The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland

Evidence, resources and updates for health and social care.

Blog

  • Skin Cancer Awareness Month May 2021

    May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, so why not check out some of the Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland’s useful skin cancer and general dermatology resources?

    E-books: Find these by using Library Search at https://healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk/ and limiting results using the resource type ‘eBooks’. Various on-line books are available, including our most recent dermatology e-book, Dermoscopy: The Essentials (3rd ed).

    E-journals: Find these using the E-Journals A-Z at https://healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk/ and searching for a specific journal or ‘dermatology’ to view all relevant journals. Titles available up to the current issue include Clinics in Dermatology, Experimental Dermatology, and Journal of Dermatology.

    Dermatology current awareness bulletin: Access the full text of the latest dermatology journal articles, Cochrane systematic reviews and NICE guidelines by subscribing to the Healthcare Library’s dermatology current awareness bulletin. View past issues, and subscribe, by going to: https://libguides.qub.ac.uk/healthcarelibrary/medicinebulletins/dermatology

    If you have any questions about accessing or using the above resources, please contact your Specialist Librarian or local branch of the Healthcare Library.

  • Covid-19 Library Update (October 2022)

    Currently all libraries are open and measures are in place to reduce potential for viral transmission.

    • It is strongly advised to wear a face covering in all libraries, even if you are sitting at a PC or study space.
    • Study rooms are available in the Healthcare Library branches at the RVH, and at QUB MBC Building. These are still bookable through Queen’s Online.
    • Please continue to place your requests for material as before. If there are any problems or delays, we will get in touch.
    • If you currently have an item on loan, it may, as always, be requested by another reader and you will be asked to return it within 7 days.  However, we are aware this might present difficulties, so please contact your nearest Healthcare Library branch if this is the case.
    • Perspex screens are in place in some library branches.
    • Hand sanitiser and cleaning materials for touch points are available in all Library branches.

    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.

  • Current awareness bulletins and HSC emails

    If you subscribe to Richard Fallis’ medicine, dentistry and healthcare sciences current awareness bulletins, but are not currently receiving them via your HSC Trust email, please remember that you can still:

    Any questions? Please email: Richard.Fallis@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk 

  • Website intermittent fault – Fixed

    We are pleased to report that the Healthcare Library website is fully working again today.

    The ‘proxy’ errors that were occurring yesterday should now be resolved. However, it is possible that you may need to clear your browser cache if an error is displayed.

    Thanks once again for your patience during the period we were working to resolve this problem.

  • Full Text Check problem – Resolved

    Access to resources via ‘Full Text Check’ has now been restored.

    Thanks again for your patience, and our apologies for any inconvenience.

  • On the move? Update your Membership Details.

    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.

  • Password Problems

    Update 3pm 3/12/2020

    The issue with Healthcare Library passwords has now been resolved. If you experience any further issues with access to your account or Healthcare Library resources please email tech.support@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk. Apologies for the inconvenience and thanks to all our members for your patience this week.

    Update 3/12/2020

    The problem with Healthcare Library passwords is ongoing . While our technical colleagues work on resolving the underlying problem we are able to set individual passwords. If you are unable to login to your Healthcare Library account please email us at tech.support@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk. In the meantime we apologise for the inconvenience.

    30/11/2020

    Some members are unable to login and access Healthcare Library resources today. We are working to resolve problems as quickly as possible. If you are affected please email us at tech.support@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk.

    • Healthcare Library Opening Hours

        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:

        • Monday to Friday – 9.00am – 5.00pm
        • Saturday and Sunday – closed

        The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at QUB Medical Biology Centre:

        • Monday to Friday – 9.00am – 5.00pm
        • Saturday and Sunday – closed

        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.

      • Libraries Week 2020: Reading Well to Improve your Health and Wellbeing

        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.   

        Reading Well Collection showing range of books and topics covered.
        The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland Reading Well Collection

        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.

      • Ripping up the rule book – Automatic Renewals

          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?

          • Less hassle – no more remembering to renew your loans.
          • More time to use your books and less pressure to meet Library deadlines.
          • No more fines for books just to be returned to the shelves – fines will just be added on to late books which are in demand (requested by another Library member).

          How will this work for me?

          • You take your books out as normal. They will be issued for your usual loan period.
          • The day before your books are due back, we will send you a ‘Renewal Update’ email, which will tell you what books are being renewed for another loan period and what books have not been possible to renew.
          • If a book that you have on loan is requested by another Library member, we will send you a ‘Book in Demand’ email asking you to return it. This means you will have up to one week to finish using it, but this may be less depending on when the item was due. Don’t worry, you can always request the book again if you haven’t quite finished with it.
          • Sometimes it will not be possible to renew a book even though you haven’t received a ‘Book in Demand’ email. Please see our webpages about renewals and requested items to find out more.

          How do I request a book which is on loan to someone else?

          • Most library items that are on loan to other people may be requested which means that they should be returned within one week from when the request is made. This ensures that popular items are made available for as many people as possible.
          • Standard books can be requested using the Library Catalogue.

          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.