Isabelle Stenton, Librarian, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Conference: International Clinical Librarian Conference; Dates: 18th & 19th June 2025; Venue: Devonshire Place, Leicester
The International Clinical Librarian Conference (ICLC) was the first conference I had ever attended, so I was slightly apprehensive as I entered Devonshire Place where the conference was being held. I didn’t quite know what to expect. How many people would be attending? Would I know anyone? What would the talks be like? I’m happy to report that my expectations in every aspect were not only met but greatly surpassed.
From the moment I entered the building, I was struck by the friendliness and warmth of the other attendees. Being new to the profession, I was keen to hear about people’s experiences of working as health librarians and enjoyed the many chats I had with fellow attendees. It was fascinating to discover the similarities and differences between the services of different libraries. Discussions varied from conversations about training delivery to literature searching to artificial intelligence to book clubs.
The talks themselves were thought-provoking, enriching and inspiring. They covered a broad range of topics and showcased the brilliant work that is taking place within the sector. Whilst every talk was engaging, the three sessions that resonated the most with me were:
- Peer Review Workshop
This was an engaging practical session which involved reviewing search strategies in small groups. We discussed how the strategies could be improved and shared best practice. On a personal level, it also improved my confidence. While I still view myself as being at the beginning of my literature searching journey, reviewing others’ strategies demonstrated how much knowledge I’ve gained so far. The experience also reinforced the benefits of sharing best practice and how much support there is within the sector.
- Is there anybody there? Engaging learners during online training sessions
This lightning talk provided a great overview of some of the tools and techniques we can use to engage learners when delivering online training sessions. Whilst I’m planning to incorporate more polls, word clouds and spinner wheels into my sessions, I’ll also make use of some of the simpler techniques suggested such as encouraging learners to post emojis and opening the session with icebreaker questions.
- Library of Search Strategy Resources (LSSR): bringing together sources of search blocks for literature searching
In this talk, we were introduced to the Library of Search Strategy Resources (LSSR). This freely available resource contains a wealth of information to support with literature searching. I’ve been exploring the LSSR ever since the conference (and also shared it with my colleagues) and some of my favourite elements include the search strategy collections and tools for building search strategies. For those new to literature searching, or looking to further develop their skills, this is a fantastic resource which continues to be updated.
As a conference novice, the ICLC offered the opportunity to network with professionals from across the UK and beyond. It was also an excellent learning experience, highlighting different practices and initiatives, introducing useful tools and resources and providing me with a host of ideas and goals to work towards (using evidence to inform my own practice, creating an elevator pitch, supporting with search strategy peer reviewing to name a few). It was an invaluable experience, and I came away brimming with excitement to be part of the health library sector.
To end, I want to thank my managers, who supported and funded my attendance, and to encourage those who have not attended the ICLC before to give it a go. I’m confident you won’t regret it!
Health Libraries Group 