Enhancing Library Access
This activity aims to:
- Explore the perceptions of placement students in relation to access to library and information services using a qualitative approach.
- Create a student resource guide based on the findings to enhance and support the student experience whilst on placement.
- Deliver mentor/student support staff guidance on library and information service provision.
- Work together with NHS and Social Care library providers
- Enhance and refine the resources in the light of continual evaluation
- Create a student resource guide based on the findings to enhance and support the student experience whilst on placement.
To date, the team have so been working on collating information needed to produce our guides for students. To this end we have undertaken a range of core activities. We have carried out an extensive literature review which looked at use and access issues in relation to library and information sources for students within health and social care. This helped to contextualise the project and to enable us to get some clear ideas of the concerns facing students within the subject areas.
This work led to the creation of a schedule which we used to run a number of focus groups with students across the Peninsula, using both a geographical and professional specific spread. These sessions, although small in number, yielded a considerable response and a wealth of information. This, in turn, has provided us with the key issues that are going to form the basis of our students guide.
To complete the picture and to widen our involvement with colleagues in the NHS and the Social Work professions we held a series of core meetings with Knowledge and Library Managers across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. These were designed to look at how best we can improve liaison, enhance the student experience of placement learning opportunities, and disseminate the work we are doing.
Our work has raised a number of issues which have impact across Library and Information Services within the University. Consequently, we held a well attended and positively evaluated workshop for our professional colleagues in November (2006) to present our work and to discuss the implications thereof with colleagues. Our current focus is the development of a user guide for students on placement and work is underway on the prototype which will be the subject of consultation in early 2007.
Nationally we have gained recognition with a successful presentation at the Health Libraries Group Conference in the summer and with news pieces being published within the Health Libraries Group Newsletter and the South West Libraries Newsletter. These dissemination activities have opened dialogue with a number of professional colleagues, which has further enhanced the work we are doing.
Ruth Charlton
Lynne Callaghan
For further information please contact Ceppl@plymouth.ac.uk
Publications:
Callaghan, L., Doherty, A., Lea, S.J., & Webster, D. (2008). Understanding the information and resource needs of UK health and social care placement students. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 25, 253-260.
Callaghan, L., Lea, S.J., Charlton, R., & Whittlesea, E. (2008). Accessing library resources while on placement: Can mobile devices help students? In Needham, G. & Ally, M. (Eds) M-libraries: Libraries on the move to provide virtual access. London: Facet Publishing.
Conference papers:
Callaghan, L. & Charlton, R. Enhancing library access through the use of mobile technology: the student perspective and practical implementation. The First International m-libraries Conference, 13-14th November 2007, Open University, Milton Keynes.
Callaghan, L. & Doherty, A. Enhancing the placement learning experiences of health and social care students: the role of library and information services. Health Libraries Group Conference, 10-12th July 2006, Eastbourne.
If you would like any further information regarding any of the papers listed, please contact Lynne Callaghan