WHAT TO DO WHEN EVERYONE WANTS TO BE YOUR PARTNER

Sandy Campbell* and Marlene DorganJohn W. Scott Health Sciences LibraryUniversity of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

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Main Quad in Winter http://campuslife.ualberta.ca/ourcampuses/northsouthcampus

POPULATION SERVED BY THE JOHN W. SCOTT HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY

High quality systematic reviews seek to: Identify all relevant published and

unpublished evidence Select studies or reports for inclusion Assess the quality of each study or report Synthesis the findings from individual

studies or reports in an unbiased way Interpret the findings and present a

balanced and impartial summary of the findings with due consideration of any flaws in the evidence.

Hemingway, Pippa and Nic Brereton. “What is a Systematic Review?” Evidence Based Medicine, 2nd Ed., 2009. http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/painres/download/whatis/Syst-review.pdf. Accessed Feb. 16, 2012

HOW ARE SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER REVIEWS?

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WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE FACULTY/LIBRARIAN RELATIONSHIP?

Some granting agencies and journals in the health sciences now require that a librarian be a part of the research team.

Greater awareness of the skills that librarians bring to expert searching and instruction.

3. Synthesis Methodsiii. Identifying potentially eligible studies 

“The next stage is to develop sensitive search strategies to identify studies that potentially meet the inclusion criteria. This is a highly technical task and should rarely be undertaken without the support of a trained information specialist (librarian).”

Grimshaw, Jeremy. A Guide to Knowledge Synthesis. Canadian Institutes of Health Research. http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/41382.html Accessed August 27, 2013

INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR RESEARCH CONSULTATIONS

Consultations in the Health Sciences Library

2010 210 2013 (Jan – August) 354

MANAGEMENT PLAN

Strategic Actions: 1. Ensuring that work is done at the correct

level2. Building searcher capacity in the

community3. Lobbying for additional librarian positions4. Redefining service policies for external

users5. Better organizing search support resources6. Educating users

1. ENSURING THAT WORK IS DONE AT THE CORRECT LEVEL

Librarians no longer assigned desk hours, except in remote (on-site) locations. Most librarian level reference work is done by

appointment, by telephone or e-mail Basic instruction is done by senior non-academic

staff Review and revision of instructional materials In-class delivery of instruction Marking of basic assignments

2. BUILDING SEARCHER CAPACITY IN THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY

Including non-University librarians in classes Include non-health sciences University

librarians in classes both as students and as instructors/assistants

Offer classes on systematic reviewing through the local health libraries association (NAHLA)

Scott Librarians taught SLIS 520 – Introduction to Health Librarianship (7 graduates)

3. LOBBYING FOR ADDITIONAL LIBRARIAN POSITIONS

Ongoing encouragement of faculties with high demand for searching to hire their own research librarians.

4 arrangements in place, where research librarian is employed 80% by a department or institute and 20% at the Scott Library.

4. REDEFINING AND CLARIFYING SERVICE POLICIES FOR DIFFERENT USER GROUPS

External Users In the past, the Library sold excess capacity to

the general public. Currently – no excess capacity

Non-Uof A clients are referred to freelance searchers. Health authority employees are referred to their own

librarians

5. BETTER ORGANIZING SEARCH SUPPORT RESOURCES

Protocol form available for all searchers to e-mail to searchers in advance of a consultation

Filters recorded in OVID for immediate use

Filters for all search platforms Health Sciences Filters Page

http://guides.library.ualberta.ca/content.php?pid=448005&sid=3671216

6. EDUCATING USERS

Introduction to Systematic Review Searching Class 3 hour workshop hands-on computer lab January 2012 – August 2013

18 classes (258 researchers) Increased in-course Instruction

RESULTS

Moving librarians away from basic teaching and desk duty has freed time for consultations and expert searching

Increased demand Painting targets on our backs More opportunities for librarians to collaborate and

co-author Teaching programs have been excellent publicity

for the Libraries Many more people trained in the basics

Clientelle is more likely to have basic SR Knowledge More of the consults are shorter interactions

More attention in research administration to systematic reviews as a research method.

RESULTS CONTINUED

More courses in Systematic Reviewing being offered across the health-related Faculties Public Health Sciences Nursing Orthodontics Physical Education Nutrition Rehabilitation Medicine Pharmacy

Instructors attend our SR Search classLibrarians are invited to teach in these classes

CONCLUSIONS

The strong demand for our work is evidence that it is highly valued, so we need to continue providing the services.

We do not know when, or if, we will reach peak demand.

Have to focus on the primary aspects of the Libraries mission support for teaching and research

Have to pick and choose on what projects we agree to collaborate

Shifting resources does help, but stopping doing things to do something else is always difficult

Thank you for your attention.

Questions?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Sandy CampbellJohn W. Scott Health Sciences Library

2K3.28 Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J8

sandy.campbell@ualberta.ca

+01 780-492-7915