Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: The National electronic Library for Health(NeLH) is a UK initiative
promoting evidence-based decision making for patients, clinicians, managers and
commissioners through the mobilisation and dissemination of best current knowledge. Resources from the Cochrane Library form a key part of the evidence based resources that are made available via the NeLH. Specialist digital libraries have been commissioned by the NeLH to support the major specialities within the UK National Health Service (NHS) and to develop communities of practice within their area of interest.
Objectives: To show how the NeLH Specialist Libraries can bridge the gaps between knowledge providers and end users, by making Cochrane Reviews readily accessible to busy health care professionals, and by working with their communities of practice to map knowledge gaps.
Methods: Specialist Libraries bridge the gap between knowledge providers and end users by making available the knowledge at the point of need to their users. The Specialist Libraries define the scope of their content in collaboration with their multi-disciplinary communities of practice. To ensure quality of content, each Library identifies and selects potential material according to pre-defined criteria. Items selected for inclusion are synthesised and presented in a way that matches the information expectations of the busy health care professional. Appropriate keywords and metadata are also used to assist with searching the Specialist Libraries, and full-text links for all items are provided as much as possible. Results: Specialist Libraries have developed a one-stop shop approach, whereby users have immediate access to a broad range of evidence-based research relating to their communities of practice. Cochrane reviews are therefore made available quickly and users are able to identify other evidence based resources within an environment which is contextualised by subject area. Users can also quickly and more easily identify the bottom line of a Cochrane review, enabling them to make informed decisions, which might be how best to treat a patient prior to a consultation in the clinic, or the need to check the full review for more detail afterwards. Using the Cochrane Library in this way has helped the Specialist Libraries to identify gaps in the coverage of Cochrane reviews, and has facilitated collaboration between Cochrane Groups and Specialist Libraries in a number of health-care areas. In addition, Cochrane continues to be one of the most popular resources accessed from the main NeLH website.
Conclusions: Specialist Libraries are in a unique position to compile and make accessible their resources in a way which helps meet the needs of busy health professionals. NeLH Specialist Libraries offer a useful model of how digital libraries can facilitate access to Cochrane reviews and help to bridge the gap between Cochrane review producers and health professionals.
promoting evidence-based decision making for patients, clinicians, managers and
commissioners through the mobilisation and dissemination of best current knowledge. Resources from the Cochrane Library form a key part of the evidence based resources that are made available via the NeLH. Specialist digital libraries have been commissioned by the NeLH to support the major specialities within the UK National Health Service (NHS) and to develop communities of practice within their area of interest.
Objectives: To show how the NeLH Specialist Libraries can bridge the gaps between knowledge providers and end users, by making Cochrane Reviews readily accessible to busy health care professionals, and by working with their communities of practice to map knowledge gaps.
Methods: Specialist Libraries bridge the gap between knowledge providers and end users by making available the knowledge at the point of need to their users. The Specialist Libraries define the scope of their content in collaboration with their multi-disciplinary communities of practice. To ensure quality of content, each Library identifies and selects potential material according to pre-defined criteria. Items selected for inclusion are synthesised and presented in a way that matches the information expectations of the busy health care professional. Appropriate keywords and metadata are also used to assist with searching the Specialist Libraries, and full-text links for all items are provided as much as possible. Results: Specialist Libraries have developed a one-stop shop approach, whereby users have immediate access to a broad range of evidence-based research relating to their communities of practice. Cochrane reviews are therefore made available quickly and users are able to identify other evidence based resources within an environment which is contextualised by subject area. Users can also quickly and more easily identify the bottom line of a Cochrane review, enabling them to make informed decisions, which might be how best to treat a patient prior to a consultation in the clinic, or the need to check the full review for more detail afterwards. Using the Cochrane Library in this way has helped the Specialist Libraries to identify gaps in the coverage of Cochrane reviews, and has facilitated collaboration between Cochrane Groups and Specialist Libraries in a number of health-care areas. In addition, Cochrane continues to be one of the most popular resources accessed from the main NeLH website.
Conclusions: Specialist Libraries are in a unique position to compile and make accessible their resources in a way which helps meet the needs of busy health professionals. NeLH Specialist Libraries offer a useful model of how digital libraries can facilitate access to Cochrane reviews and help to bridge the gap between Cochrane review producers and health professionals.