"we are not in Kansas anymore..."
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Transcript of "we are not in Kansas anymore..."
“We’re not in Kansas anymore...”
A case study of Manchester Health Information and Resources Library’s move into a new organisation under the
NHS restructure, and how the library is evolving in a changing and challenging landscape.
Emily Hopkins: Library Manager
Origins of the library service
Manchester PCT Library: 20 year history
Public Health Resource & Information Centres: 30 year history
Merger of Library & Resources
• Ongoing talks to merge the two services• Two services had long history of working together• Cost savings, avoiding duplication• Merger eventually happened November 2009• Library Manager post vacant until I started July 2010• Combining policies, procedures• Encouraging staff to develop & learn
350 crates…
• Became clear we needed to vacate our building
• Suitable alternative accommodation not found immediately
• Packed library & sent to storage
• Estates worked on finding us suitable accommodation
Moving in to Fallowfield – March 2011
NHS Reorganisation
• Complex!• Resulted in our service moving into a different Trust
Transfer to Manchester Mental Health
• 1st April 2011• Working with Trust Outreach Librarian• Producing webpages, leaflets etc – all branded• Making contacts with Learning & Development
Developing the Service
• Reviewed Library Strategy, Collection Development Policy
• Luckily – good collection of mental health material & overall, stock still relevant
• Reviewing journal subscriptions as we go along• Developing user consultation
Barriers
• Trust not used to library services!• IT issues• Perception that we are only for Public Health
staff
What have we learned?
• Professional, transferable skills are valuable• Flexibility!• Detailed “subject” knowledge picked up on the job• Need to align – and re-align – services & constantly
evaluate• Librarians are valuable anywhere• Oz may be a strange new land – we should embrace the
opportunities…• But don’t look to the Wizard for answers!