The authors presents procedures of problem solving at searching of answers to the question what is value of Library Information Services (LIS) in the Czech medical libraries (library and information services for the hospital and academic health science centre). Working group (Steering Committee) of the National Medical Library of the Czech republic in cooperation with the National Library of the Czech Republic pay attention to the solution of the Project “Benchmarking of libraries”. Identification, determination and collection of most suitable indicators detailing activities in comparable type of library enable to decide on change of existing processes (services) and thereby to improve the quality of provided service. The authors inform about the results of analysis of medical libraries activities according to the statistical returns for 2007 and about proposal of optimization of these activities by method of benchmarking. Statistical investigation must be evaluated with respect to categories of users of provided services. The categorization of user groups according to different types of health facilities where libraries act is necessary condition for assessment of LIS value.

Institute for Postgraduate Medical Education Prague Czech Republic