Sarah Young
Principal Librarian Carnegie Mellon University
Biography
Areas of Expertise
Media
Social
Industry Expertise
Education
Michigan State University
Graduate Certificate
Program Evaluation
2022
University of Pittsburgh
M.L.I.S.
Health Resources and Services
2011
Aalborg University
M.Sc
Development and International Relations
2007
Articles
The Evidence Synthesis Institute: Building a high impact training program and supportive community for an emergent area of librarianship. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice
Evidence Based Library and Information Practice2026
Objective – Seeing an absence of training opportunities for librarians supporting evidence synthesis outside of the health sciences, a collaborative team of librarians sought grant funding, developed a curriculum, and facilitated community building to provide this training.
Methods – The present case study describes the identification of a training gap, multi-faceted efforts made to fill that gap, and evaluation via pretests and post-tests to continuously improve the program.
AI and automation in evidence synthesis: An investigation of methods employed in Cochrane, Campbell Collaboration, and Environmental Evidence reviews
Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods2025
Automation, including Machine Learning (ML), is increasingly being explored to reduce the time and effort involved in evidence syntheses, yet its adoption and reporting practices remain under-examined across disciplines (e.g., health sciences, education, and policy). This review assesses the use of automation, including ML-based techniques, in 2271 evidence syntheses published between 2017 and 2024 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the journals Campbell Systematic Reviews, and Environmental Evidence. We focus on automation across four review steps: search, screening, data extraction, and analysis/synthesis.
Searching and reporting in Campbell Collaboration systematic reviews: An assessment of current methods Campbell Systematic Reviews
Campbell Systematic Reviews2024
The search methods used in systematic reviews provide the foundation for establishing the body of literature from which conclusions are drawn and recommendations made. Searches should aim to be comprehensive and reporting of search methods should be transparent and reproducible. Campbell Collaboration systematic reviews strive to adhere to the best methodological guidance available for this type of searching. The current work aims to provide an assessment of the conduct and reporting of searches in Campbell Collaboration systematic reviews.
Rigour in phenomenological and phenomenography studies: A scoping review of library and information science research
Library & Information Science Research2023
This scoping review investigates rigour from phenomenological and phenomenographic orientations and their appropriate fit into the discourses identified by researchers. The scoping review addresses the following central research question: Do phenomenological and phenomenographic studies in published library science research share the same criteria of rigour? Library and information science (LIS) multi-disciplinary bibliographic databases were searched. Basic keyword searching was conducted in databases and conference proceedings were hand-searched to ensure that no articles were missed because of indexing lags.
Searching for evidence in public health emergencies: a white paper of best practices
Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA2023
Objectives:
Information professionals have supported medical providers, administrators and decision-makers, and guideline creators in the COVID-19 response. Searching COVID-19 literature presented new challenges, including the volume and heterogeneity of literature and the proliferation of new information sources, and exposed existing issues in metadata and publishing. An expert panel developed best practices, including recommendations, elaborations, and examples, for searching during public health emergencies.
Making the case for librarian expertise to support evidence synthesis for the sustainable development goals
Research Synthesis Methods2022
Evidence syntheses that engage librarians as co‐authors produce higher‐quality results than those that do not. Trained as teachers, researchers, and information managers, librarians possess expert knowledge on research methodologies and information retrieval approaches that are critical for evidence synthesis. Researchers are under increasing pressure to produce evidence syntheses to inform practice and policymaking. Many fields outside of health science and medicine, however, do not have established guidelines, processes, or methodologies. This article describes how librarians led the creation of an interdisciplinary toolkit for researchers new to evidence synthesis.
An Exploration of Business Librarian Participation in Knowledge Synthesis Reviews
College & Research Libraries2022
Systematic reviews and other forms of knowledge synthesis are increasingly common in the social sciences, including in business and management research. We surveyed academic business librarians to determine the extent of their involvement, in any capacity, in knowledge syntheses. Of 71 eligible responses, 30 percent were involved in supporting knowledge synthesis, while others expressed an awareness of and interest in knowledge synthesis methods and have participated in training opportunities to support these types of projects in the future. While still nascent, knowledge synthesis support by business librarians presents potential as a new service area providing opportunities for deep engagement with faculty research.
