative platform for OER (Open Education Resources). See also: Find Existing OER: Open Educational Resources - Northwestern University