Many thanks to all of our members who responded to the 2018 Satisfaction Survey. We value your feedback and comments. It is encouraging to hear what we are getting right and important to hear what we are not doing so well. As with previous surveys, comments (as detailed below) about the service are overwhelmingly positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Library is continually endeavouring to raise its profile through various means. Within the last year a series of pop-up libraries were delivered across key hospital sites in canteen areas to promote the service to staff. This will continue this year visiting different sites including some community based locations as well as hospital sites. In addition the Library endeavours to ensure both QUB and UU graduating students are made aware of The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland and when possible we attend Trust inductions, changeover events and profession specific conferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If there are particular events that you would like the Library to attend please contact your specialist librarian.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n We would also like to take the opportunity to respond to\nsome of the comments, suggestions or less positive feedback, which can be grouped\ninto the following themes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Location and access to The Healthcare Library of Northern\nIreland at the RVH, including car parking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nHealthcare Library of Northern Ireland at the RVH is located in the Mulhouse\nBuilding on the Royal Victoria Hospital site. It is accessible on foot, by car\nor by using the free shuttle bus running between\nthe Belfast City Hospital site and the Royal Victoria Hospital site. Use of the\ncar parks and the cost of car parking is controlled by the Belfast Health and\nSocial Care Trust and is outside of the Library\u2019s control. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The study environment at The Healthcare Library of Northern\nIreland at the RVH, and at QUB Medical Biology Centre:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Significant\ninvestment has been made in order to improve the study environment at the two\nmain Belfast based Healthcare Libraries. Further plug points were installed in\nthe main study areas across both sites. Group Study Room 3 in the Healthcare\nLibrary at the RVH has been upgraded to bring it in line with other available\nstudy rooms on that site. The Healthcare Library at QUB Medical Biology Centre\nwas re-carpeted during the summer 2018, and is pending a further upgrade to\nfacilities, anticipated for the summer 2019.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Opening Hours at The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland\nat the RVH:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The decision to reduce the opening hours from September 2017 was made because of the extremely low usage of the Healthcare Library in the evenings and Saturday mornings. Before making the change, we analysed entry data to the Library on weekdays after 5.30pm, and on Saturday mornings over a 2 year period. This showed that there were never more than 3 or 4 people in the Building during those times. In addition to this, in May 2017, we surveyed many users of the Library, including almost 4,000 HSC staff in the Belfast and South Eastern Trusts. The majority of respondents said they did not use (and did not intend to use) The Healthcare Library at the RVH in the evening or on a Saturday. We try to meet the needs of all our customers, including those who like to use the Library outside normal working hours. However, we need to balance this against the need to use resources effectively, and unfortunately, the small numbers did not justify the resources required to keep the Building open. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Access to other QUB Libraries:<\/p>\n\n\n\n HSC\nmembers of The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland are entitled to access\nthe QUB McClay Library. In order to gain entry, you must have a valid HSC\nlibrary card. If you did not receive one\nwhen taking out membership of the Healthcare Library, please contact the Library\nby emailing info@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk<\/a>\nand request a card. A library card will be generated and posted out to your\nwork address.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately,\ndue to licensing restrictions, HSC members of the Library are not able to\naccess QUB electronic resources, and are advised to access resources applicable\nto them through The Healthcare Library website<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Charges and fines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fines\nand charges can be paid in cash, cheque or, in some branches, by credit \/ debit\ncard. Cheques should be made payable to Queen\u2019s University Belfast. Credit or\ndebit cards can also be used to make a payment online, through My\nAccount<\/a> facility on the Healthcare Library website.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Books borrowed from the Library should be returned by the due date. A book will be overdue if kept beyond this date and will incur a fine. Fines will apply for books that are overdue at a cost of 10p per day, increasing to 20p per day for items that are overdue and have been requested by another reader. An invoice will be issued for the replacement cost of the book plus an administrative charge if the reader fails to return the book within an agreed time after its due date. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nLibrary recommends the use of the My Account facility in order to keep on top\nof when items are due back with the Library. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\nis no charge for the reader for requesting a book or article, even if we have\nto request this from an external institution or organisation. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Joining the Library as an HSC member<\/p>\n\n\n\n Staff\ndelivering health and social care in Northern Ireland are eligible for\nHealthcare Library membership. You can\nregister using the online membership form<\/a>.\nWhen you submit an online registration form, you will receive a verification\nemail. Click on the verify email link to complete the registration process.\nYour login details (username and password) will be emailed to you once the\nLibrary has completed the registration process. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Access to resources <\/p>\n\n\n\n Library\nmembers log in to online resources (from work or home), through the Library\nwebsite, by using their individual library number as their username and the\npassword provided by the library. There\nshould not be any difference in what you are able to access regardless of where\nyou are accessing it. The Library does\nnot use the Athens method of accessing its resources so having this would not\nenable our members to access any additional resources. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Clinicalkey\napp should work on Android devices however the supplier is aware of ongoing\nproblems with the app on Apple devices and is currently working with its\ndevelopers to resolve this issue. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\nare having problems accessing any of the Library\u2019s resources please report the\nissue by emailing info@healthcarelibrary.qub.ac.uk<\/a>\nso we can investigate and endeavour to get a resolution as soon as possible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Availability of resources<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nLibrary receives a set budget allocation from the Department of Health and as\nsuch is constrained in the amount of resources which can be purchased. We endeavour to have a range of journals\navailable full text to current and do keep these under review. For journal titles that cannot be accessed\nyou can sign up to Zetoc Alerts which will alert you to the table of contents\nfor each new issue of specified journals. \nIf there is a specific article you need you can use the Place request\nservice and we will provide a copy of the article. There is no charge for this service.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nLibrary is aware that UpToDate is a very popular resource which is\nunfortunately not accessible via the Library. \nThe purchase of this resource would require significant investment and\ncollaboration between all the Trusts as the Library is currently unable to\ncover the cost within its existing budget allocation. We are currently working with the Department\nto explore opportunities to purchase this resource.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\nhave any queries about the availability of resources or how to make best use of\nthe resources available please contact your specialist\nlibrarian<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Availability of e-books <\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nLibrary is expanding the availability of individual e-books when this format is\navailable and when the e-book version is suitable. In addition the Library has recently\npurchased various e-book\npackages<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\nwould like to see a particular book available in Library stock, in print or as\nan e-book please contact your\nspecialist librarian.<\/a> For example, one of comments on the survey mentioned\nadditional Art Therapy and Psychotherapy material. We have noted this request and will endeavour\nto acquire more books on these topics. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Help and advice<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\nare visiting any branch of The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland and need\nassistance, please ask a member of library staff, who will be happy to assist\nyou.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There is\nalso a variety of online help that is available to you:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also contact your local branch<\/a> or your specialist librarian<\/a> for help and advice, training sessions and literature searches.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at Antrim Area\nHospital<\/p>\n\n\n\n Staffing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nstaffing in The Healthcare Library at Antrim Area Hospital was affected by sick\nleave and by the resignation of a staff member at the same time. The library\nstaffing is back to almost full capacity now and interviews are being held soon\nfor the replacement post.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Longer Opening Hours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It would be difficult to accommodate longer \/ extended opening hours without significant investment in staffing. The Library budget at present would not be able to provide for this. The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland website<\/a> can be accessed 24\/7. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Resources (Print):<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nbook budget for The Healthcare Library at Antrim Area Hospital is fully spent\neach year. If there is a specific subject area that needs updating, please contact<\/a>\nthe Librarian in the Healthcare Library in Antrim who is open to suggestions\nfor stock. Books borrowed from the Library in Antrim can be returned via the\nNorthern Health and Social Care Trust internal post. A number of e-books are\navailable via the Healthcare Library website to all registered members.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n PC equipment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There has been a recent upgrade of the computers in The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at Antrim Area Hospital. The number of computers is controlled by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and is outside of the Library\u2019s control.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Healthcare Library of Northern Ireland at Craigavon\nArea Hospital<\/p>\n\n\n\n Longer Opening Hours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nHealthcare Library at Craigavon Area Hospital can only be open when there is\nlibrary staff available to provide library services, and unfortunately it is\nnot possible to extend the current opening hours. However it is possible to use\nthe Library computer rooms and reading room for study and to access the online\nresources 24\/7. If you would like to use these rooms after 9pm, please use\neither your Southern Health and Social Care Trust staff swipe card to open the\ndoor, or contact the porters for admission. You must present either staff or\nstudent ID to the porters to gain admission. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Study Facilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n