Cochrane Learning Live presents a series of webinars dedicated to the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods in evidence synthesis.
This series will explore the role of AI in evidence synthesis and how it can complement traditional methods. It will also provide a platform for experts to discuss the opportunities, challenges and risks involved.
This series targets those with foundational knowledge of systematic reviews who want to stay updated on AI developments in evidence synthesis.
Presented by Dr. Maria-Inti Metzendorf & Irma Klerings the first webinar topic will discuss: (How) can AI-based automation tools assist with systematic searching?
Register here for the event
Welcome to the first European Association of Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL) Conference being held in Riga, the capital city of Latvia, from 11th to 14th June 2024.
The Conference theme “Small Step and a Giant Leap: Reorienting Towards a New Environment” captures the need for libraries to adapt and thrive in an evolving landscape by embracing both incremental changes and significant advancements. We are excited to announce the conference theme has been carefully crafted to build upon the inspiring ideas of the 2023 theme.
The Conference theme addresses various questions, such as:
- How can libraries serve as catalysts for innovation, facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations, and empower users to actively participate in the creation and sharing of knowledge?
- How will libraries and librarians support research in their new environment in the foreseeable future?
- How can technology be leveraged to support and engage users of health-related information and data?
Let’s contribute and create an environment where libraries are not just repositories of knowledge, but agents of change in the quest for supporting research and innovation!
We look forward to offering you a warm welcome with opportunities for engaging discussion and a chance for librarians and friends from around the world to meet here in Riga!
- Abstract submission opens: September 2023
- Deadline abstract submission: end October 2023
- Notification of acceptance: December 2023
- Authors confirm final versions of abstracts: January 2024
- Authors confirm attendance: March 2024
HSLG Virtual Journal Club, 21 April 2021, 11am – 11.45am
Wikipedia Q&A
Wikipedia version of “Librarian”, available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Librarian
Suggested questions by Anne Madden:
- Does this Wikipedia entry feel like it was written by a librarian? See also the “Talk” tab – any comments? Does it feel neutral or do pro or con librarian views come across? If you were considering librarianship as a career, would this piece encourage or deter you?
- Are librarians still “custodians” or keepers of knowledge or has this role now passed to publishers? If so, where does that leave librarians?
- Looking at the ownership or sponsorship of the earliest libraries, how much credence should we give any surviving texts from this era? What may have been the driving force for creating these libraries?
- In the 1870’s, librarian tasks were considered to be “”Eminently Suited to Girls and Women.” Do you think this was based on convenience or related to the position of women in society at the time? Or for some other reason?
- “The CDC had earlier named librarians as key public health staff to support COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing.” What librarian skills would have led them to that conclusion? What image does it seem to portray of librarians? Is it an image we should promote?
- Copyright isn’t mentioned either. In fact, in the 17th Century, a librarian was seen as a “scribe, one who copies books”. Do librarians need more legal skills to address copyright and publisher licencing issues, and should they be the first port of call for these issues?
- If you were to add a section on Health Librarians, what additional roles or skills would you include? What non-typical skills are you called on to provide in your service?
- Looking at the list of “additional responsibilities”, are the core roles of librarians still intact? What does this list suggest about assumptions on librarian values?
- When it comes to librarian education, there is very little consensus across the globe. Steve McKinzie argues that an academic qualification is required for e.g. reference interview and doesn’t rate “special training”. In our own experience, what has been the role of any academic qualification and of CPD/special training?
- Technology: “librarians must continually adapt to new formats”. Instead of adapting, should we be leading or collaborating in developments in this field?
- Librarian stereotypes – help! Is this seriously still true? Anyone have any personal experiences of any of this? Do we inspire fear – timidly??
Aoife Lawton: Making Our Skills Visible Through Research
Aoife, MLIS, ALAI works as a systems librarian for the Health Service Executive. Based in Dr. Steevens’ Hospital, she is responsible for managing Lenus the Irish Health Repository, electronic resource management and is involved in system reform projects. Aoife is the author of “The Invisible Librarian” a book published in 2015 to raise the profile, visibility and impact of the work that librarians do. She is the IPC chair for ICML/EAHIL/HSLG 2017 conference. Her interests include: evidence based librarianship, emerging technologies, open access and continuing professional development. Twitter: aalawton
Abstract
Research, Analysis and Interpretation is one of the seven competency areas outlined by the Medical Library Association as conducive to professional success. The Standards for Irish Healthcare Library & Information Services (2004) include several references to the importance of research skills for librarians under several criteria: User Education, Systematic Review skills, Needs Assessment and Library & Information Service Staff Training. Paying attention to the external environment is equally important for health science librarians and information professionals. One of the three strategic recommendations that emerged from the SHeLLI report included “Staff and service development”. From this, a specific recommendation was “Health librarians should identify clinical research opportunities in all sectors, and offer their information and knowledge skills to the research team”.
One of the main benefits of carrying out research is that it increases the visibility of the skills of a librarian to a broad audience. This is achieved by working with health care professionals, collaborating on research projects and publishing. This presentation will focus on the experience of one health science librarian’s writing and publishing journey with the intention of inspiring others to get writing and get publishing.
