The main reception area of The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at RVH is being re-carpeted from 20th June, taking approximately 10 working days to complete. Access may be temporarily restricted and there may be an increase in the level of dust and noise in the area while this work is completed.
Alternative study space is available in QUB McClay Library and also The Healthcare Library at QUB MBC site.
Please ask staff for assistance if required. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at QUB Medical Biology Centre is now closed for refurbishment during summer 2021, and will remain closed until mid-September 2021.
Study space remains available in the McClay Library and the Healthcare Library at RVH, as well as other Healthcare Library branches.
Print stock anticipated to be high in demand has been identified and has been made available in the McClay Library on Floor 1 (available from 8th June). Users can access these items as normal and borrow them using the self-service facilities in the McClay Library. Unfortunately no other stock from this library branch will be accessible during the refurbishment but please check the library catalogue in case the text is available another library branch or is available as an electronic book. Alternatively please contact your specialist librarian who may be able to suggest alternatives.
Books can be returned to either the McClay Library or the Healthcare Library at RVH. It is now not possible to return books to the Healthcare Library at QUB MBC or collect requested books from this branch. Inter-Library Loans can still be submitted as normal, though ILL books will need to be collected from the McClay Library.
Staff are still available to help, so please use HSC Library Chat or email info@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk to contact a member of staff. Specialist Librarians are also contactable via their direct emails.
The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at QUB Medical Biology Centre will be undergoing a refurbishment during summer 2021. To facilitate this work, this Healthcare Library branch will be closed from 7th June to mid-September 2021.
The refurbishment will result in several improvements for users including:
Study space remains available in the McClay Library and the Healthcare Library at RVH, as well as other Healthcare Library branches.
Print stock anticipated to be high in demand has been identified and will be made available in the McClay Library on Floor 1 from the week beginning 14th June. Users can access these items as normal and borrow them using the self-service facilities in the McClay Library. Unfortunately no other stock from this library branch will be accessible during the refurbishment but please check the library catalogue in case the text is available in another library branch or is available as an electronic book.
Books can be returned to either the McClay Library or the Healthcare Library at RVH. It will not be possible to return books to the Healthcare Library at QUB MBC building from 7th June or collect requested books from this branch from 7th June. Inter-Library Loan requests can still be submitted as normal, though ILL books will need to be collected from the Healthcare Library at RVH.
Staff are still available to help so please use HSC Library Chat or email info@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk to contact a member of staff. Specialist Librarians are also contactable via their direct emails.
Currently all libraries are open and measures are in place to reduce potential for viral transmission.
Electronic resources are available to access outside of the Library, from home or from your office space. You will need valid HSC membership of the Library, so please contact us if your membership has lapsed. Specialist Librarians are contactable to help with any assistance required using the electronic journals, databases or literature searching.
Updates will continue to be posted to our Keeping Up to Date section on the Library homepage and Library Twitter account. Please note that staff are available to help onsite and assist with enquiries in person in each library branch and via Library Chat, email, phone and social media if you are unable to come to the library, so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns or questions.
On the move? Update your membership details with The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland.
If you are moving to a new location or post at the beginning of February as part of HSC Changeover Day, it is important to update your details with The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland. Updating your details will ensure a seamless service from The Healthcare Library especially when using the online request form or borrowing items. This will ensure that if the Library is posting books out to you, they are sent to the correct work address. The same applies to any books or article requests from other libraries on your behalf.
You can easily update your details by accessing the ‘Change of Details’ form through The Healthcare Library website. Once you have completed the form, click on Submit. When the Library has processed your change of details form, you will receive an email from us by way of confirmation.
As always, if you have any questions about your membership, please contact us by emailing: info@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk or make contact with your nearest library branch.
Following the NI Executive’s announcement about further restrictions for Northern Ireland, the opening hours for The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at Royal Victoria Hospital, and the opening hours for The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at QUB Medical Biology Centre will be modified with effect from Monday 19th October 2020.
The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at the Royal Victoria Hospital:
The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at QUB Medical Biology Centre:
Opening hours for branches at Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Antrim Area Hospital and Craigavon Area Hospital can be found on our website. Our branch at Knockbracken Healthcare Park continues to offer help and support remotely.
You can also make contact with the Library by emailing info@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk or by using the Healthcare Library Chat facility, available on the Library homepage, operating between 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday.
There is an established evidence base on reading to support good mental health & physical wellbeing, and this was the catalyst that led the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Occupational Health Psychology Team to approach The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland to develop this service for HSC staff. This service was launched in 2018.
The Healthcare Library drew on the experience of The Reading Agency, a national charity that promotes reading as a tool to empower individuals to deal with difficulties and challenges that can arise as a result of circumstances or ill health. It produces various self-help book lists that can be recommended by healthcare professionals to their patients and the books are usually available to borrow from public libraries. The Healthcare Library Reading Well Collection is different in that it is provided in an academic / healthcare library setting specifically for health and social care staff. Books were selected from the two most relevant booklists for individuals who are learning to cope with an illness or long term condition while working, namely: ‘Reading Well for mental health’ and ‘Reading Well for long term conditions’. These books cover topics such as: stress, anxiety, depression, grief, eating disorders, pain, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, postnatal depression etc. By providing easy access to these resources, it is hoped individual staff can develop skills that will enable them to manage their own illness or condition better, thereby improving their quality of life at both home and work. The current list of titles are available online.
Books are available for loan from the Healthcare Library, either by calling in person, or by using the place request option on the library homepage: https://healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk/ Books can be posted to the nearest Healthcare Library for collection, or it may be possible to post to a work address. Books are issued for 4 weeks and are then renewed automatically unless the book is in demand.
Please contact the Healthcare Library for more information. If you are not already a member and would like to borrow some of these books you can register online and join the Library today.
From 25th September, the Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland will no longer be reminding you to renew your loans or asking you to return them because you have kept them too long. Instead we have listened to your comments and will automatically renew your books for you, if they have not been requested by another Library member or your library membership is due to end.
What will this mean for me?
How will this work for me?
How do I request a book which is on loan to someone else?
We hope you find our new automatic renewals service useful but please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We always welcome feedback about all of our services so please let us know what you think.
The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at Antrim Area Hospital is open. Current opening hours are Monday to Thursday 9.30am – 4.30pm (Friday closed). Services available include:
Covid-secure measures have been put in place but please contact the Library before visiting in case opening hours have changed at short notice. You can email the Library at healthcare.library@northerntrust.hscni.net or phone 028 9442 4232 (internal 334232).
The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at Altnagelvin Area Hospital will now be starting evening and Saturday opening.
The Library has introduced measures to provide a safe work and study environment. These include:
Services available include:
Please contact The Healthcare Library at Altnagelvin Area Hospital if you have any queries before visiting. You can do this by emailing healthcare.library@westerntrust.hscni.net or by phoning 028 7129 6168.
