LIS 520 - Top Ten Assignment
December 11, 2001
Complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) represents the fields of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, which complement mainstream medicine by contributing to a common whole. CAM covers a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies. Generally, it is defined as those treatments and health care practices not taught widely in medical schools, not generally used in hospitals, and not usually reimbursed by medical insurance companies. People use these treatments and therapies in a variety of ways. Therapies are used alone (often referred to as alternative), in combination with other alternative therapies, or in addition to conventional therapies (sometimes referred to as complementary). Alternative medicine is becoming more and more mainstream.
There are many modalities of alternative medicine; for our purpose we will concentrate on naturopathy. Naturopathic medicine views disease as a manifestation of alterations in the processes by which the body naturally heals itself, and emphasizes health restoration rather than disease treatment. Naturopathic physicians employ an array of healing practices, including diet and clinical nutrition, and the use herbs for therapeutic value. We selected the field of alternative medicine because we believe it is a burgeoning niche of the health care industry supported by, among other indicators, the fact that the American Medical Association Archives/Journals ranked alternative medicine among the top three subjects to be addressed in journals in 1998.
Bastyr University is one of only a few accredited universities in the U.S. to educate future leaders in natural health sciences through natural health education, research and clinical services. We have been hired as librarians for a new East Coast alternative medicine university with its mission to improve the health and well being of the human community. Named the New England Naturopathy University, it will offer a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine. This 4-year professional degree program prepares students to practice as licensed, primary care naturopathic physicians with a firm foundation in science-based medicine. Construction of a new basic sciences research laboratory is underway. When finished, it will be the only academic lab in the U.S. devoted exclusively to natural medicinal and the only research lab in history to be established at a naturopathic institution. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes prevention, treatment and the promotion of optimal health through therapeutic methods and natural substances, which encourage the body's own healing process.
As recent graduates of the University of Washington Information and Library Science program, we have been charged with setting up the library of the new university.
To get our feet wet, we have decided to brainstorm the top 10 reference sources. To begin, we came up with the following collection development policy:
The New England Naturopathy University - COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY - November 2001
The mission of New England Naturopathy University Library is to:
§ Provide students and faculty with a wide range of resources, in a variety of formats.
§ Enrich and support the curriculum and meet the needs of the students and faculty.
§ Select materials consistent with the mission statement of the school, and
§ Meet the needs of the community as time allows.
The small size of the collection requires that the utmost care be taken with every selection, to ensure quality and usefulness, and to be sure there is no overlap with the nearby state university and its medical school. On the other hand, credible works in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) that support the university’s programs will be acquired comprehensively.
The CAM professions have a strong historical continuity, which means that many older resources retain their value year after year; therefore currency is not always a characteristic of evaluation. When original historical works and reprints are acquired they will form a significant part of the collection and will be carefully preserved.
The Reference Collection includes standard medical and naturopathic works, botanical resources, general reference guides, and at least one copy of most required and supplementary course textbooks.
The Circulating Collection includes work in the basic life sciences, alternative medical diagnosis and treatment, and related works in epidemiology, sociology, psychology, nutrition and exercise science. Botanical medicine will form an extensive part of the library collection.
Guidelines for developing the scholarly journal collection are similar to those for the general collection. Subscriptions are maintained for journals with major general focus such as JAMA New England Journal of Medicine, but not for specialty journals. Back issues are kept in consideration with what is being maintained by the nearby university.
Primary decision-making for acquisitions rests with the Director of Library Services. Many books are acquired via recommendation of faculty. The collection process also includes careful ongoing survey of book reviews, publishers’ catalogs and bibliographies.
Systematic weeding occurs annually. A book is kept, or withdrawn depending on its usage history.
The Library Committee is comprised of faculty members, administrative staff members, and a student representative and meets quarterly. The committee reserves the right to refuse donations.
Having developed a working selection policy, we decided to brainstorm to determine more specific qualities we would look for as we attempted to select the 10 most important reference books for our setting, and the ones we judge would be most valuable for most of the information needs of the clientele we will serve. The result is the following Specific Selection Criteria list.
Criteria:
1. Educational significance
2. Contribution it makes to the curriculum and the needs of the students
3. Favorable reviews found in standard review sources, such as:
a. “Bulletin of the American Medical Association”
b. “Alternate Therapies in Health and Medicine”
c. “Journal of Ethnopharmacology”
d. “Townsend”
4. Favorable reviews based on preview and examination
5. Reputation and significance of author, producer and publisher, for instance:
a. Westland Press in Seattle
b. Mary Ann Lebert (a publisher)
6. Ideas from consulting bibliographies like “Brandon/Hill Selected List of Books and Journals for the Small Medical Library”
7. Validity, currency, and appropriates of material
8. High degree of potential user appeal
9. Artistic quality of visuals and clarity of writing
10. Quality and variety of format
11. Value commensurate with cost and need
12. Timeliness or permanence
13. Integrity.
14. Requests from substantive researchers
15. Favorable reviews or advertisements from professional organizations, such as:
a. Medical Library Association
b. American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
c. American Botanical Council (ABC)
1. Initial screening of bibliography, peer-reviewed journals, and professional organizations as listed above.
2. Review existing materials at an established college like Bastyr University
3. Solicit recommendations from faculty, students, and librarians at an established naturopathic college, as well as clinicians already practicing.
4. List the type of materials we need to meet the needs of the most students in the reference section of the new library and upon which we can build over the years.
We selected two subscription online databases due to their depth of coverage and currency, and a few traditional medical sources as the underpinnings of an alternative medicine program that complements mainstream medicine. To complete our top 10 references, we selected what we believe to be the best “new classics” of CAM. We fulfilled our goal of having a variety of formats: books, textbook, and databases, which include scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, and newsletters. We are confident that our list of sources will provide a good foundation for our new library.
1. MEDLINE. Sponsored and maintained by the US National Library of Medicine.
While many resources were eliminated from our core selections because they were available at other convenient universities, MEDLINE is included despite its local accessibility. For this setting, no other database offers the breadth and authority of MEDLINE. Covering the general areas of biomedicine and health, MEDLINE’s extensive contents cover life sciences, behavioral sciences, chemical sciences and bioengineering. It addresses the needs of a broad spectrum of health professionals, including those involved in public health, clinical care, research, education and the development of health policy. For students of naturopathic medicine, it will provide an important practical and academic reference tool.
MEDLINE is a bibliographic database created and sponsored by the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM). It covers more than 4,500 journals published worldwide, and contains more than 11 million indexed journal citations and abstracts, dating back to the mid-1960’s. In addition to scholarly journals, MEDLINE also includes citations from relevant newspapers, magazines and newsletters. Multiple expert groups participate in the selection of journals and other material contained in MEDLINE. The Literature Selection Technical Review Committee (LSTRC), which is chartered by the National Institute of Health (NIH) acts as one screening entity; other groups that have participated in the review process include, the American Dental Association, the American Hospital Association, NASA, and several academic organizations.
MEDLINE is an expensive resource for our school. In addition to subscription fees, it requires technical infrastructure and connectivity, however its contents have broad applicability, which will be useful for all of our students and faculty.
As a subscription database resource for allied and alternative medicine, the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) offers a valuable complement to MEDLINE. AMED contains references from more than 512 journals, many of which are not indexed by more traditional sources. Created by the British Library in 1985, its contents cover complementary medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation, and podiatry. In 1987, it expanded to cover palliative care, and today, journals covering speech and language therapies are included. The database is international in scope, with a strong European emphasis, but most titles are in English. All records in AMED include controlled indexing terms; both its thesaurus and controlled indexing terms are based on the same subject headings as those used by MEDLINE – the National Library of Medicine’s Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). While it doesn’t offer “full-text” access, abstracts are available in AMED for most articles after 1995.
AMED was selected because it provides a necessary reference foundation for the school’s curriculum. It meets the educational needs of the students and provides the broader medical and academic perspective that is fundamental to the school’s mission. AMED was selected for inclusion over other options (AltMed and IBIS) for several reasons: first, the content more appropriately matches the needs of the clinician-user, than the more consumer-focused AltMed; secondly, it is highly recommended by the selection librarian of Bastyr University, our sister school; and finally, because of the broad, authoritative stature of its source – the British Library. (IBIS – the Integrative BodyMind Information System- contains treatment protocols for the various CAM modalities, in addition to pharmaceutical and anatomical information; however, the focus of its producer, a naturopath, is narrower. While IBIS didn’t make the Top Ten list, it is a valuable resource for this setting and will be acquired in the future.)
AMED is also purchased by subscription, and is a fairly expensive resource; however, it is an essential reference tool for a school focused on complementary and alternative medicine.
Considered the most comprehensive drug text in the United States, this highly respected medical resource provides the most current information of approximately 20,000 prescription drugs and about half as many over-the-counter products. Organized for quick and practical reference, each entry includes actions, dosage, indications, contraindications, adverse reactions, manufacturers, trade or generic name and cross-references to drugs with similar components or use. Recommended for health science libraries (Booklist, 1997) (Brandon/Hill List Selection), students, faculty and resident clinicians of New England Naturopathic College will regard this reference as a valuable asset for up-to-date information on current drugs with respect to potential interactions with herbal or physical therapies.
For selection purposes, this reference meets much of the criteria as determined by the evaluative process for ease-of-use through color code indexes, comprehensiveness and accuracy, visual appeal, organization, objective writing, while annual publication provides the most current examinations of new and existing pharmaceuticals. When compared to another well-known drug text, The Physician’s Desk Reference, our recommended reference is superior (Review of Optometry 1999) in terms of its practical format and authoritative information.
Gray’s Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Medicine & Surgery, or Gray’s Anatomy, or simply Gray’s, as it has been known for more than 100 years, is another resource that is included in our Top Ten despite the fact that it is readily available in most libraries. Now in its thirty-eighth edition, Gray’s remains a standard medical reference tool. Through the efforts of a new team of experts and editors it was meticulously revised in 1995. As one reviewer noted, “The human body has not changed since the first editions, but our access to it has.” To cover the information that has become available as a result of increased access, as well as, other technological and scientific advances, some sections of this edition have been substantially revised and new sections and illustrations have been added. At 2,092 pages, the 38th edition of Gray’s contains 2,100 illustrations, many of them in color.
Gray’s function is the description and illustration of the human body. It covers the structure and function of each body system, anatomical aspects of common surgical techniques, cross-sectional imaging, the anatomy encountered during endoscopic surgery, and more. Naturopathic medicine relies as heavily on knowledge of the structures and systems of the human body as traditional medicine, so anatomy is a subject of obvious importance to students in our school. Gray’s was highly recommended by the selection librarian at Bastyr University to meet the needs of our students. As a reference, Gray’s offers them both a practical and an academic tool. Many students may choose to obtain personal copies of this text, but no medical library is complete without it. Since this is a resource that continues to be revised, it will be necessary for our library to remain current with the latest edition.
For over 100 years, this coveted medical reference is regarded as the single most important internal medicine text in the world (Publishing Research Quarterly 1999/2000). Its 17th edition, the centennial edition, is printed in 15 languages and is available on its own web site <http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/ >, Healthy Palm Pilot, and CD-ROM. Set apart from other medical publications by its impeccable editorial review, it also stands alone as a non-profit endeavor. This reference includes information on almost every disease, malady or injury and their symptoms, therapies and clinical tests. While internal medicine is its primary focus, other disciplines included are pharmacology, pediatrics, gynecology and psychiatry, just to name a few. Accuracy and multiple level reviews drive this seven-year publication cycle so much of the information in this edition has been updated with the most current diagnosis and pharmacological research (Rehabilitation Nursing 2000).
This reference is of value to naturopathic students learning to diagnose any internal disorder because of its accuracy, easy-to-use presentation, tables and current research data. As it has been internationally recognized as an indispensable tool in mainstream medicine, this text is appropriate to the curriculum needs of our medical students and faculty, and hence our initial reference collection.
ALTERNATIVE
CLASSICSThis source consists of original research studies and scholarly articles that present new scientific information and critical perspectives from the highly respected American Medical Association Journal. These studies have a reputation of being clinically relevant, of sound methodology, and scientific validity. The book includes critically evaluated scientific information, not the unproven theories often associated with alternative medicine. It offers evidence-based guidance to the clinician, telling what works, what doesn’t, and what is open to question, and what physicians and other health care professionals should tell their patients. It is divided into units including Mind-Body Medicine; Diet, Nutrition, Lifestyle; and Herbal Therapies, with other units on Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, etc., to support the university’s eventual broadened curriculum. Since serious scholarship and scientific inquiry are the hallmarks of JAMA, this is a valuable source for our new library, lending credibility to the field of alternative medicine.
A major consideration for selection was the authoritative nature of this resource on complementary and alternative medicine. From the editors and authors of JAMA and Archives Journals, this book addresses where the science-based knowledge is on alternative medicine. The publication covers a broad range of CAM from the evaluation of treatment modalities to prevalence and use. It also provides a better understanding of where science-based literature ends on CAM topics. Complete with definitions, tables, charts, and illustrations it is selected on its artistic merit and clarity of writing. Our decision was based on personal preview and examination.
The textbook is the classic CAM student text covering in-depth discussions of causes, natural medicine interventions and full references. Per our policy, one textbook from each course should be included in the reference section. Since we are starting small, this is the classic text for training in naturopathic medicine. Input was accepted from a student at Bastyr University. One major criterion it met was authority. Dr. Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D. is widely recognized as one of the world's leading authorities on science-based natural medicine. His formal education includes a B.S. in Chemistry in 1969 from Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA and an N.D. (Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine) degree in 1975 from National College of Naturopathic Medicine, now located in Portland, OR. He has been licensed (#NT00000369) as a naturopathic physician, with prescriptive authority, in Washington State since 1975.
As the founding president, now president emeritus, of Bastyr University, the first fully accredited, multidisciplinary university of natural medicine in the United States, Dr. Pizzorno has been very active in the academic and research advancement of natural medicine. As senior editor of the Textbook of Natural Medicine, he has helped set the standard for alternative medicine education. Over the years, he has taught naturopathic philosophy, clinical diagnosis, nutrition, environmental medicine, and integrative therapeutics, and supervised students in the Bastyr University teaching clinic.
Having significant experience in public health and health care policy, Dr. Pizzorno was appointed by the President, in December 2000, to the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy. In October 2000, he was an invited participant in the Josiah Macy, Jr., Foundation Conference on Education of Health Professionals on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The conference generated a consensus recommendation on complementary and alternative medicine education in conventional medical schools. The textbook is at the top of the list in CAM education.
This textbook is the most inclusive of all reviewed, and is sufficiently broad to allow room for the university to add on other modalities of treatment. The writing is clear and the illustrations and charts most helpful. A link is provided for the complete table of contents and a chapter sample. http://www.healthy.net/library/books/textbook/free.htm
The Clinician’s Handbook is the companion to the Textbook of Natural Medicine. The handbook covers 80 most common diseases alphabetically from acne to varicose veins. It includes only the most pertinent information for intervention for typical patients. Its format offers easily accessible advice for quick guidance for less complicated patients. Because it was written three years after the textbook, some contradictory information is given. Every disease is discussed in the same format: Diagnostic Summary, General Considerations, Therapeutic Considerations, Flowchart, and Therapeutic Approaches. We will purchase this reference book on our second go-around.
This herbal reference augments the original German Commission E Monographs by focusing on 115 of the most widely used botanicals in the United States. Acknowledged as the most scientifically advanced governmental agency that regulates phytomedicine, the Commission E, which is comprised of physicians and pharmaceutical professionals, is regarded as the European counterpart to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (American Family Physician 1999). This updated text seeks to appeal to a broad spectrum of practitioners, including medical doctors, through its unprecedented references to clinical studies, evidence-based research and accurate regulatory scrutiny. Each section includes a color photo and offers the most scientifically current information on chemical composition, pharmacology, dosages, indications, contraindications, history of use, side affects, taxonomies and cross-referenced investigations of Commission E approved and non-approved herbs. No botanical text matches the substantive research, authority and completeness of this much-needed reference.
The editor, Mark Blumenthal, directs the American Botanical Council. For ten years the council has served as one of the most valuable educational forums for publicizing expert research and establishing U.S. botanical standards through the promotion of responsible phytomedicine use. His foresight in translating the original Commission E monographs to a publication aimed at American medical professionals will give greater credibility to the use of botanicals in mainstream therapies. For any naturopathy student or faculty member, this text provides the most accurate herbal information available. It meets our criteria on several levels: 1) educational significance because of its authoritative role in phytopharmacology, 2) reputation based on the stringent Commission E standards, 3) significant contribution to the curriculum of the college as well as practicing clinicians and 4) quality of format for organization and visual appeal. Of all available herbal texts, this reference is the most important source for safe and precise botanical dispensing.
This new edition of the best clinical nutrition text on the market provides the theoretical knowledge and clinical information students and clinical practitioners need to understand basic nutrition, assess clients of varying ages and illnesses, plan dietary support that meets unique client needs, and promote good health and fitness. One selection criterion met is that contributions are from nationally recognized nutrition authorities. Another consideration was its history. For nearly 50 years, Krause’s Food, Nutrition, and Diet Therapy has been renowned as the definitive nutrition text. The updated 10th Edition appears to provide the theoretical knowledge and clinical information New England Naturopathic students and professionals need to promote lifelong health.
Another criterion in this case was the quality of the artwork. All new, full-color artwork and photographs bring the material inside Krause’s Food, Nutrition, and Diet Therapy to life. With contributions from more than 40 nationally recognized experts, it is no wonder that it is recommended as the premier training resource and working reference for professionals. Chapters include
§ Integrative medicine and herbal therapy
§ Laboratory data used in nutrition assessment
§ Macronutrients: carbohydrates, lipids & proteins
§ Normal adult nutrition-with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention
§ Stages of adolescent development in males and females
§ Percentages for weight and stature in the elderly
§ Glycemic indices of foods.
§ “New Directions” boxes that explore controversies and current research.
§ “Focus on...” boxes that discuss non-clinical, fun-to-know information.
§ Case studies followed by critical-thinking questions.
Weight management and eating disorders also receive greatly expanded coverage in this 10th Edition. There are also more than 50 appendices full of valuable clinical data.
Written in 1980 this classical text by George Vithoulkas, the originator of modern classical homeopathy, is a foundational reference for naturopathy students. It provides the underlying principles and actions of homeopathic therapy. Its presentation is clear and engaging, and it covers the multiple dimensions of humans, case analyses, diagnosis and prescription. This profound text is an essential introduction to the curative powers of homeopathic medicine, in addition to providing a good understanding of its complicated nature in strengthening the immune system (Wilson Library Bulletin 1995).
Because of its reputation as a single reference for homeopathy for over twenty years, it meets our criteria for educational significance and curriculum contribution. Currency was a necessary criterion for most of our reference sources, however, in homeopathy, historical continuity is equally valuable, so this text was included despite being two-decades old. Case reviews, illustrations and references also make this a well-organized medical text. Reviews of this reference are few but positive. The rarity of reviews is due in large part to the little-known status of homeopathy as a therapy. Chapters include:
· The Three Levels of the Human Being
· The Human Being Functioning as an Integrated Totality
· The Vital Force in Disease
· The Fundamental Law of Cure
· Taking the Case
· Recording of Symptoms
· Selection of Potency
CONCLUSION
To select the ten most important and most appropriate resources for the New England Naturopathy University library from the array of valuable and high quality references available was a difficult task. In making selections, we attempted to strike several important balances. First, it was necessary to establish a strong foundation in traditional medicine, while maintaining the naturopathic focus that is the mission of the university. Secondly, it was our goal to provide an appropriate array of reference mediums – electronic databases, books, and journals. Finally, it was important to assemble a balanced collection in terms of subject matter. With the ten choices presented, we believe that we have met our goals.
MEDLINE, The Merck Manual, Drug Facts & Comparisons, and Gray’s Anatomy, form a fundamental foundation in traditional medicine. Internationally known and respected, widely used by both traditional and non-traditional medical professionals, they establish a solid core for our collection. AMED, JAMA & Archives, the Textbook of Natural Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Krause’s Food, Nutrition & Diet Therapy, and The Science of Homeopathy, ground our collection firmly in the complementary and alternative medicine arena. The robustness of MEDLINE and AMED matches the body of monographic material. Every facet of naturopathic medicine is represented in this collection – pharmacology, anatomy, nutrition, diagnosis and treatment, homeopathy, herbal medicine, research, medical practice, and many others.
It must also be noted that the authority of our collection is impeccable. The National Library of Medicine, the British Library, Henry Gray, Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, and the other authors represent the highest standards of excellence in their fields. The students and faculty, the curriculum, and scholarship at the New England Naturopathy University will be well served by the collection we have assembled.