To keep up-to-date with COVID-19 and Long COVID research, subscribe to the Healthcare Library’s new monthly current awareness bulletin entitled ‘COVID-19: Long-Term Effects’.
Each issue contains links to the latest, open access research papers, with options to download most papers as PDFs for free.
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.
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.
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:
Online requests – place your book and journal article requests as normal
Book loans – books can be posted to and returned from your work address via internal mail or Library staff can make arrangements for you to collect your books
Study space is available, and has been physically distanced
PCs are also available with the same physical distancing measures in place
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.
Monday to Wednesday 9am – 8pm
Thursday to Friday 9am – 5pm
Saturday 9.30am – 1pm
The Library has introduced measures to provide a safe work and study environment. These include:
Protective screening at Borrower Services Desk
Reduced study spaces and PCs to facilitate physical distancing
Cleaning stations downstairs and upstairs with hand sanitiser and disinfection wipes provided
Disinfection wipes will enable all users to clean PC keyboards / study area before and after use
Books to be quarantined for 3 days on return
Services available include:
Face to face training and literature search support (masks to be worn and physical distancing maintained whenever possible)
Books loans
PC access
Printing and photocopying
Study space
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.
Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at Craigavon
Level 1, Medical Education Centre, Craigavon Area Hospital.
Current opening hours 9.30-4.30 Monday – Friday
Access to the library is via the Maternity doors only. Please contact the library (3756 2108) in advance for directions. It is not necessary to book a study space at present, but this will be kept under review.
The Library has implemented guidelines to provide a safe work and study environment.
These include:
Reduced study spaces to facilitate social distancing
Cleaning stations to enable all users to clean down work station / study area before & after use
Hand sanitiser available
Masks to be worn from the point of entry into the hospital.
Services available include:
Study space
Book loans
Access to e-resources
Book collection service
Support
Although it is not possible to provide face to face training and literature search support at present, these are still provided either by phone or online using either Microsoft Teams or Zoom. To discuss you specific needs please contact: hazel.neale@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk
Many full text articles and books are available to read online. You can search for both articles and books using the library search box, simply enter a few key words or the title of the article or book you are looking for. The results will then be displayed and you can either identify the source you want or refine the search using the “refine options” on the left hand side. You need to Login to read the full text.
For a more detailed article search use the advanced search
or one of the many databases available – (Medline, CINAHL etc. follow the link for databases a-z)
If you need help with searching for articles please contact
one of the specialist librarians or your local trust based librarian as we can also provide
telephone help and support.
Don’t
forget library members also have access to 100’s of e-books that are freely
available to read day or night (Internet access required). E-Books are clearly
identified in the library catalogue, all you need to do is logon with your
library number & password you can read the book online.
To
find what e-books are available, enter your keyword search as normal in the
library search box. You can limit or
refine the search results to only display e-books by selecting resource type,
and e-books, (please note you may need to click on show more to see the e-books option – this only displays if there
are e-books )
It is generally possible to
copy and print sections or a chapter from an e-book (within copyright
restrictions), and most e-books identify how much can be printed.
if the book you want
to read isn’t available as an e-book, please contact your trust or specialist librarian and we will endeavour to order an electronic
copy.
If you find a link that doesn’t work please let us know by using the ‘Report a Problem’ link at the bottom of the screen. Article details are autocompleted and can easily be sent to us. We will investigate and resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
Support and advice is available to help you access resources and subject specialist librarians. Each specialist librarian produces a Library Subject Guide (Libguide). Libguides will help you to find information relevant to your specialty and connect you with your Specialist Librarian. Short online tutorials are also available. You can request a literature search online. Links to these services are detailed below.
You can email your specialist librarian from the Libguide and we would advise making contact via email in the first instance during this period. Contact details for specialist librarians is also available at https://healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk/TrainingandSupport/SpecialistLibrarians/
