A Library Service Agreement between certain NHS Trusts and UCL Library Services sets out the library and knowledge services provided to all staff and students of these Trusts.
Contents
- Context
- Description of current services
- NHS Staff Membership - see our membership pages
Context
A Library Service Agreement between certain NHS Trusts and UCL Library Services sets out the library and knowledge services provided to all staff and students of these Trusts.
Included trusts
- Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust.
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust.
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust.
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Description Of Current Services
There are core services, resources and facilities at each Trust as set out below. Additional services or resources may be negotiated with individual Trusts.
Core opening hours are defined as between 10:00 and 16:00, Monday to Friday.
1. Staffing
1.1. The libraries will provide access to advice and support from information professionals. Staff with the professional knowledge and skills to advise and support Trust staff and students will be available for at least 75% of core opening hours.
1.2. A knowledgeable and helpful service will be provided by all staff. The libraries will provide appropriate staff training and continuing professional development.
2. Enquiry and information services
2.1. The Library provides a comprehensive enquiries service with advertised service standards:
- We will respond to 90% of online chat enquiries within 30 seconds during our staffed hours Monday-Friday, 12:00-19:00.
- We will respond to 90% of email enquiries received within one working day, and will resolve 90% of email enquiries within five working days.
3. Resources
3.1. Books and other printed information sources appropriate to the specialties of each site will be selected, after due consultation and within available resources.
3.2. Electronic information sources. Trust staff and students have online access to a wide range of electronic resources, including e-journals, e-books and databases:
3.2.1 Direct online access to e-resources, from the workplace or home, using personal NHS OpenAthens accounts through the Knowledge and Library Hub:
- Negotiated by UCL as extensions to UCL licences - read details.
- Resources subscribed to for NHS staff nationally.
3.2.2 In-library access to the additional Higher Education e-resources subscribed to by UCL, licensed for non-commercial, personal use by registered library users of the Trust when on library premises and accessible through dedicated "Explore Access Points" - read about Explore Access Points. Information about the terms and conditions of use for e-resources is available.
3.3. Administration for OpenAthens registration for NHS users is managed by library staff at the Home library.
4. Loan and document delivery services
4.1. Registered library users will be able to borrow up to 20 books at a time. Information about loans, reservations and renewals.
4.2. Up to 10 books at a time can be reserved from UCL's print collections by using the Click & Collect service.
4.3. An NHS document delivery service will be available, to request an electronic copy of articles and book chapters from UCL's online collections that are otherwise available in-person from a Library Explore Access Point.
4.4. An interlibrary loans service will be available for the provision of material held by non-UCL libraries. Charges are applicable.
4.5 Materials held in the UCL Library Services off-site Store will be retrieved on request and made available from the home library. Further information about the Stores service.
5. Information skills training and support
5.1. The libraries will provide Trust staff and students with orientation to services and layout. This includes induction for groups of new staff, participation in hospital or Trust induction days, introductions for individual new users.
5.2. Leaflets and guides for new and other users will be available. Such material includes introductory guides to collections, services, facilities and way-finding guides. Guides will also be available via library web pages.
5.3. Library staff will provide guidance and arrange individual or group training on the skills needed to access authoritative and up-to-date medical and health-related information. See more information about library skills for NHS staff.
5.4. Assistance with carrying out literature searches is available for Trust staff and students at their Home library.
6. Publicity and promotion of services
6.1. The libraries will publicise and promote their services to Trust staff and students proactively, using a range of materials and techniques including social media and the Trust's communication channels.
7. Accommodation and opening hours
7.1. The libraries will provide a learning environment including study facilities.
7.2. Library opening hours are on our website.
7.3. Best efforts will be made to inform the Trust should any planned or unforeseen alterations to advertised hours be necessary.
8. IT facilities
8.1. The libraries will accommodate desktop machines provided by the Trust.
8.2. UCL’s wireless service for visitors, UCL Guest, is available on a self-service basis on UCL premises.
8.3. Access to photocopying services.
9. Knowledge management services
9.1. The libraries will maintain an Open Access repository, "UCL Discovery Plus", in which Trust staff and students may deposit copies of their research outputs including articles and other publications, subject to publisher criteria and restrictions, in order to widen the impact of their research and/or to satisfy the requirements of research funders. For more information, see UCL Discovery Plus.