As the independent Chartered Institute for the library and information professions, CILIP is committed to promoting the interests of libraries and their users through advocacy, media and political engagement. The new CILIP Action Plan 2016-2020 sets the objective of securing the interests of all libraries in national policy through a series of campaigns beginning in 2015 with My Library By Right. 

In delivering this policy objective, CILIP has decided to work in parallel with the Speak Up For Libraries (SUFL) coalition to pursue our respective interests rather than as a partner. This will enable both CILIP and SUFL to work independently, able to harness effectively our differing perspectives and approaches to campaigning to the benefit of users. CILIP acknowledges the great contribution that the other partners in the coalition have and are making to ensuring the future of our public library service.

The June 2016 issue of Catalogue and Index is now available. This issue features papers that were given at the CIG Scotland hosted international seminar on RDA and Rare Materials that took place on November 6th 2015 in Edinburgh. This seminar was held in conjunction with members of the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS), the European RDA Interest Group (EURIG), the CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Group (RBSCG), the CILIP Cataloguing & Indexing Group (CIG), IFLA and JSC. We also have a review of the Introduction to RDA event that was given to the Association of Pall Mall Libraries earlier this year.

Victoria Treadway et al report on an NHS/public library partnership project between Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Wirral Council to support the wellbeing of people living with dementia, creating reminiscence boxes which are available in public libraries and in the local acute hospital.

Dementia results in a progressive ­decline in multiple areas of function, including memory, reasoning, communication and the skills needed to carry out daily activities. With a growing elderly population, it is expected that by 2025 there will be one million people living with dementia in the UK [1]. Dementia is a key priority for Wirral, and one that will continue to grow; it is estimated that by 2020 there will be 5,282 people aged 65 and over living with dementia in the borough [2].

Dementia is a condition that spans health and social care; people living with dementia require support while living at home, while they are in residential care, and also if they are admitted to hospital. Consequently, this is an area in which public libraries and health libraries can work together in supporting the entire journey.  

Reminiscence therapy is used extensively in dementia care and can incorporate activities such as handicrafts, looking through old photographs, listening to music, creating memory books and exploring objects and artefacts from times gone by. 

It is a way for those living with dementia (and their families and carers) to connect with memories from the past, which may be more accessible than short-term memories. There is a body of literature that demonstrates that reminiscence therapy for people with dementia can improve mood, [3,4] cognitive function, [5] eating behaviours,[6] and reduce carer strain [7] and behavioural symptoms. [8]  

Creating our reminiscence boxes

Each box in our reminiscence box collection covers a different theme, for example ‘Washday memories’; ‘A man’s world’; ‘School days’; ‘Toys and games’ and ‘Baby times’. We were successful in bidding for funding from Health Education North West (HENW) to enable us to purchase items from online retailers and charity shops. Members of the public have also generously donated personal items to complement our collection.

Items are specially selected to provide a sensory experience for the user, so as well as objects that stimulate the sense of touch (clothes brush, knitted baby clothes, Bakerlite telephone), we also have items to evoke memories from smells (lavender, shoe polish, carbolic soap) and sounds (music CDs, school bell). 

Guidance on developing the collection is provided by the Matron for Dementia at WUTH and the Wirral branch of the Alzheimer’s Society.  We have also learned from other library services pursuing similar projects.  

Local community groups and care homes are eligible to join our Reminiscence Box scheme, and the collection is shared and rotated between two central libraries and the hospital.

A 1950s-style tea party

The launch of the service was marked with a 1950s afternoon tea event at West Kirby library, with the Deputy Mayor, representatives from other local stakeholders including the Alzheimer’s Society, Older People’s Parliament and local care home residents in attendance.  

The local Memories Choir performed songs from times gone by, and local ­amateur dramatic groups attended in 1950s dress to provide an immersive experience.

The response from the launch event was overwhelming, and feedback indicated a genuine, heartfelt desire for the service from the local community.

‘Superb idea. Seeing five of our ladies faces light up and their mood changing while singing, talking about past memories from things found in the boxes… promotes the feeling of belonging, fun times, ­family and fond memories. Makes a change that ­elderly people, especially those with ­dementia, have a chance to shine.’ – Activities Coordinator from local care home

‘The people of Wirral would benefit greatly from the ready accessibility of these boxes, enabling many families to be able to communicate with their loved ones who, due to dementia, may not otherwise have the ability. It seems to have the effect of bringing people together in memories (even strangers)!’ – hospital member of staff

‘As an aged person I find that nostalgia and reminiscing are a large point of my life…With me a word or song can bring back so many memories and I know it is the same for others of my age and older. Dementia patients can often not recall anything until you trigger a memory with a song or a comment and a whole world can open up for them.’ – Older People’s Parliament member

In the community

Our boxes are borrowed by local care homes, in particular by Activities Co­ordinators, to enable group and individual reminiscence therapy sessions. In February 2016 we coordinated a networking event and invited Activities Coordinators to share ideas on how to utilise the contents of the boxes to enable reminiscence.

In the hospital

Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was awarded the ‘Patient Champion’ award at the 2015 NHS North West Leadership Recognition Awards, in recognition of the trust’s work in supporting patients with dementia and their families. 

Current initiatives include personalised care planning, dementia awareness training for staff, support for carers and reminiscence areas including an old style pub and a 1950s café. The Reminiscence Box service complements these initiatives by enabling staff and befriending volunteers to borrow boxes for reminiscence therapy with dementia patients. 

For inpatients with dementia, reminiscence can provide reassurance and comfort during what can be an upsetting time in unfamiliar surroundings. 

To promote the collection, we hosted an event for hospital volunteers and staff to explore the reminiscence boxes together and give us feedback on the collection. Staff from the local Alzheimer’s Society branch were on hand to offer advice and tips to the group on how best to utilise the contents.

Valuable feedback

Through planning, creating, launching and promoting the service we have engaged and consulted with key stakeholder groups and invited feedback; this has been crucial in ensuring the service is customer-driven and responsive. People who have borrowed reminiscence boxes tell us which items are most popular and where we could improve on the contents. As a result we have duplicated some of our most popular themed boxes and items. We are responding to feedback by enhancing the collection and adding labels and descriptions for the items in the boxes.

We have also been gathering testimonials from people who have used the service so that we can demonstrate value and impact:

‘It created discussions about childhood – such as going to the corner shop and looking at all the sweets in the old glass jars… Several residents joined in and talked about their own personal memories.’ – Care Home Activity Coordinator

‘We had a group discussion about the old toys. Residents shared childhood ­memories… The reminiscence boxes are very good for group talks.’ – Care Home Activity Coordinator

‘Nursing staff… can engage with the ­patients, offering diversion/distraction to enable the patient’s stay to be more enjoyable, hopefully helping them to feel more secure and comforted.’ – Hospital member of staff

‘The boxes also got residents chatting amongst themselves – usually a lot of them sit in silence.’ – Care Home Activity Coordinator

Lessons learned and next steps

While working in partnership across local authority and healthcare boundaries has been an exceptional opportunity to directly support our local community, it has also presented a unique set of challenges. Negotiation was required within both organisations to establish processes for the purchase of items from non-standard suppliers. The procurement of items was unexpectedly time-consuming and sometimes difficult to navigate. 

We’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way about delivering this kind of partnership service. Promotion is a key priority so that we can demonstrate healthy usage of the collection and collect positive feedback. Tapping in to local community networks has really helped to spread the word and we have made use of the local press to raise our profile.

A small, core steering group that crosses both local authority and health sectors has worked well to ensure that the needs of both organisations are met. Regular communication and meetings have been instrumental in driving the project forwards and sustaining momentum.  

Our collection will require ongoing maintenance as items get lost or damaged, therefore it is crucial that we continue to promote the service and encourage donations from the local community.

In response to feedback, we are currently organising events for people with dementia who are living at home, and their carers. We plan to host regular ‘Memories afternoons’ at different libraries around Wirral, with music, refreshments, and reminiscence ­activities, to enable families to come together in a safe space to share experiences and spend precious time with their relatives. 

Update magazine

This article was originally published in CILIP Update Magazine, May 2016.

There are lots of ways for CILIP members to access the full range of articles published in Update, including

• A monthly print version of the magazine
• A digital version of each new publication
• The full archive of previous editions
• Downloading the Update app on Android or Apple.

Non-CILIP members can subscribe to the digital version of the magazine or join CILIP to get access to the full range of benefits.

Find out more about Update Magazine

Every day people rely on Google for answers to their most personal, important or trivial questions. How do you know if the information is reliable? A good place to start is with an information expert. We ask Nancy Graham, Research Support and Academic Liaison Manager at LSE, to investigate if Echinacea works when you have a cold?

Many of us (around two thirds) will go searching online for remedies for common ailments. There are several treatments discussed as ‘cures’ or preventions of the common cold and Echinacea is one of them.  Widely available but unlikely to be prescribed by a doctor, how would you find out if it was worth using?

Does Echinacea work when you have a cold? is a common Google autocomplete question with around 568,000 results. 

Lesson one: start to think like a medical researcher

I spent nearly nine years as a medical subject librarian at the University of Birmingham and in that time I learned a great deal about medical sources, hierarchies of evidence and how medical research makes its way from the lab to the media.  

As a medical librarian I supported not only medical students but also medical researchers. Many of these researchers were conducting systematic reviews. This type of research is widely regarded as the highest form of medical evidence as they will literally review medical evidence in a systematic way – focusing on the quality of the research methodology and assessing it as useful evidence of the effectiveness of treatments for a range of illnesses.

If you’re thinking like a medical researcher the first thing to do is refine your question to make it more precice.  Do I want to know whether it’s worth me taking Echinacea when I already have a cold or am I asking if I should take it preventatively? It’s worth thinking about as both these aspects may have been researched. Medical research questions are usually incredibly precise (for example - a researcher won’t ask ‘is aspirin effective?’ but ‘Is using Aspirin with or without an antiemetic for acute migraine headaches in adults effective. Be more precise in your questions. 

The only way the effectiveness of Echinacea will have been worked out is through clinical research. The more clinical research that has taken place, the better; it will build the body of evidence that something either works or doesn’t. So, what you really want to find out is if there is any ‘clinical evidence’ that Echinacea works. Try typing ‘Echinacea clinical evidence’ and notice the difference in the results.  

Lesson two: go beyond Google

So the next thing I think is crucial in a librarian’s information literacy skills set, asking these crucial questions - Which result will I click on first? What other resources am I going to use? If you’re using Google it may be the case that you’ll only have access to freely available sources but it’s important to think about where information about medicines/other remedies exists. Echinacea is a herbal remedy and therefore is not likely to be prescribed by a doctor. So, would you find out about it on the NHS website? The NHS and medical researchers will look into many treatments (especially if popular) and don’t just focus on new pharmaceuticals.  

The NHS is included in the Google results (but it isn’t the first one!) and it does have information on Echinacea. However, should you stop at the NHS? How many other results should you look at before deciding on which one(s) to trust? 

Medical researchers undertaking systematic reviews will be expected to be exhaustive in their searching, finding everything that has been written on a treatment. You may not want (or need) to do this but it’s worth considering how much time you should spare when it’s a question of health.

Lesson three: question your sources

How reliable is the source that I’m looking at? The NHS is probably the most widely trusted source on health in the UK. The website is accessible, regularly updated and also hosts the excellent Behind the Headlines resource (look at the Health News section on the homepage), reflecting on health news stories and unpicking claims within them. The easily understandable information on the website is based on a wealth of medical research. However, and it’s a big however, the NHS is a government service and in some cases certain treatments, interventions and medicines may be promoted above others depending on government policy (e.g. MMR, breast feeding). 

There will be evidence to support the use of these treatments but the promotion of them can be viewed as government led (especially in the case of controversial treatments) so it’s really important to understand the basis and strength of the evidence and, more importantly, the strengths and weaknesses of the underlying medical research. 

One of the results for the search ‘Echinacea clinical evidence’ is an NHS site from 2012, taking the reader from a newspaper headline and drilling down through to the underlying medical research. This is an excellent example of transparency and giving readers a clear line to the source of evidence. 

In the results for 'does Echinacea work when you have a cold?' there is also a link to the NHS, with an article on Preventing colds and flu. 

Lesson four: understanding the medical information landscape

Understanding the information landscape for the topic you’re studying is another important aspect of information literacy.  We’ve already had a look at the NHS site, which is useful, but what are the best sources for medicine and are they in my results? 

For medical research there are several excellent resources but most people continue to rely on the NHS site and the BBC.  Due to the complex nature of medical information, most people wouldn’t go much further than those site and perhaps Wikipedia or WebMD. However, one site that not many non-medical people know about is the Cochrane Collaboration.  

This was an initiative set up in 1993 in response to the work of a Scottish doctor, Archie Cochrane, a specialist in medical evidence and effectiveness. His pioneering work determined that randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were the best way of finding out if a treatment is effective. The subsequent Collaboration has since supported thousands of systematic reviews of RCTs from around the world on a wide range of treatments. 

And the best thing about the site? All the reviews are available, full text and with plain language summaries, to anyone in the UK.  Which leads to…

Lesson five: can we access the best resources? If not, why not?

The NHS website is a wonderful resource but as librarians we know that there is an unprecedented amount of information kept behind publishing paywalls. In the case of medical publishers, this is a very pricey paywall and therefore access to the latest medical information is often not possible for the general public. 

If information does filter out to media outlets we are at the mercy of (in some cases untrained) medical journalists to interpret the research correctly into something that the layperson can understand and, crucially, trust. 

The Open Access movement  works to make publicly funded research accessible to all and it’s important that we keep on demanding access research that we have effectively paid for.  Openness is fundamental to the Cochrane Collaboration and the results are free for us to view. 

In both sets of Google results for our questions, the reader is never more than two clicks away from the full text of a Cochrane report on the usefulness of Echinacea, here and here. Medical practitioners will use Cochrane Reviews to help them decide on treatments for their patients and NICE will include them in their clinical guidance. 

So, even as a Googler, you too can access, understand and trust the highest quality medical evidence on treatments for something as simple as the common cold and in a world of pay-to-view content and paywalls, this is a very powerful thing indeed. 

#AskALibrarian

Other blogs in the #AskALibrarian series include:

• #AskALibrarian: How can I find reliable hotel reviews? - Leslie Stebbins
• #AskALibrarian: Do games improve learning? - Jane Secker
• #AskALibrarian: Is my smartphone listening to me? - Rebecca Oliva

CILIP SWMN are hosting a Mentor Exchange Meeting on Monday 11th July from 1pm-4.00pm at the University of Exeter, Exeter

Mentor Exchange Meeting

This is an opportunity for CILIP mentors to discuss issues, problems and potential solutions arising from mentoring CILIP Certification and Chartership candidates.

UKeiG has today published the call for nominations for its second major award - the Jason Farradane Award.

Given in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the information profession, the Award honours Jason Farradane who made an impact with a paper on the scientific approach to documentation at a Royal Society Scientific Information Conference in 1948 and was instrumental in establishing the Institute of Information Scientists in 1958 as well as the first academic courses in information science in 1963 at the precursor of City University, where he became Director of the Centre for Information Science in 1966.

The nomination could highlight achievements such as raising the profile of the information profession within an organisation or field of endeavour in a way which has become an exemplar to others or simply raising the awareness of the value of information in the workplace; demonstrating excellence in education and teaching in information science; or making a major contribution to the theory and practice of information science. 

Nominations should reach UKeiG no later than Friday September 9th - full details of where to send your nomination and of the information which you should include in the nomination are given in the full call, which call can be found on our web page:

http://www.cilip.org.uk/uk-einformation-group/2016-call-jason-farradane-nominations

On June 9th IFLA, EBLIDA and LIBER urged all players to work together and apply their efforts to build an open science system, underlining the importance of open access and open science for human progress. They offered their strong support for the ministers' ambition to make all research open access by 2020, and rejected the arguments of those who seek to stall this movement.

The statement began:

On May 27 2016, EU Member States affirmed their commitment to accelerating the advancement of knowledge and boosting innovation and competitiveness in Europe by adopting Council Conclusions on the Transition Towards and Open Science System.

We, the European and international library community, welcome this development and support a rapid transition towards Open Science as a high priority for us and our users, as outlined clearly in the LIBER response to the Amsterdam Call for Action.

Member States should be in no doubt that their commitment to Open Science will result in a healthier and more efficient research ecosystem, a greater impact for research funding, and a better environment for knowledge transfer. This move will not only boost European competitiveness, but will establish Europe as a world leader in data-driven innovation.

However, a note of dismay was sounded over the negative reactions to the Conclusions from stakeholders with an interest in maintaining the status quo: in particular the International Association of STM Publishers. The full statement (PDF) can be found at:
http://www.ifla.org/files/asse...

You are cordially invited to the AGM of the CILIP Yorkshire & Humberside Member Network, which this year is offered in combination with a presentation from Paul Sturges OBE, and a tour of the Leeds Central Library.

The AGM will include elections for the positions of Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Candidate Support Officer and Mentor Support Officer. In addition, there are vacancies on the committee for a student/new professional member, and ordinary members. Please let us know in advance if you are interested in standing for one of these positions.

Following the AGM, Paul Sturges OBE, Emeritus Professor of Library Studies at Loughborough University and Fellow of CILIP, will draw on the experience of his eclectic international career to give a presentation intriguingly titled “Murder, Sex, and Magic”, about the role of the unexpected in library services.

After this there is a chance to see some of the treasures of the Central Library’s collection, as well as hear about the building’s heritage and visit some of the specialist departments, such as the creative industries production centre (Studio 12), and the Business & IP Centre. Please note that places on the tour are limited – please indicate when registering if you would like to come.

CILIP members and non-members are welcome to attend any combination of the three parts of this event, though only members can vote in the AGM.

Booking
Please book tickets via Eventbrite.

Directions
The library is approximately ten minutes’ walk from Leeds railway station. There is no car park at the library itself, but there are several pay & display car parks around the city centre.

Accessibility
The meeting room and tour are both wheelchair-accessible. Please contact us before the visit if you have any accessibility concerns.

In addition to a tour of the new buildings including the refurnished library, the team will give a presentation on all the processes involved in carry out a project of this nature – such as liaising with College stakeholders, working with architects, designers and suppliers, visiting other libraries and producing ‘mood’ boards. The presentation will include a selection of before and after photographs to illustrate the transformation.

Join the Information Literacy Group and the Multimedia, Information and Technology Group for a day long conference of seminar talks and activities from digital literacy experts from across several different areas of the library and information sector.

Are you currently involved in developing, supporting and delivering digital literacy skills in your library? Are you engaged in developing information literacy frameworks which include digital literacy (and vice-versa)? Do you want to find out more about what others are doing in this area and to what level? Then this conference is for you. Our speakers will enlighten you as to how their services are involved in and support the digital literacy agendas in their respective institutions and sectors.

PMLG Teachmeet 2016. 

Booking is now open for this year’s biennial PMLG un-conference. Following a ‘teachmeet’ format, the day will combine special guest speakers and facilitators, with open forum workshops for sharing best practice. There will also be partner organisation exhibitors, and lunch and refreshments provided. Sessions will explore topics that include job clubs, business start-ups, and how libraries can support digital literacy helping to combat social divides and unemployment. Confirmed guest speakers and facilitators so far includes, the award winning creator of Wrexham Library’s ‘Businessline’ initiative, Gareth Hatton; the ground-breaking digital support charity Tinder Foundation; and  the Chief Executive of CILIP, Nick Poole. And the best bit… this event is completely FREE to PMLG members!

Join CILIP Thames Valley on a tour of the Wellcome Collection Library! The Wellcome Collection Library was founded in 1949 on the collection formed by Sir Henry Wellcome, a 19th century pharmaceutical entrepreneur and collector.  It is now one of the world’s leading libraries of medical history.

The collection contains over 9000 manuscripts and 800 archives on the history of medicine in the United Kingdom and Europe. The History of Medicine Collection contains books and journals which represent a broad history of medical thought from around the world since the earliest times. The Medical Collection contains rare books and ephemera from the 15th century to the present day. The art collection contains over 250,000 prints, drawings, paintings and photographs from the 14th century to the present. The library also contains a large Asian Collection and a significant Moving Image and Sound Collection as well as a large Biomedical Images Collection.

The tour will include an overview of the history of the library and an opportunity to view items from the collection.

Everyone is welcome to attend this tour. Booking for this event is essential.

A Rich Tapestry: Diverse Collections and Audiences is the theme for this year's Rare Books and Special Collections Group Conference which takes place in Liverpool between 7-9 September.

CDEG is delighted to announce a full delegate bursaries for its members to the RBSC Conference 2016.  This will include accommodation but not travel.

Two bursary places are available. One is open to all members. Also on offer is an additional bursary offered to a CDEG member who is "currently undertaking academic study in a higher education institution in the UK and whose research interests are specifically focused on libraries and social justice/equalities/diversity".

To apply

Please email an expression of interest (max 300 words) to cdeg.cilip@gmail.com by 29 July 2016 detailing why you wish to attend and what you think you will gain from the experience.

DON'T FORGET TO TELL US WHICH BURSARY YOU ARE APPLYING FOR.

Successful applicants will be informed by 13 August and will be expected to write up their experiences in a short report to be published in either Update or CDEG membership bulletins.  

Through the work of the Professional Development Group, CILIP has partnered in developing a Study Tour

Examine the history, architecture and contemporary uses of Berlin's libraries and the use, suppression and dissemination of information during its modern history.

Culture and arts prevail in Berlin, a place that does not forget its history and is simultaneously forward-looking. Due to its location and its prominent role in modern history, Berlin’s libraries are home to some of the richest, most important and rare collections in the world.

Its libraries are an essential part of the lives of Berlin’s citizens and indeed Berlin's very history is enmeshed in its libraries. They have been subject to fascism, bombing and the effects of the Cold War. Today, they have become symbols of resistance and reunification.

Tour leader

Ian Stringer, Chair of the International Library and Information Group and a Committee Member of CILIP Yorkshire and Humberside Member Network, will lead the tour. He will be accompanied by his son, Paul Stringer, who is a fluent German speaker. 

Book Now!

To download a tour brochure and book a place:

Visit John Baines Tours 

The visit includes a brief tour of the Library and  an overview of the Library’s work over recent years and their future plans. The Digital Resources Librarian will give an overview of systems and the Research Liaison Librarian will give an overview of cataloguing.

The visit is free and has a maximum of 15 people.

Visitors should sign in at reception, after which they will be guided to the tour.

Please contact David Lass david@malcolm.myzen.co.uk by July 15th to book a place

The second edition of the 2010 book Copyright and E-learning: a guide for practitioners is now available. The book covers the topic that has fascinated me for over a decade and been central to the job I do at LSE: copyright law and its relationship to e-learning or online learning. 

Much of the intentions behind the first edition remain however. The book is designed to be read by practitioners and so it tries to offer pragmatic advice on a range of topics issues from digitising orphan works, to lecture recordings, the use of social media and MOOCs. We tried to write the book in a jargon-free easily digestible way, to hopefully make it a practical guide for learning technologists, but also teachers, lecturers and other learning support staff in higher education, schools, further education and even in a workplace learning setting, where online learning is used extensively.  

We’ve taken six key ideas from the book’s conclusion, which we feel are really important to helping you approach any copyright issue: 

1. Everything is about risk

Realize that everything is about risk and there are ways of mitigating the risk. For example, devising helpful and timely education and training programmes, but also having institutional policies such as notice and takedown policies on the VLE or any online platform where content can be shared. You will need to decide how comfortable you (and your institution) are towards risk if you decide to rely on copyright exceptions, or are not sure whether a licence covers what you wish to do. 

2. Break down any copyright query into its constituent parts

Break down any copyright query into its constituent parts – what type of copyright works does it concern, how will they be used, are there any licences that might apply and finally could a copyright exception come into play? This inevitably requires developing your own technical knowledge to tackle these queries and we’ve provided numerous examples of further resources and training that might help you in the book.

3. Use empathy

Use empathy – in any given situation understanding what someone is actually trying to do when they approach you with a copyright query is helpful. However empathy is important from both sides so try to get the person to think about what the creators and rights holders of a work had in mind too. Ideally this will help you put your copyright support work in context and frame it as a collaborative enterprise.

4. Understand that there is lots of great 'stuff' available for free

Understand that there is lots of great ‘stuff’ available for free or under liberal licence terms, such as Creative Commons. Many people are happy to share their work with you provided they are credited, particularly when it’s for educational use, but recognize that there are often good reasons why some content costs money or is not available to you.

5. Recognize that good manners go a long way

Recognize that good manners go a long way – asking nicely, giving credit and building creative networks are a fundamental component of education and research. Over time you can build up your network of contacts, and often knowing the right person to ask will give you access to a wider network of resources which can be used at little or no cost.

6. Remember, you are not alone

Remember, you are not alone. It’s easy, particularly if you are faced with a tricky copyright situation to feel you are expected to know all the answers and this clearly isn’t going to be possible and no one is an island. So build up your support network, both within your organization and externally, and get to know a few copyright experts who can help you out when you get stuck! 

If you’d like to find out more about the book you can visit our website where we have made the list of further resources available. You can also find out about some of the copyright education initiatives we’d been involved in recently. If you are interested in hearing more about some of the challenges related to copyright and e-learning, you may also wish to listen to the recent podcast we recorded with James Clay. We also plan to make the sixth chapter from the book, on copyright education, available on open access.
 
What are the main copyright challenges you face? Let us know in the comments.

A one day mentoring workshop provided on behalf of the CILIP North West Member Network  – FREE to members of CILIP.

Join CILIP East and ARLG Eastern for an afternoon sharing ideas and learning from colleagues across the region.

It's open to anyone interested in teaching and technology in libraries and is completely free, including tea and coffee and an optional tour of the Chelmsford Campus library at Anglia Ruskin University.  You don't have to be a member of CILIP or ARLG to attend.

Registration is now open.

Come along as an observer to network and share ideas with colleagues from across the region. You can also sign up to give a 3 minute nanopresentation or 10 minute micropresentation to share your teaching tips and/or suggestions of tools/technology you've found useful in your work. We have plenty of room for break-out groups if you would rather speak to a smaller group or break off for a chat and a coffee during the day.

New to Librarian TeachMeet? The combination of short talks and unconference style creates a relaxed, fun and supportive atmosphere making Librarian TeachMeets ideal events for first time speakers or those looking to gain more experience in presenting.  So, don't be shy, sign up and get involved!

Not sure what to talk about? That’s OK, you can start a discussion on a topic or play a game you have come across. There are no set rules for how you should use your time.

School Libraries Group regional event in Lancaster.  See flyer and booking form for full details of programme and how to book.

The Library of the Grey Coat School is happy to host a visit of up to twelve members of the Cataloguing and Indexing Group and others interested in cataloguing to see highlights of their collection, which dates back to 1700 (although the oldest book was published in 1613) and includes current resources for a modern school. Lucy Saint-Smith will give us an overview of cataloguing practices for materials for students and also a recent project to document their special collections.

This is an opportunity to see behind the scenes in a working school in an historic setting, and may appeal especially to those with an interest in services to young people and / or special collections but also to those working in other sectors. 

You can find out more about the Library here: www.gch.org.uk/Library and book a free ticket to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cataloguing-and-indexing-group-visit-to-the-grey-coat-hospital-school-tickets-26017562229 

If you have any queries, please contact CIG committee member Anne Welsh, a.welsh@ucl.ac.uk

N.B. Although the Library is wheelchair accessible, it will be helpful to know in advance if you have mobility issues so that Lucy can organise the rare books display in an accessible room (the rare books room is up flight of stairs), and so that we can arrange to meet her at the correct (accessible) entrance.
 

Booking is now open.

Craig Menzies reports on how Macmillan Cancer Support has been working with Glasgow’s library service to provide practical and emotional support and access to quality information to those living with cancer.

No one in Glasgow should face cancer alone. An easy statement to make. Yet, across the city of Glasgow our team of more than 110 volunteers regularly hear of individuals facing the devastating ­side-effects of cancer – feeling isolated, alone and, crucially, unable to access the right information and support at the right time. 

We know that the issues of importance to people affected by cancer are much wider than the clinical management of the ­disease. A cancer diagnosis can evoke a huge range of emotional, financial and practical support needs, and these cannot always be addressed by our already stretched National Health Service. Whilst many health professionals go above and beyond to ensure that individuals are aware of local support services, the lack of a coherent referral pathway means that an individual’s non-clinical needs very often go unmet.

Throughout years of research and discussion with people affected by cancer, Macmillan Cancer Support has identified the huge importance that additional non-clinical services can have in addressing the practical and emotional needs of those living with and beyond cancer, and their friends, families and colleagues. 

An excellent example of how Macmillan has utilised this knowledge and experience is displayed in its work with Glasgow’s library service. The partnership provides practical and emotional support for those living with and beyond cancer in the city’s 33 libraries, to ensure that everyone affected by cancer has access to quality information on their doorstep.

Our aim is to make it as easy as possible for people to get the support they need, because we believe that no-one in Glasgow should face cancer alone.

A simple yet innovative idea

Back in 2009, a pilot scheme was developed at Easterhouse Library (now Library at the Bridge) to test the benefits of using a local community library for individuals affected by cancer to drop by for a coffee and a chat. This simple yet innovative development offered the local community the opportunity to speak confidentially to someone who was not their doctor, family member or friend, about any concerns or worries they may have in a safe, welcoming environment. 

Feedback received overwhelmingly promoted the potential role that libraries as hubs of the community can play, and indicated the potential for the scheme to be rolled out on a wider scale.
Today, Glasgow is home to 33 ­library-based Macmillan Cancer Information & Support Services, with a team of volunteers providing their time, experience and knowledge to offer practical and emotional support to individuals affected by cancer.

To date, we have witnessed over 8,000 attendances at Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries drop-in centres and feel we are making significant inroads in supporting individuals to access the support and information they need on their doorstep. 

By utilising the public library service, ­individuals affected by cancer in Glasgow are now no further than one mile away from the non-clinical support they require.

Partnerships provide support

We are very fortunate that the funding provided by Macmillan Cancer Support enables us to work in partnership with other organisations across the city. Eight complementary services now operate in conjunction with Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries, providing a range of services including holistic needs assessments, benefits and financial support, physical activity programmes, clothing and wig services, complementary therapies and counselling (in partnership with Cancer Support Scotland).

Together, we are transforming the cancer landscape in Glasgow, creating a truly comprehensive service offer to address the vast array of non-clinical needs associated with a cancer diagnosis.

Friendly, welcoming environment

Utilising library space to support people living with cancer is not restricted to the city of Glasgow. Over the past few years, there have been a growing number of similar models deployed throughout the UK. Research and evaluation into these projects continues to strengthen the concept that libraries can play an important role, as a local, non-clinical source of health-based support and information. 
The results and feedback attained to date overwhelmingly promote the friendly, welcoming library environment as an ideal location for individuals to feel confident that the information and support received is non-judgemental and above all else, from a trusted source.

‘To cheer me up a bit, my husband took me to the café at our local library in Easterhouse. That’s where we saw a stand with Macmillan information. Before I knew it, I was sitting with someone in a quiet corner, pouring my heart out. Since then, whenever I’ve had questions or worries, they’ve been there to put my mind at rest and give me the ­information and support I’ve needed. I never thought that a library, a kettle and comfy sofa would play such a vital part in my cancer treatment, but they have.’ 
– Service User, Glasgow Libraries

Motivated team of volunteers

The Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries volunteers are a force for change in the city of Glasgow, and are absolutely crucial to the delivery of this comprehensive service. Since its inception in 2012, more than 200 Glaswegians, passionate about improving the lives of others have joined the volunteer team, donating their time, and skills to establish the programme, and ensure its long-term success. 
Aged 18-75, the volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds and areas of the city; some are out of employment and seeking work, others are retired, some are students and others are cancer survivors keen to give something back to the charity that supported them through their illness.

Despite their varying motivations, the volunteer team are united by a common goal: the drive to provide vital cancer support and information to local people who at times have nowhere else to turn.

Each volunteer provides an average of 2.5 hours per week. Between them they have donated a staggering 22,000 hours of their time, supporting over 8,000 affected by cancer in the past three years.

One such volunteer is 32 year old Alicja Kochanska, originally from Poland but now living in Dennistoun, who scooped the Emerging Talent Award at the recent Scottish Public Service awards (7 December), in recognition of her dedication to working with people affected by cancer.

Alicja began volunteering at Dennistoun Library’s Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries Information and Support service in 2013, after hearing about the initiative through her partner:

‘I was really keen to take part in a volunteering programme, and Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries was so easy to get involved with.’ Alicja said. ‘I felt that I was really able to make a difference to the people I was working with, and I was also able to use my translation and interpreting skills to benefit people in my local community in Dennistoun, supporting Polish people to engage with our services.’

Alicja recognised that there was a gap within the service provision in her local area due to the growing Polish community. She pro-actively created content in Polish, and then sought to find materials in other languages too, to ensure relevant literature on cancer was available to all who needed it.

‘One Polish man who visited the library was sadly terminally ill, but he and his partner of 20 years wanted to marry before he passed away,’ Alicja said. ‘I worked closely with the couple, along with our partner service, the Macmillan Improving Cancer Journey, providing emotional and practical support and translated all of the paperwork they needed to submit in order to marry; he sadly passed away three weeks after they married but I was so glad that I was able to help him fulfil his final wish.’

Training and inspiring others

After volunteering for over a year, Alicja became a full-time member of staff and in September 2015 was promoted to Macmillan Services & Volunteering Officer. Using her own knowledge of volunteering, she now trains and supports the new volunteers in their roles.

‘When I first began volunteering in Dennistoun, I thought how wonderful it would be to be able to inspire other people to volunteer and see for themselves how rewarding it can be – and now that’s my job.’ Alicja added: ‘Volunteering is really surprising, and it teaches you a lot about yourself. I’d encourage people to get involved with the Macmillan @Glasgow Libraries programme, it’s hugely rewarding and you get to meet some truly fantastic people.’

Robust support network

In terms of the wider agenda around the deployment of volunteers across libraries, it is important to note that volunteer roles are solely created and supported to provide added value to the core library service, and not to replace roles previously delivered by paid library staff. By creating a robust support network within libraries, we aim to provide the right knowledge, skills and confidence to allow volunteers to feel part of the team, and to work closely with the library staff team to enhance the services delivered across Glasgow Libraries.

This culture and ethos around the deployment of volunteers within library-based services was recognised in the June 2015 National Strategy for Public Libraries in Scotland. In particular, this paper advocates the development of volunteering and the delivery of health information through the libraries networks as key to the future of the public libraries service in Scotland.

‘I really did feel like I had no-one to talk to. At the hospital all of the focus was on tests after tests, before results after results. What I really needed was just some time to sit and talk about how I was feeling. The volunteer gave me that time. Asked me how I was feeling, and if there was anything she could do to help.’ 
– Service User, Glasgow Libraries

Extending the model

Having confidently demonstrated the positive outcomes that Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries can deliver in meeting the emotional and information needs of individual’s affected by cancer; the programme plans to explore the potential for replication, or extension of the model to supporting individuals with other long term conditions. 

We know that Glasgow’s library service offers Glaswegians a welcoming hub at the heart of the community. Through the new Vision for Glasgow Libraries, developed in consultation with over 3,000 local residents, the city library service has committed to providing a one-stop-shop for residents’ key social, economic, cultural and educational needs. 

We believe that the delivery of health information can complement the wider libraries offer, and in the coming months, we shall be scouring the country to investigate the role that libraries in other local authorities are 
currently playing to meet health information and support needs for all our citizens.

We would be interested to speak to any library services that currently utilises their venues to deliver health information and 
support services. 

To help us explore how to meet health and information support needs, or to find out more about Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries, please contact Craig Menzies: craig.menzies@glasgowlife.org.uk or visit:  www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries/macmillan-at-glasgow-libraries/ 

Update Magazine

This article was originally published in CILIP Update Magazine, May 2016.

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