Making friends with researchers @ Oxford

							Making friends with
researchers @ Oxford




Nia Wyn Roberts
Outreach Librarian
University of Oxford Health Care
Libraries
Introduction

   Outreach librarians @ HCL
   Development of outreach service for
    academic researchers in public
    health and primary care
   Challenges / benefits
Outreach librarians @ HCL

   Mid 1990s – 2005: clinical /
    outreach librarian projects
   2006/2007: refocusing of library
    services towards outreach
   2009:
       7 librarians with outreach as part of
        their role
       Each serving 3-4 clinical areas
Outreach librarian @ Old Road
Campus

   Equal mix of clinical and academic
    departments:

   Clinical:
       Cancer, laboratory medicine & radiology

   Academic:
       Public health, primary care, cancer
        research & molecular medicine
    Public health and primary care:
    Building on strong foundations

   History of close working
    relationships

   Library based at the
    centre of a research
    building

   Moved from site
    librarian to outreach
    librarian
Working with Public Health

   Informal approach
       Getting to know people
       Building on existing relationships

   Making the most of opportunities
       MSc in Global Health


   Unique selling points
       Reference Management
    Current work with Public Health

   Integrated into teaching for MSc in
    Global Health
       Induction, EBM skills teaching, support
        for dissertations
   Support for Systematic Reviews
       1-2-1 teaching, planning and searching
        for SRs and HTAs, reference
        management expertise
   Current awareness
       Updates for long-term clinical trials
Working with Primary Care

   Considered and planned approach
   3 month pilot project in 2005:
       Awareness raising from departmental
        head
       Attendance at groups meetings
   Needs assessment in 2006
       Interviews with key researchers and
        group leads
    Result of needs assessment

   Help with electronic resources:
       Improve access
       Training for new interfaces
   Support for new researchers
       Structured programme on searching skills
        and reference management
   Support for systematic reviews
       Advice and searching
   Help with funding bids
Current work with Primary Care

   MSc in Evidence Based Health Care
       Responsible for information skills
        content of modules
       Information skills teaching & support
   Support for new researchers
       Contract staff, visiting academics,
        placement students…
       Introduction to resources @ Oxford,
        searching skills & reference
        management
Current work with Primary Care

   MaDOX
       Information specialist for the horizon
        scanning team
       Contribute to rapid reviews and work
        planning
       Support for systematic reviews
   Diabetes and Vascular Disease
    Group
       Support for clinical trial development
       Contribute to systematic reviews
Challenges

   Takes time to build up relationships
   Moving the library
   Managing expectations
   Accommodating different working
    styles
   Balancing conflicting priorities
Benefits

   Ability to tailor services to needs of
    researchers
   Following projects through to an end
    product
   Interesting work and people
   No chance of getting bored
   Opportunities for professional
    development
Any questions?