Support for Public Libraries

Happy New Year all. Hope you all had a relaxing break and wonderful holidays. It's time to get back on track.Have you shown your support for the CILIP Campaign for the public's access to libraries? Don't stand on the sidelines hoping it resolves itself. Be the change you want to see. If you agree, show your support by signing the petition.

When I was growing up, I had no access to libraries. I remember hearing about a new library being established when I was about to sit for my O Levels and I rushed there all excited. It was little more than a study space (bear in mind this was almost 20 years ago). The room had tables and chairs, was right next to a really busy market and guess what, it did not faze me because I was just so happy to have somewhere I could go. Please don't let us take for granted the wonderful facilities we have. Let us show our support to ensure it keeps on going.

Well I've been busy at work with training and literature searching. I must say that our use of Knowledgeshare has really improved my searching skills and shortened the time I spend. It's been interesting to discover new techniques from browsing the searches of others and also finding searches similar to those that have been requested of me. I still consider myself in the honeymoon phase but it gets a thumbs up from me.

It's official. I have a fear of public speaking. Or is it a fear of speaking to a room full of librarians. I presented at the last CILIP ILIG Event and although I got good feedback, the experience was a bit scary. My solution is to press on. I remember feeling the same way when I started doing training sessions and it doesn't bother me anymore. I met Shane Godbolt at the event which was quite opportuned as only the day before I had been nosing around the Partnerships in Health Information website trying to figure out how I could get involved. We had a nice chat and I hope we'll be doing more together in future.

Before the Christmas break, I applied for the "Knowledge for Healthcare Leadership Development Programme" and I just had news that I was successful. I'm really looking forward to the launch which is to take place in London (fortunately for me) in March. The programme is for a year so a lot of my blogging over the next 13 months may focus on this (do bear with me). It will be nice to meet with other participants, my project sponsor and my project team members. I would be happy to hear from anyone who might be on this or similar programmes.

London & the South East NHS/HE Libraries Conference 2015

I was lucky enough to attend the London & the South East NHS/HE Libraries Conference 2015 which took place on the 19th of November at Stewart House in London. It was a very good day for networking, putting faces to names and reconnecting with colleagues. I was able to tweet and get an impression of others thoughts thanks to the free WIFI offered. After a gracious welcome from the London Strategic Lead for Library Services & eLearning HENCEL, Richard Osborn, Health Education England's National Programme Manager for Library and Knowledge Services, Louise Goswami gave us an update on the Knowledge for Healthcare Framework. She referred to the use of the NHS Library Services website in the absence of a Knowledge Hub as a place to put updates for the programme and the KfH blog for regular alerts. She also referred to the use of social media for updates e.g. #HEELKS @K4H_PPI on twitter and publications being produced in professional press.

@GoswamiLouise speaking at #NHSHE2015 about @K4H_PPI Knowledge for Healthcare pic.twitter.com/HRAYBXobtF

— CNWL Libraries (@CNWLlibraries) November 19, 2015

She talked about the need to make noise about the value of the Knowledge and Library Service in order to effect change and the vital need for partnerships such as Public Health England, Pulic Libraries, Sconul and CILIP. Issues relating to the different task and finish groups were also touched upon e.g. Metrics, current awareness, streamlining, authentication, open access, repositories, collaborative procurement, resource discovery and more. A name to describe the Knowledge Hub when it is established was raised.

Next up was Ben Skinner, Head of Knowledge and Library Services at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust. It was interesting to hear the progress being made on KnowledgeShare as the Knowledge and Library Services at Barts Health NHS Trust started using it in August. He gave a general overview of the web based resource and a live demonstration. What was in the works, how far they had come, the obstacles faced and the struggles ahead. I am particularly interested in seeing whether giving users direct access to it will create difficulties for LKS staff. Like everything else, they will need to be trained but how much of it is retained. The idea does have merit though as it would allow users to book sessions, download certificates and give feedback without having to contact the Library. From a Librarian's perspective, I have found it useful to view search strategies of colleagues who have done searches on topics similar to that which I am attempting. It really does save me the time of racking my brains. I can also see others across the region whose roles are similar to mine one of whom I met at the conference.

Next was a speed dating session with the exhibitors which included Wiley, Dynamed, ClinicalKey, ProQuest, Sage and more. In true Librarian fashion, I was happy to fleece pens and bags. My weakness. This was followed by lunch and my rumbling tummy was aghast to find we had no cutlery but in true superhero style, Fatima Almeda swooped in and saved the day and my rumbling tummy. I also took this opportunity to peruse the posters on display.

Mmmmmh lunch. #nhshe2015 pic.twitter.com/qFcrY3ArVd

— Lisa Burscheidt (@lisaburscheidt) November 19, 2015

After lunch was the innovation session with nine entries. There was a varied mix of content and styles. Presentation, Video, Audience engagement. I liked the Good thinking Batman innovation by Rachel Cooke. I believe it is important to show people the work they do has value and is appreciated. I also had the opportunity to share some of the innovative practices I came across whilst on my study tour of medical libraries in the United States. The winning innovation was presented by Holly Case . She talked about the #ukmedlibs twitter chat which takes place at 8pm on the third Tuesday of every month. As someone who has participated in few of these discussions, I can say that an hour does go by quickly and the sessions are very interesting. It was a well deserved reward.

Imrana Ghumra, Professional Advisor, Library & Knowledge Services, Health Education East of England shared about the Knowledge for Healthcare advocacy toolkit for NHS LKS staff.  The toolkit is meant to be a reference tool for NHS LKS staff which will enable them have an awareness of the bigger picture. Case studies which can be anonymized on request will be added as a way of sharing best practice. It will constitute a range of resources comprised of how people have done things and what they have learnt. The toolkit will be launched in December and is currently in wiki format but is that fit for purpose? She raised the need to engage with stakeholders and have an elevator pitch at your fingertips which shows how you are impacting patient care. It is important to know how to advocate the LKS to people who don't live in a library bubble as well as develop a one page strategy which is easy to peruse.

Louise returned to talk about the Knowledge for Healthcare Leadership Development Programme which is to be delivered in partnership with CILIP in March 2016. Where the CILIP Leadership Programme had 20 places and participants needed to pay a £250 fee, this pilot will have 24 places, focus on healthcare, has been sponsored by Health Education England and is thus free to participants. Yes, you heard me. I did say FREE. So get in there because it is bound to be competitive. The programme is seeking aspiring LEADERS so be sure you know what you're signing up for to avoid disappointment. Getting the approval of Line Managers should not be a problem since the only cost to employers is giving the participants time to attend the seven MANDATORY meetings spread over the one year course. I look forward to seeing how this progresses.

This brought us to the end of the conference. All posters received a prize but the winning poster was for the Pop Up Library Service at Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust presented by Lynsey Hawker.

@abombolo of course and many thanks for the mention! pic.twitter.com/A0uSc6doJi

— BEH Library (@behlibrary) November 23, 2015

Presentations for the conference can be found on LondonLinks.

In other news, I was notified last week that my revalidation has been accepted. Hurray!!! It wasn't as nerve-racking as I had originally thought (says the lady who checked her emails for news every two minutes after submitting). It really is about logging what you've been doing within the profession whether in your workplace or in the wider professional network. A nice variety is always a good way to go i.e. attending or presenting at workshops and conferences, visiting other libraries, contributions in your workplace, training given and received, professional reading, participation in groups on social media, mailing lists and such. I also found joining the Revalidation Group on the CILIP VLE very useful as I was able to view real examples of what others are adding to their portfolios.

Catching up

The study tour went really well and I am proud to say I have established relationships with librarian colleagues in the States. However the trip really wiped me out. I have spent the last couple of weeks drafting my report which I have now submitted. I have also submitted an article to Focus on Library and Information Work as well as another piece to 23 Librarians England. I am really looking forward to seeing them published. In the spirit of professional development, I have submitted my revalidation portfolio. No point postponing the inevitable.

Life at work has brought about some change. I am doing a lot more presentating at inductions, training, clinical support and the literature search requests seem to have a steady flow. I am thoroughly enjoying interacting with users in the clinical setting. The phrase "library lady" is now considered a term of endearment (by me anyway).

I've also been invited to speak at the next CILIP International Library and Information Group Informal Event themed around Travelling Librarians. It's a free early evening event so save the date, 13th January 2016.

Off I go on a study tour

So I've been lucky enough to be sponsored by The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and The English-Speaking Union (ESU) to conduct a study tour on the Knowledge for Healthcare framework for NHS Library and Knowledge Services in England published by Health Education England. I will be gathering intelligence from health libraries in the Greater Midwest Region of the USA on how service provision is cascaded from national to regional and local levels. I leave next week and my visits, flights and accommodation have been sorted. I will be blogging about my adventures so do follow me. I am so grateful for this opportunity.

In the meantime, I have been busy conducting training and literature searches. I have also been visiting wards to offer support in a clinical setting. I spent the last few days familiarizing myself with our new current awareness system KnowledgeShare. It will allow us to provide users with personalised bulletins on the latest evidence and will be a base for all literature searches. It is web-based which is a relief as it makes working from home easier and it is NHS OpenAthens password protected.

I'll be focusing on my study tour and revalidation so it may be a bit quiet for a while.

Local strategic plans

I have had the Knowledge for Healthcare framework on the brain since the first time I read it in March. I just can't seem to shake it off and I'm unsure if it is the root of my current headache, strategic plans within local NHS Libraries to meet the vision of the framework. It is with great relief that I attended the London Health Libraries Strategy Workshop facilitated by Sue Lacey Bryant and Richard Osborn who kindly shed some clarity to the information stored in my scrambled brain. One of the most useful things I gained was the need to align organizational aims and objectives as well as CQC recommendations with the strategic plans of the library based on the primary drivers of the framework.


Some more highlights included:

• Rewording the themes of the framework  to reflect local principles.
• Collaborating actively on national programmes that may be implemented locally.
• Using the language of the organization's strategy (the purse strings) to talk futuristically.
• Finding ways to contribute to the restructure and financial stability of the organization.
• Finding ways to inform on decision-making in healthcare.

Am I sorted now? No. Am I where I was before the workshop? Definitely not. It was a very enlightning event which created the opportunity to discuss current issues with other NHS Librarians. It also contributed a lot to inform on my sponsored Study Tour which is starting to take shape.

Since my last post, I have been able to attend a Grand Round. It was great to see staff from different clinical departments discussing patient care. I was able to introduce myself to some people and assist with Athens registrations. I have been literature searching, training and representing the service at inductions. I went around the wards to introduce myself and promote the service. It turned out to be a useful exercise which I intend to continue. I am slowly plodding along with my revalidation which I hope to submit before the year runs out.

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Forging ahead - Knowledge for Healthcare

It's been a crazy couple of weeks and I'm still exhausted from it all. Today was the final day of our Knowledge Awareness week which I must admit was a resounding success. I base my comments on the positive feedback the service has received especially when we had our stands on sites with no physical library. There were lots of promotional materials graciously supplied by our providers such as Clinical Key and Virtual Ashridge who also had presentations, resource demonstrations and drop-in sessions at our workshops. We also ran a photo competition and crossword competition which drew quite a lot of interest as it was open to staff and their family and friends. We have been able to refurbish our Whipps Cross Library and Royal London Hospital Knowledge Hub in the run up to Knowledge Awareness Week which I consider an amazing feat.


I applied for the Travelling Librarian award in March and was excited to get shortlisted. Although I did not obtain the award, I found it a very fulfilling experience. Kirsten McCormick won the award in 2013 and was a fountain of knowledge and support through the entire process for which I am extremely grateful. I still hope to secure the funds needed to conduct my study tour in August so fingers crossed. What is it about? How the aims of the Knowledge for Healthcare framework can be met by maximising value for money at the local and regional level. I will be visiting hospital and university health libraries of the National Network of Medical Libraries Greater Midwest Region. The objectives are directed at service development for my organisation and beyond. All this has drawn me into the tweeting scene and if nothing else, thats a positive result.

It's also been busy on the work front with literature searches, training and inductions. Feeling a bit run off my feet and looking forward to the long bank holiday weekend.

Continuing Professional Development

Image (c) Creative Commons - ed_needs_a_bicycle

I take CPD very seriously not just because I should but because I find it very valuable. I have been trained on the Trust website content management system so I am now able to make changes and update the Library web pages. I have also attended a Critical Appraisal course run by CLIST and although a lot of what was said was familiar, I gained some ideas that could improve my training methods. The session helped me realise that a one size fits all session will not work for Critical appraisal so I intend to design a basic, intermediate and advanced level session and use the level best suited to each users competency on the topic. I also liked a feature which involved asking what people thought about the paper before and after the appraisal to determine if the session changes views. Encouraging appraisers to communicate gaps in research to the authors of the paper was also raised as a way of improving future research.

I continue to train and conduct in-depth literature searches for clinicians. The pilot for the pop-up library is going well and I'll be able to summarise what I've learned after the last session next week.