Libraries for Nursing Bulletin Vol 30(3-4)
Continuing from the summer edition of the Libraries for Nursing Bulletin here are profiles of two more members of the LfN committee and the second in a series of “a day in the life of…” feature.
Committee Profiles
Andrew Dove – I am the Online Resources and Training Librarian for University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. In this role I have two key responsibilities electronic resources and training for NHS staff in Leicester.
In the training aspect of my role I cover two main types of training, firstly information skills training which we provide in five different sessions covering all the aspects of information skills. Secondly we also provide sessions in Critical Reading. As with all our training we provide this to multidisciplinary groups. I have also been developing our library’s elearning materials so sessions can be accessed at the convenience of our users.
My other major responsibility is electronic resources and journals. I organise all the subscriptions for two NHS trusts and I am currently developing our electronic book collection to meet the needs of the organisation in the future.
I have a great interest in new technology and I am always looking how we can improve services either through new technology such as ebook readers and other mobile devices, I also have a keen interest in using Web 2.0 and have presented at several events on the subject. I am a new member of the Libraries for Nursing Committee having started in May 2010. My current role is as Treasurer.
Lorrie Farrall – I am one of the newest members of the LFN committee and was attracted to joining as I feel that medical/clinical/postgraduate libraries are often not seen by nurses and other ‘non-doctor’ medical professionals as being of use to them or that adequate funds are allocated to their needs. As a committee member I hope that there might be opportunities to promote our services both to users and supporting bodies.
I am currently employed as a Library Assistant in an Acute NHS University Foundation Trust and I am working towards a Masters in Management of Library and Information Services at Aberystwyth University. Luckily it is a distance learning course as I live in the furthest reaches of East Kent and a regular commute might be a little difficult.
Although I have only had the opportunity to attend one Committee Meeting so far I was very pleased with the warm welcome I received and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the group.
A Day in the Life of Jane Shelley
Jane Shelley
Assistant Librarian,
University Library, Queens Building,
Anglia Ruskin University,
Bishop Hall Lane,
Chelmsford,
Essex
CM1 1SQ
jane.shelley@anglia.ac.uk
I work as an Assistant Librarian at Anglia Ruskin University’s Chelmsford Campus. This is one of a number of posts within the Academic Services division (there are also Customer Services and Central Services Divisions) where I support the Faculty of Health and Social Care (one of five faculties at Anglia Ruskin). I work in providing library services and support to a variety of health students – nurses, midwives, operating department practitioners, public health, community nurses, social work and many undertaking CPD and postgraduate and research courses. A large proportion of my role is academic support work but I also assist customer services in delivering our enquiry services. No day is ever the same which is nice in many ways and even a ‘clear’ diary day has plenty of work to fill it – for example reading and replying to emails, ongoing project work (we all have membership on a number of working groups across the library service), book ordering, stock management, maintaining the subject links and delicious pages on the library website and stock management.
A typical day can include a two hour shift on our enquiry desk. This involves answering face to face, telephone and online email enquiries and can often be very busy with a constant queue of people needing assistance. In addition I may do a one hour shift answering enquiries which come through our online chat service, plan and deliver a teaching session for students (usually one or two hours in duration, sometimes longer), undertake tutorials with students requiring help with searching, research and referencing, attend course and faculty committee meeting, attend a library or working group meetings, update and write a library guide or handout, order books and e-books and check reading lists and module guides. Finally, at anytime as a registered first aider at work, I may be called to attend someone requiring first aid assistance. Life is certainly never dull and there are always new projects to get involved in and CPD activities and professional reading to keep up to date with.
Health Libraries Group 