Bioinformatics librarian: Meeting the information needs of genetics and bioinformatics researchers

In the Fall semester of 2001, a new position – Bioinformatics Librarian – was developed jointly by the University of Florida's Health Science Center Libraries (HSCL) and Genetics Institute (UFGI). Aims to give an overview of this post.

This paper describes the development of the position and the services provided.

Funded by the Genetics Institute and housed in the library, this position was created to meet the information needs of the university's faculty, students and staff involved in genetics and bioinformatics research and study. The responsibilities of the position were in part patterned after those performed via the HSCL's existing Liaison Librarian program. Librarians with only an undergraduate degree in the biosciences can still make an important, albeit usually less complete, contribution in this area.

The University of Florida's Bioinformatics Librarian position may serve as a model for the Information Specialist in Context (ISIC; Informationist; Bioinformationist) in the research arena.