September 2022

The research was carried out by Lagom Strategy on behalf of Health Education England and focussed on the e-book needs and views of healthcare staff in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland. Responses were received from both users and non-users of E-books.  The research utilised surveys, 1-1 interviews & a 1-1 workshop to develop customer journey maps & proto personas.    

Key Questions & core findings:  

1. Who uses e-books in the NHS : Respondents were from many different professions, and at different stages in their careers. 
2. What do staff use e-books for:  they are used for many different reasons: CPD, patient care, research, teaching preparation and supporting quality improvement projects.  
3. When and how are e-books used? E-books are used 24/7 at both work and home and mainly on desktops or laptops.  This ease of access is considered one of the key advantages of e-books.   The research suggests that some users use e-books out of preference. But for others it may be the only option, either because they are unable to get to a library or because the print edition is unavailable.  

General perceptions of e-books & e-resources

• Greater use made of e-books because of the pandemic. 
• Awareness that cost may prevent purchase of some e-titles 
• Individuals IT skills may impact their willingness or ability to use e-books   
• Individuals who use healthcare e-books seem to have a high level of satisfaction 
• A helpful librarian was cited as an invaluable resource by a number of users 
• Most users feel that e-books are a good way to access the most up-to-date information 
• The majority of users are satisfied with the range of e-books that they get access to 
• Users appreciate the in-text features that are an advantage of e-books over other formats 
• the ability to copy and paste from e-books is a useful feature 
• in text searching was helpful and saved time  

How will The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland respond to this?  

• Increase the promotion of e-books – as new e-books are added to stock as well as promoting those already in stock  
• Continue to include guidance on finding and using e-books in our monthly welcome to the library sessions,  
• Offer short E-book workshops 
• Create a short training video on finding & using e-books 

Welcome to the Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland - Belfast & SE Trusts via MS Teams

Aimed at those who want a general overview of the library website and the key services available to our members. Email MedicalLibrary@qub.ac.uk to book a place.    

Date:                         Wednesday, October 5, 2022    

Time:                         10:00 - 11:00    

Location:                    SHSCT

Welcome to the healthcare Library : here to help

Join this short workshop on zoom where you will find out about the range of services available, learn how to find and request books and articles and request further help with searches etc.     

Date:                         Friday, October 7, 2022    

Time:                         12:00 - 12:30    

Location:                    Online     

Bitesize Evidence finder for NURSING & AHP staff

How to use Cinahl effectively & set up alerts to help you keep up to date with current trends and research This demonstration will be on MS Teams for more information or to book a place.     

Date:                         Friday, October 7, 2022    

Time:                         13:15 - 14:15    

Location:                    Western Trust

Locating the Evidence for Medical, Scientific & Pharmacy Staff

To book your place, contact the Healthcare Library, MDEC, Altnagelvin Hospital on 02871 296168 (Ext 214137)    

Date:                         Wednesday, October 12, 2022    

Time:                         10:30 - 12:30    

Location:                   Altnagelvin, Altnagelvin Area Hospital

Bitesize Evidence finder for MEDICINE, PHARMACY & LAB STAFF

An overview of the range of resources available free of charge to library members, - focussing on : Medline, ClinicalKey & Cochrane Library. This short seminar will be presented online via MS Teams.     

Date:                         Friday, October 14, 2022    

Time:                         10:00 - 11:00    

Location:                    Online

Social Workers: finding relevant research

Learn how to find relevant articles quickly using the library advanced search option and SocIndex. This online workshop will be provided via MS Teams. to register, please email medicallibrary@qub.ac.uk    

Date:                         Friday, October 14, 2022    

Time:                         15:00 - 16:00    

Location:                   Online

Locating the Evidence for Nursing, Midwifery, Health Visiting & Allied Health Staff

To book your place, contact the Healthcare Library, MDEC at Altnagelvin Hospital on 02871 296168 (Ext 214137)    

Date:                         Tuesday, October 18, 2022    

Time:                         10:30 - 12:30    

Location:                    Altnagelvin, Altnagelvin Area Hospital

The collaboration between the local Healthcare Library, the Promoting Wellbeing Team and Psychology services has continued. While these additional resources include further wellbeing books to support physical and mental wellbeing, the majority of books purchased this year have been recreational.  Topics include, walking, running, gardening, cookery, and the creative arts.  The booklist is regularly updated. Books can be posted to SHSCT staff using the Trust internal mail.  

 The library also has 2 light boxes which staff can use in the library to counteract the impact of dull autumn and winter days; massage seats are also available to ease aching backs and neck; a desk cycle to encourage a less sedentary day, and a standing desk.   Educational games have also been purchased which are available for teams to use as part of their staff development: The Titles are Focus on Mental and Physical Healthcare, Working Stress and Teams That Care.  These are available for SHSCT staff in both hard copy and online.  For more information contact the Healthcare Library in Craigavon.