Monday 31 March 2008

Building Academic Library 2.0



Posted by Andy

Despite being an American presentation, there's a lot to take from this 70 minute presentation on Academic Library 2.0. There's not even any need to watch the presentation, you can play it in the background whilst you work on something else, we're sure you'd still find something of use if you work in the academic library system.

Keynote Speaker: Meredith Farkas, Distance Learning Librarian Norwich University, Northfield

A Conference sponsored by the Librarians Association of the University of California, Berkeley Division

"Once a symbolic bastion of traditional accumulations of specialized knowledge, today's academic library operates in an information landscape grown increasingly variegated and difficult to traverse. Paradoxically, at the same time, data, information, knowledge, cultural production, and scholarship are far more accessible, appropriable, and manipulable than ever before. New media attract widespread attention, more pliable technologies emerge with increasing frequency, and--most importantly--young generations of students and faculty with aptitudes, skills, and expectations borne of a world massively defined by the Internet and its progeny are populating the halls of academe.

The convergence of the once distinct technological and social meanings of the term "network" is evident in the rise of communities of remote collaborations among friends, acquaintances, students, and researchers. These developments compel academic libraries to consider how best to apply new technologies to suit users' demands and to satisfy their institutional and educational missions."

Latest Books to arrive in the library

The Evidence Guides
Photo and Posted by Andy
The Evidence Guides

Helps social care professionals find, judge and apply research evidence in practice.
This easy to use modular resource is perfect for anyone - from commisioning managers to social work students - wanting to know how to make better use of research evidence in practice and service development.
The modules work as a complete course or stand alone, making this a flexible, manageable way to get to grips with research.

Module 1 - Using Research Evidence in Practice: An Introduction
what 'research evidence' is and why we need to use it
identify factors that affect practitioner decision making and the role of research
all evidence is not equal - challenging claims to authority
appraising obstacles/enablers to using research
making sense of research jargon
Module 2 - Locating Research Evidence in Five Steps
how to formulate a search question and strategy on a specific practice issue
identifying key search terms
how to broaden or narrow your search
using online gateways and databases to find research
how to get full copies of research papers

Module 3 - Appraising and Reviewing Research Evidence
the importance of critical appraisal - tried and tested critical thinking tools provided
understanding quantitative and qualitative research methods
the different types of questions that quantitative and qualitative methods can answer
a gentle guide to understanding statistics

Module 4 - Adapting and Applying Evidence: issues for individual practitioners and organisations practical paths to becoming an evidence-based organisation
identifying obstacles and enablers to acting on evidence
increasing access to evidence for practitioners, team managers and project leaders
presenting evidence to achieve change and developing dissemination plans
developing a strategy for evidence based practice
Module 5 - Outcome-Focused Evaluation
the evaluation cycle – six easy steps
outcome or output? Knowing the difference and measuring them
selecting indicators and identifying sources of evidence
what and when? Planning your evaluation
how? Methods and tools for collecting and recording data
analysing and presenting evaluation data
reflecting on practice, learning from and sharing findings

Children and young people emergency admission statistics


Photo by kevindooley
Posted by Andy

The Department of Health has published 'Trends in children and young people's care: Emergency admission statistics, 1996/97 - 2006/07, England'.

This statistical report provides information on trends in emergency admissions for children and young people aged 0 -19 years over the period 1996/97 to 2006/07, including information on trends for, different age groups, selected consultant specialties most likely to be involved in the care of children and young people, emergency admission methods and length of stay in hospital.

Health Services Research Programme - Research Seminars Programme April - June 2008

Photo by SqueakyMarmot
Posted by Andy

All the seminars will be held on Tuesdays, in Lecture rooms 1 and 2, on the 1st floor of ScHARR at Regent Court (Regent Street entrance) at 12.30pm. Coffee will be provided and you are welcome to bring your own sandwiches.

8th April
The UK Mental Health Research Network.
Professor Hugh Middelton, Associate Professor, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham, and Consultant Psychiatrist, Nottinghamshire Health Care NHS Trust.

15th April

Public Health Evidence Synthesis – Opportunities and Challenges.
NICE Public Health Collaborating Team, ScHARR, University of Sheffield.
Different venue and time: John Pemberton Lecture Theatre, 2nd Floor ScHARR, 1pm – 2pm.

22nd April
Interprofessional Education for Health and Social Care: Capturing Complexity.
Dr Elaine Sharland, Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work and Social Care, University of Sussex.

29th April
Title to be confirmed.
Professor Michael Barkham, Clinical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield.

6th May

NO SEMINAR


13th May
The Impact of Sheffield Multiple Heritage Service on the Self Esteem, Well-Being and Behaviour of Mixed Race Young People.
David Phillips, Reader in Social Policy, Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield.

20th May
Emergency Department Crowding in the US – Causes, Consequences, and a Search for Solutions.
Professor Ellen Weber, Professor of Clinical Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and Visiting Professor, University of Sheffield.

27th May
Title to be confirmed.
Elizabeth Gibbons, Senior Research Fellow, Patient-reported Outcome Measurement Group, Department of Public Health, University of Oxford.

3rd June
NEECap: A Community Intervention Trial of the Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of Emergency Care Practitioners.
Dr Suzanne Mason, Reader in Emergency Medicine, Medical Care Research Unit, ScHARR, University of Sheffield.

Seminars organised by Caroline Dryden
( For further information please contact Joanne Turner on 0114 222 0751
or e-mail j.e.turner@sheffield.ac.uk.

PLEASE NOTE THE SEMINARS ARE EVERY TUESDAY LUNCHTIME

Thursday 20 March 2008

NEW Research Funding Update Projects and Programmes

Photo by Tjhief
Posted by Anna

Do you need more than Easter coins for your research project? Then have a look through the new edition of the Research Funding Update Projects and Programmes

Word Version of Research Funding Update
HTML version of Research Funding Update
PDF version of Research Funding Update

For more information about the funding service available from the ScHARR library please visit the Research Funding page or contact me, Anna Wilkinson on 0112 2220894 or by email a.j.wilkinson@sheffield.ac.uk


Monday 17 March 2008

The DH Guide

Photo by EVERYDAYLIFEMODERN
Posted by Andy

'The DH Guide' has been published by the Department of Health. This Guide was produced for all staff at DH, full-time, part-time, onsecondment or contractors. It aims to help everyone make sense of DH.

It may also be useful to those outside DH who wish to know more about how the Department operates, but it should be read on the basis that it is written for staff internally.


Thursday 13 March 2008

James T Kirk Should Have Been a Librarian



Posted by Andy
There's not much more we could add to this little snippet from the cartoon version of Star Trek, in which we find our main hero lamenting about being a librarian - although I doubt he really means it.

Wednesday 12 March 2008

Recommended Website of the Month


Picture © Hott Notes
Posted by Andy
In the modern day office there's no shortage of little yellow post-it notes cluttering up most people's desks. As an alternative Hott Notes allows the user to post reminders, lists etc on their virtual desktop. The notes themselves can be colored, sized, and set at custom transparencies, of course, but the notes also come in three flavors: Standard, text-style notes, to-do notes with built-in checklists, and scribble notes that let you draw with your mouse cursor.
Hott Notes also comes in a portable version, so you can bring your reminders from desktop to desktop, and an alarm can be attached to any note you create. Hott Notes is a free download for Windows only.

Monday 10 March 2008

Report of a National Review of NHS Health Library Services


Photo by WireLizard
Posted by Andy

'Report of a national review of NHS health library services in England: from knowledge to health in the 21st century', carried out on behalf of the National Library for Health, has been published on their website.
The document presents the results of a review of NHS library services, making 50 recommendations and identifying four key purposes for health library services:
clinical decision making by patients, their carers as appropriate, and health professionals;
commissioning decision and health policy making;
research;
and lifelong learning by health professionals.

TAKE FIVE MARCH

Take Five March 2008 is out now.



It is packed full of current awareness, training courses, research funding opportunities and new websites.

Take Five is the Trent RDSU’s monthly update. To join the Take Five distribution list please contact me, Anna Wilkinson on 0114 2220894 or by email a.j.wilkinson@sheffield.ac.uk

Posted by Anna

Friday 7 March 2008

NEW Research Funding Update: Fellowships and Studentships

Are you looking for funding for a fellowship or studentship? Then have a look through the new edition of the



Photo by distinguish

The Trent RDSU Information Service @ ScHARR sends out a fortnightly update on current regional and national research funding opportunities via email. If you would like to be added to the distribution list for this world-famous* publication, contact me, Anna Wilkinson on 0114 2220894 or by email a.j.wilkinson@sheffield.ac.uk

For more information about the funding searvice available from the ScHARR library please visit our Research Funding page.


Recommended Website of the Month