1. An evidence-based approach
to engaging healthcare users
in a journals review project
Anne Murphy BA DLIS MSc
Head Librarian
Tallaght Hospital
35th UKSG Conference, 27th March 2012

2. Tallaght Hospital, Dublin
Provide tertiary service to 400,000 people in 3 counties
National referral centre for some clinical specialities

3. “Academic libraries have
always operated in a fairly
economically disadvantaged
environment and are
frequently the first to suffer
budget cutbacks in times of
difficult financial
circumstances.”
Fallon, MP 2011. The status of the Irish Research eLibrary. World Libraries. 18(2)
http://www.worlib.org/vol18no2/fallonprint_v18n2.shtml

4. Health libraries in Ireland
“Within the health
sector, library
services, like all other
areas, are struggling
with reduced
budgets, loss of expert
staff and increased
demand from users.
The network so
carefully built is now
under serious threat.”
SHELLI Report, Health Sciences

5. Tallaght Hospital Library
Library website:
Evidence & reference
databases
300 journals in 2009
12,000 books

6. Pills, Pillows and Inhalers
Photograph by kind permission of Tommy Walsh, Clinical Photographer, Tallaght Hospital

7. Autumn 2010

8. Informed Decisions
Build datasets of
metrics and evaluations

9. ‘equitable,
expedient and
affable’
Carey R et al. An evidence-based approach for gaining faculty acceptance in a serials cancellation
project. Collection Management, 2006. 30(2)59-72.

10. Project Objectives
 Retain the most relevant, valued and
used journals
 Protect good relationship with staff
 Meet the budget target

11. Journals
Secure funding
9%
Package
8%
Core
1%
For review
82%
286 journals in total
236 for review

12. User survey
Rating scale:
1. Essential
2. Cancel only if necessary
3. May be cancelled
4. Cancel
Surveyed 500 senior clinical and
management staff using 43 standardised
forms adjusted for each department

13. Journal metrics
Cost
Usage
Cost per use

14. Respondents
Management Other professionals
5% 2%
Medical
Allied Health 47%
29%
Response rates: Nursing
100% Rheumatology 17%
12% Surgery
36% response rate

15. 25%2011
7%
Hospital
average

16. in
The decision-making process


17. Round 1 – Identify definite
keepers
30 titles

18. Round 2: two thresholds
Cost > €2,000
OR
< 1O uses
44 journals tagged for probable
cancellation
9 journals identified for purchase

19. Round 3
55 journals identified
for cancellation
Departmental /
Speciality titles

20. Round 4
18 journals
identified for
cancellation
Departmental /
Speciality titles

21. TOTAL
73
titles identified for cancellation

22. Project Report 2011
Key Message: Use the journals

23. Feedback
“This is very interesting...”

24. Number of journal subscriptions
350
300 286
300
250 213
200
150
100
50
0
2009 2010 2011

25. Post-operative Review
The
decision-
making Successfully
process managed
proved staff
successful expectations
Librarians’
knowledge
is crucial

26. 2012

27. User survey 2012
Leaner and cleaner
Increased the number
surveyed to 550 and
decreased the number of
customised forms to 31

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Consider all these titles as core reading
Two specialist journals is a minimum
Two [...] journals for a teaching hospital is a
disgrace

29. Respondents in 2012
Management Other Professionals
7% 4%
Allied Medical
Health 41%
29%
Nursing
19%
34% response rate

30. The decision-making process

31. Baseline of 300 Journals in 2009
31
Retained
Cancelled in 2010
73
182 Cancelled in 2011
Cancelled in 2012
14
Total of 118 cancelled titles in 3 years

32. Number of Journals
350
300
300 286
250
213
200 182
150
100
50
0
2009 2010 2011 2012

33. Midpoint of 2012 Project
 Report back to hospital
staff in April 2012
 Leverage staff advocacy
for their information
needs to be met
 Survey staff about their
use of the published
literature, discovery
methods and their
experience of the
research publishing
process

34. Supply on demand?
Did not
indicate a
preference
28%
Yes
No 46%
26%
Source: AMNCH Library survey, November 2010

35. Photographs by kind permission of Tommy Walsh, Clinical Photographer, Tallaght Hospital