The HOSPITAL LIBRARIAN AS A PROFESSOR

AN EXPERIENTIAL ACCOUNT OF TEACHING, INFORMATION MEDIATION, AND THE TEACHING OF HEALTH CARE RESIDENTS

Abstract

The changes in the processes of producing, organizing, and using information have expanded the librarian’s role beyond the technical activities traditionally associated with the profession. In this context, their role as educators stands out, especially in academic, hospital, and vocational training settings. Although they engage in educational activities on a regular basis, many librarians still do not view themselves as professors, thereby limiting their understanding of the profession’s pedagogical potential. This paper discusses the role of the librarian as an educator based on a teaching-learning experience conducted with multidisciplinary residents in the health field. A qualitative approach, of a descriptive nature, is used, grounded in the literature on information literacy, information mediation, adult learning, and active methodologies. The results show that the adoption of strategies such as problem-based learning, case studies, and collaborative activities fosters participant engagement and enhances the development of skills for searching, evaluating, and critically using scientific information. We conclude that the library constitutes a strategic educational space and that librarians possess competencies that qualify them to perform teaching roles, contributing to more critical, reflective, and learner-centered educational processes.