Developing a generic tool to routinely measure the impact of health libraries |
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| Authors: | Stephen Ayre Alison Brettle Dominic Gilroy Douglas Knock Rebecca Mitchelmore Sophie Pattison Susan Smith Jenny Turner |
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| Affiliation: | 1. George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, Nuneaton, UK;2. School of Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work and Social Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK;3. Health Education England, Leeds, UK;4. Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;5. Isle of Wight NHS Trust, Newport, UK;6. UCL, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;7. Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Crewe, UK;8. East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Eastbourne, UK |
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| Abstract: | Background Health libraries contribute to many activities of a health care organisation. Impact assessment needs to capture that range of contributions. Objectives To develop and pilot a generic impact questionnaire that: (1) could be used routinely across all English NHS libraries; (2) built on previous impact surveys; and (3) was reliable and robust. Methods This collaborative project involved: (1) literature search; (2) analysis of current best practice and baseline survey of use of current tools and requirements; (3) drafting and piloting the questionnaire; and (4) analysis of the results, revision and plans for roll out. Findings The framework selected was the International Standard Methods And Procedures For Assessing The Impact Of Libraries (ISO 16439). The baseline survey (n = 136 library managers) showed that existing tools were not used, and impact assessment was variable. The generic questionnaire developed used a Critical Incident Technique. Analysis of the findings (n = 214 health staff and students), plus comparisons with previous impact studies indicated that the questionnaire should capture the impact for all types of health libraries. Conclusions The collaborative project successfully piloted a generic impact questionnaire that, subject to further validation, should apply to many types of health library and information services. |
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| Keywords: | evidence‐based library and information practice (EBLIP) evidence‐based practice (EBP) impact information services libraries health care outcome measures surveys |
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