Jade Winn
Systematic Review Librarian
University of Southern California
In 2020 the University of Southern California (USC) Libraries were getting a large number of requests for Evidence Synthesis (ES) services from faculty across many disciplines that were not medical science. Specifically, the inquiries were substantial in the social sciences, computer science, and engineering. At that time ES was only offered on the medical school campus for researchers doing ES in the traditional Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) model. In response, a senior librarian with strong assessment and program development skills was appointed to develop an ES service at the Main USC University Park Campus (UPC). After training with the Evidence Synthesis Institute (ESI), USC began developing a model of high-touch ES services with a training program for librarians built into the plan to assure sustainability. When the program launched faculty began inquiring and collaborating with USC Faculty Librarians as Co-Principal Investigators (PI) and co-authors. The multi-institutional collaborations unexpectedly grew organically through work with the Children’s Data Network (CDN), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Army as some early examples. USC Libraries built an exemplary program with protocols that were noticed by both the ESI and the American Library Association (ALA). The Systematic Review Librarian was an invited panelist at ALA 2023 and an invited speaker at the ESI’s Annual Symposiums in 2022 and 2024. To date, they have collaborated with researchers at nine other institutions, and four government agencies, and received several grants.
All the materials and protocols for doing Non-Medical Science Systematic Reviews (NMSSR) are open educational resources (OER) for any researcher to have access to all the steps of the process and templates for each step. With the encouragement from ESI and ALA, USC Libraries are currently writing the formal protocols for NMSSRs. Early on they were contacted by a software company building new software to automate NMSSR and ES outside of medicine, this partnership led to USC Libraries getting a sub-award for a National Institute of Health (NIH) grant to beta test and give feedback on this innovative tools that will allow NMSSRs and ES to be done in one software instead the three it takes to complete ES. The success of this service and the strong collaborations and relationships built elevated USC Libraries as a leader in NMSSRs and ES. Sharing the program, the process to pair with liaison librarians so they can run their own ES teams, the materials that are OERs, and the lessons learned through the process would be valuable to any library that wants to provide a quality NMSSR services and/or are struggling to figure out how to do ES outside of medicine. The model offered here is a no-cost, forward-thinking, sustainable, and high-touch service with librarians as research partners and authors. All the while building new strong collaborations and relationships both on campus and with other institutions and agencies.
Research Guide with all OER (under Templates): https://libguides.usc.edu/systematicreviews_ssci/intro
A selection of publications:
Oh, H., Winn, J., Li Verdugo, J., Bañada, R., Zachry, C., Chan, G., Okine, L., Park, J., Formigoni, M., Leaune, E. (2024). Mental health outcomes of multiracial individuals: A Systematic Review Between the Years 2017-2022. Journal of Affective Disorders 374, (p. 375-386). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.11.040
Mozgai, S., Kaurloto, C., Winn, J.G., Leeds, A., Heylan, D., Hartholt, A. & Scherer, S. (2023). Machine Learning for Semi-Automated Scoping Reviews. Intelligent Systems with Applications. Preprint https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswa.2023.200249
Semborski, S., Winn, J.G., Rhoads, H., Petry, L. & Henwood, B.F. (2022). The application of GIS in Homelessness Research and Service Delivery: A Qualitative Systematic Review. Health & Place, 75 doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102776
Srivastava, A., Winn, J., Senese IV, J. & Goldbach, J.T. (2022). Sexual orientation change among adolescents and young adults: A systematic review. Archives of Sexual Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02394-5
Hao, T., Winn, J. G., & Qiang, Q. (2023). Unlocking Potential: Systematic Review of the Use of Gamification in Leadership Curriculum. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12332-0