Contributed Paper Abstract
Utilization of Information Resources by Tennessee Occupational Therapists
Susan Selig, Associate Professor, and Priscilla Stephenson, Assistant Professor, Health Sciences Library; Ruth Mulvany, PT, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN; Kristin Robbins, PT, OTR, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Collierville, TN; and Ann H. Nolen, PsyD, Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN.
Purpose: This study will evaluate the information-seeking behaviors of Tennessee occupational therapists in order to determine1) which library services and resources they most value for professional information; 2) their patterns of library resource utilization based on their job roles within the profession; and 3) their reasons for seeking or not seeking library services and resources.
Setting/subjects: Participants were professional occupational therapists who attended the 2001 annual meeting of the Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association held in Nashville.
Methodology: Participants received a two-page survey distributed at the beginning of their annual state meeting and returned later the same day.
Results: Results document that occupational therapists share many information-seeking characteristics with other health care professionals. Some of the therapists reported using the Internet for professional purposes, a new trend in information-seeking research literature. Further examination of results may indicate differences in use of library resources between those professionals working in academic and clinical environments. Participants’ responses to questions about their lack of use of library resources will provide insight for health science librarians exploring outreach programs for allied health professionals.
Discussion/Conclusion: Concluding remarks will note similarities and differences between results of this project and other research examining similar allied health professional groups.
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