George Jerish Choothamparambil Joseph, Assistant Librarian, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
I recently decided to make a profound change in my professional journey, a transition from my role in an academic library to a position in a health library. This shift opened a new path to explore the specialized, fast-paced field of healthcare information which creates a substantial difference in my professional environment.
My ride to this professional pivot was not easy as I submitted applications for more than twenty health library-related jobs, received rejections and attended several interviews. However, each failure was an opportunity to understand and analyze changes in the profession, the importance of continued professional development, and the Improvement & Quality frameworks of NHS Library and Knowledge Services. Finally, I overcame these hurdles and joined as the Assistant Librarian with the Library and Knowledge Services team at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
Upon reflecting on my previous experiences working in different academic libraries, I dealt with mostly students, lecturers and researchers. Apart from that, the libraries offered a wide-ranging collection which included various subjects – namely management, leadership, law, healthcare, information technology and more. We concentrated more on information literacy support, training and inductions for students and staff; available electronic resources in the libraries were based on multidisciplinary aspects. Moreover, the role carries great responsibility, as the information provided can directly influence patient care and medical research outcomes. The position also requires interdisciplinary collaboration, offering frequent interactions with healthcare professionals, researchers, and students to gain multidisciplinary teamwork skills.
“Whereas in health libraries, there are subject-focused professionals with a range of specific roles – for example, Clinical Evidence Based Information Specialists (CEBIS), Electronic Systems & Resources Librarian, Knowledge Skills Trainer, etc. – to support the healthcare staff and clinicians.”
Health librarianship offers a tremendous opportunity for career advancement and personal growth. This massive change demands specialized knowledge in medical terminology, research methodologies, and healthcare systems for adapting to specific subject areas, unique user needs and organizational culture. Currently, I am in a primary learning phase where I am settling into my new workplace and atmosphere. Inductions to the Trust and different parts of the Library & Knowledge Service as well as training in different systems have helped me practically familiarize with the fundamental systems and services of this NHS library such as Health Libraries Midlands Consortium, Clinical Evidence-Based Information Service and databases like ClinicalKey, BMJ Best Practice and so on – thus, it is offering potential growth in a dynamic and impactful field.
As a beginner, I strive to formulate an effective strategy to address the potential challenges and progress further in this stream – the strategy includes constant learning, training opportunities in health libraries, workshops, webinars, and CILIP professional registration. Joining forums and discussion platforms used widely by health libraries, such as Future NHS, JISC Mail, etc., can facilitate valuable peer connections and awareness of the industry trends. The plan going forward prioritizes the development of crucial skills, such as systematic review searching and evidence-based practice support. The Knowledge Management sector has advanced a lot in terms of using and developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in library services and resources. Digital media management skills also play a vital role in creating a revolutionary information retrieval system. My goal is to use all the transferable skills from previous academic library experiences, technical and educational expertise in innovative ways within the health library context to potentially introduce fresh perspectives to the new role.
I believe that I will quickly adapt to the system with an organized plan for continuing personal and professional development with support from the Library Operations Manager and Head of Knowledge Services as well as the wider team. Furthermore, the library and information science stream is constantly evolving, and where learning opportunities are easily accessible. I hope my insights and strategies shared in this reflection will help the professionals thinking of making a professional transition in the future and create a significant impact in the healthcare information management field.
“In conclusion, the shift is quite difficult and challenging, one that requires a thoughtful mindset to approach the changes.”
Health Libraries Group 