This article reports on research into the reasons why clinical staff in an acute hospital may be reluctant to use library services. The article summarises the key findings from the interviews undertaken as part of the research process and lists the resulting recommendations. Gaynor also highlights the initiatives which have been put in place with the express aim of removing barriers to use and encouraging clinical staff to make the most of the library which is, she argues, a time-saving resource.
Big data, like MOOCs, altmetrics and open access, is a term that has been commonplace in the library community for some time yet, despite its prevalence, many in the library and information sector remain unsure of the relationship between big data and their roles. This editorial explores what big data could mean for the day-to-day practice of health library and information workers, presenting examples of big data in action, considering the ethics of accessing big data sets and the potential for new roles for library and information workers.
Margaret McCartney and colleagues argue that new models of evidence synthesis and shared decision making are needed to accelerate a move from guideline driven care to individualised care. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
If you have access to resources from different institutions (for example University and NHS Athens) and are trying to use them at the same time, then try logging on to one set of resources using a google chrome incognito window.
Note that you aren’t invisible from the network you are on but it might prevent the resource provider from getting confused about which login you are using.
Event description:
ARLG NW are pleased to announce our summer event, “Social media: Can you tell if it’s working yet?”
So your service has started dabbling in social media, or you’ve been working on it for a while. But do you know if it’s working? Is it worth the time and effort you’re putting in? And do you know what your goals are? What’s the point of your social media presence? This afternoon event will address all these questions and more. This event is suitable for people at all stages of planning for their social media presence.
Staff, volunteers and community groups at libraries across Staffordshire are responding by putting their knitting needles to good use knitting Twiddlemuffs for patients with dementia.
And they are looking for more knitters to join them.
So what are Twiddlemuffs?
A Twiddlemuff is a thick hand muff with trimmings such as ribbons, beads, buttons and zips attached to the inside and out, designed to combat restlessness and agitation in dementia patients by keeping their hands busy as well as stimulating the mind.
As part of Staffordshire Libraries’ activities for Dementia Awareness Week, which runs from Sunday 15 to Saturday 21 May, libraries are encouraging residents to join with them to produce Twiddlemuffs to be donated to local charities and dementia friendly groups.
Borrow Box and Comics Plus allow library members to download eBooks, eAudio, eComics and eGraphic novels for free.
There will be free taster sessions for members of the public to learn more about the new free eBook and eAudio service from Borrow Box and the free eComics service from Comics Plus.
GRADE is a method of assessing the certainty in evidence (also known as quality of evidence or confidence in effect estimates) and the strength of recommendations in health care. In the paper the authors acknowledge that trustworthy answers are required across different timeframes, sometimes in just hours.
The Segment Tool has been updated by Public Health England (PHE). [One for the list of useful info sources]
The tool provides information on life expectancy and the causes of death that are driving inequalities in life expectancy at local area level. Targeting the causes of death which contribute most to the life expectancy gap should have the biggest impact on reducing inequalities.
If you're looking for images to use in a presentation or report, it can be a real pain to try and find ones that you can grab without legal problems. LibreStock is a free multi search engine that will check through over 40 different websites to find images that you can use. I quote from the site: "I know it's hard to understand complex legal licenses so let me break it down for you. all the photos indexed on LibreStock are licensed under the Creative Commons Zero license. this means you can use these pictures freely for any legal purpose." This means that they are free to use, even commercially, you can modify, copy and distribute, and you don't need to attribute.
Library weeding gets a bad reputation, thanks in part to weeding horror stories. Ideally, a library wouldn't need to perform drastic weeding projects. If a collection is weeded on a regular basis, a section at a time, and maintained well with new materials, it rarely requires a large, hard-to-ignore weed. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details