Library News - August 2011
LIBRARY NEWS
Closure of walk-in library service
Health Scotland’s walk-in library service closed to the public at the end of July. The reasoning behind this was that the number of customers using our service in this way has dwindled in recent years, and this closure will allow library staff to get out and about and meet with both internal and external customers more easily, rather than being tied to library opening hours.
I would like to emphasise that a full library service is still available to all our customers – the only difference is that requests to borrow material or for a literature search will now need to be made via email (nhs.healthscotland-library@nhs.net) or telephone (0131 536 5581) rather than in person.
Specialist collection of health improvement and health inequalities books
The Health Scotland library service is committed to providing an up to date core collection of health improvement and health inequalities resources in print. The library service closed for four weeks in August to allow the team to undertake an extensive collection management exercise that will reduce the collection to a smaller but more focussed and up to date set of books and other materials. The Health Scotland library service offers a freepost return service, so please make us your first port of call if you are looking for resources on health improvement or health inequalities. You can search our library catalogue (www.healthscotland.com/resources/library/index.aspx) or get in touch with a member of the team to find out whether specific items, or resources in a particular subject area, are available for loan.
Photocopy requests and copyright
As you may be aware, there have been some recent changes in copyright policy for NHS Scotland. As a result of these changes, photocopy requests for NHS staff must be supplied either via the Knowledge Network (www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk) or through the British Library’s copyright cleared service. As this is an expensive service, and the number of requests per board will be restricted, the Health Scotland library service will be limiting this service to Health Scotland staff only, and other NHS staff will be redirected to the library services in their local boards. Non-NHS customers should not be affected by these developments and can continue to request articles in the same way.
If you have any comments or queries relating to these developments then please do not hesitate to get in touch. My email address is juliagreen@nhs.net and my telephone number is 0131 536 5578.
Julia Green
Library Services Manager (Acting)