The education of medical librarians in evidence-based information services: a model of active learning

Evidence-based practice stems from clinical approaches which are used in the late 18th and early 19th centuries’ medical practices. This area is new in Turkey, too. Turkey needs some lessons about evidence-based practice in Departments of Information and Records Management. This paper, examining the examples in various other countries, presents a model for including the evidence-based information services, which are based on research done in the fields of health and medicine and especially of dentistry, within the contents of the already existing courses in education of librarianship in Turkey. The paper depicts the aims and fields of use of evidence-based information services and their contribution to active learning; examines the education of this subject in various other countries and shows its place in Turkey, and presents a model for the improvement of this education. It is proved that the education of the librarians who will give evidence-based information services both with special practices within the already existing courses or with optional courses given especially for this aim in education of librarianship will contribute considerably to active learning in dentistry.