The Shared Library Service (SLS) is a partnership between Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Shropshire Community Health Trust, Staffordshire University, and the local PCTs. The SLS employs library staff from these organizations to provide resources and services to over 4,500 members, including books, journals, databases, training, and evidence-based research support. Governance and management of the libraries involves committees and groups to coordinate services across sites and organizations.
5. Library Staffing SaTH Library Services Manager 1 WTE Staffordshire University Academic Skills Tutor Librarian 0.6 WTE PCTs Library and Knowledge Services Manager 1 WTE Senior Lib Assistant 1 WTE Lib Assistant 1 WTE SHL Site Librarian 0.8 WTE Staffordshire University Information Services (based in Stafford/ Stoke) IT technician 0.5 WTE Lib Assistant 0.5 WTE Lib Assistant 1 WTE Lib Assistant 1 WTE Senior LA 1 WTE Lib Assistant 1 WTE Knowledge Services Assistant 0.5 WTE THL Site Librarian 1 WTE Lib Assistant 0.5 WTE
6. Library Users Academic staff Admin Ambulance staff Audiologist Nurse Biochemist Cardiac clinical scientist Chiropodist Community nurse Consultant Counsellor Dentist Dietitian District nurse GP Health care assistant Health promotion worker Health visitor Manager Medical secretary Microbiologist Midwife Occupational therapist Operating department practitioner Optometrist Orthoptist Orthotist Pharmacist Phlebotomist Physiotherapist Plaster technician Play specialist Practice nurse Psychiatric nurse Psychologist Radiographer Radiotherapist School nurse Social worker Speech & language therapist Medical student Nursing student Support therapist
The Shared Library Service has 2 sites – one at Shrewsbury and one at Telford. Library users can use both sites, once they are registered at one, they do not need to register at the other. Borrow and return books to either sites, send books between sites and other health libraries in Shropshire. Out of hours access.
Library members are from all of these different organisations plus SaTH. Most library staff based here.
Shrewsbury and Telford Health Libraries are SaTH-run facilities, with service level agreements with and input from, the other key NHS and HE partners. Overall responsibility for the operational management lies with the SaTH Library Services Manager. The Library Management Board, comprising representatives from the four main partners in the library, continued to meet half-yearly during 2010/11. In addition, a Library Users’ Group was set up during the year. This group also meets twice a year, but it is proving difficult to find student representatives to participate and it may be made a virtual group during 2011-12. At an operational level, the Shrewsbury Library Managers group met every 6 weeks and worked to improve the efficiency of the merged services by increasing joint working. In 2011-12, this group will merge with the SaTH Librarians’ Group to form the SLS (Shared Library Service) Development Group. This group will also include input from the Keele University Liaison Librarian (Health) and the Senior Library Assistant at each site. Team meetings took place regularly in both Shrewsbury and Telford Health libraries. Staff from both Shrewsbury and Telford Health libraries continued to be involved with Shropshire wide groups and projects, including the Shropshire-wide library management system, OLIB, the electronic resources and training group and the SHeLib library managers’ group. Responsibility for overall library service strategy development lies with individual partner organisations, but each partner’s priorities for the Shared Library Service are pulled together into an annual work plan. This is agreed by the Library Management Board and implemented by the SLS Development Group group and the rest of the library staff. The SaTH Library Services Manager shares the responsibilities of the Shropshire Lead Librarian with the PCT Library & Knowledge Services Manager and the RJAH Library Services Manager.
The SHL is home to Library staff working for several different organisations; SaTH, NHS Telford and Wrekin and Staffordshire University. Library staff remain on their existing contracts with their current employers and within their previous line management structure
As you can see we have a wide variety of library users. Here are just some of the occupations. Although we cannot stock all resources for all occupations we do try to cover a wide variation. Each of the librarians form the different organisations e.g. SaTH Library Services Manager (and Site Librarians), PCT Library Services Manager and the Staffordshire University Librarian will each have a good idea and knowledge about what their users require and therefore enable access to the appropriate resources.
An extensive range of books and journals, along with request services for books and journal articles not held in stock Access to a growing range of e-resources including databases, e-journals and e-books Help and training on using library resources (including searching databases, finding patient information and critical appraisal skills) Tailored training for teams or specialist groups on searching for information on a particular subject Literature searching and enquiry services Facilities for study, including quiet study rooms, IT drop-in and training rooms and photocopying facilities Assistance with identifying the most appropriate evidence-based resources
A variety of current awareness services, as well as help with setting up tailored search strategies and alerts Supporting Journal Clubs, for example by identifying appropriate articles or providing help with critical appraisal Visiting departments or attending team meetings to demonstrate information resources or services Supporting information queries by using our specialist knowledge and expertise Providing resource guides tailored to individual departments Supporting Team Knowledge Officers by ensuring the effective input of evidence into clinical practice
This LMS is on a site called SHeLib (Shropshire Health Libraries) and is available via the Internet for all users. by far the largest borrowers of library stock at Shrewsbury were Staffordshire University nursing students, followed by Keele medical students, then SaTH staff. At Telford, SaTH staff were the main borrowers followed by Staffordshire University nursing students. Staffordshire University students can also request items from other University Site libraries, in Stoke and Stafford, and these items are sent weekly between the sites in dedicated transport. The chart below shows the success of the shared library concept, in that staff from all partners are borrowing books from all the other partners in the system, thus demonstrating improved value for money and access to knowledge from the shared library model. To further improve our inter-lending services, we have begun a reciprocal inter-lending arrangement with SSSFT Libraries ahead of the departure of Shelton Hospital from SHeLib Libraries, and we are also trialling reciprocal inter-lending arrangements with the other healthcare libraries across the Shropshire and Staffordshire patch area (SASHA). This opens up a wider range of book stock to our users, and potentially saves money on borrowing items from the British Library, but it does produce extra work for our staff and means some of our bookstock will be on loan to other libraries, so this will be carefully evaluated once the trial is complete.
Staff from all the partners carry out promotional work within their user bases, to raise awareness of the library service and electronic resources. Regular slots on staff induction courses at both Shrewsbury and Telford Invitation letters to join the library are now sent to all new starters in the Trust Regular book displays outside meeting rooms in SHL New web pages for service Items in SaTH staff bulletins and newsletters Regular emails sent out via the Knowledge Source blog (over 400 subscribers), SaTH global email, and to specific groups such as FY1 and FY2 doctors to promote specific initiatives such as the new exam e-book collection.
Trials of specific e-resources and subsequent evaluations, including BMJ Best Practice, DynaMed, UpToDate and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Source Attendance at Faculty of Health and departmental meetings to raise awareness of key library developments Updating Staffordshire University web pages for students, including subject specific wiki Induction sessions for Keele and Staffordshire University students Displays on library services and e-resources at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital