ALIA Health Libraries Australia

HLA

HLA is the national professional organisation representing librarians working in all health sectors including:

hospitals and other clinical facilities, research institutes, regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, government departments, regional health services, professional colleges, universities, cooperative research centres, not-for-profit and community organisations, and parts of public library services.

Health Libraries in Australia

The Australian Libraries Gateway at the National Library of Australia links to 430 self-described health/medical libraries.

A Health Libraries Database is also available on this site.

Becoming a health librarian in Australia

HLA is working to develop a framework of competency based standards that will form the basis of a program of study leading to a specialist postgraduate certificate and a three-year cycle of professional development activities. At present, competency is developed on the job by librarians with generic qualifications.

There are quality educational options available and more will be developed. ALIA maintains the Professional Development Scheme that all health librarians are encouraged to join.

Training options are tracked on the ALIA training directory. Look out for FOLIOOz programs such as BREAKOUT. Extending the health LIS professional role - skills and strategies and others offered by universities and other providers.

HIMAA offers a medical terminology course

The Health Informatics Society of Australia's directory of health informatics options is also worth considering.