Alan Medway Service Development Manager,

Staffordshire Library and Information Services

Information in Public Libraries – How do staff engage with queries?

Public Libraries have a long tradition:

of providing information, self-help and a listening ear

Public Libraries are also keen:

to support health and well-being initiatives

HEALTH INFORMATION WEEK

Changing scenes

Changes in NHS

Bringing together of some NHS and Local Authority functions

Health and Social Care Act (2012)

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Public Health and Wellbeing

Changing scenes

Changes in Public libraries

Community hubs

Engagement, not just use

Commissioning models in LAs

Broad expectations of staff skills

Digital information offer

Expectations on library staff

» A traditional book loan service

» An up-to-the-minute access to digital information

» A “rules-light”, access-focussed service

» Quick service, but not always self-service

» And are library staff still trusted?

» YES!» The survey for the general information offer showed that library

staff were second only to doctors as trusted for the information they give – above friends and relatives, post office staff and politicians!

Are library staff there for…?

• Signposting and Information

•YES• Using stock

• Using the web

• Using contacts

• Using local knowledge

Are library staff there for…?

• Advice and Guidance

•NO• Except standard advice: “always check with a health professional if

you have any concerns about your health”

• Except guidance in making use of resources available

National Information Offer

• Being designed to make the best, most straightforward, most demanded information as accessible as possible, with less confident IT users in mind.

• Completing pilot phase• Lessons are being learned• Will cover key life areas:

Health

Job-seeking and self-employment

Benefits and personal finance• Channel shift to more online and less face-to-face

contact

National Information Offer – West Midlands Pilot

• Decided to focus on health because:• Health and Well-Being Partnership Toolkit pulled

together by the Reading Agency for Society of Chief Librarians (SCL) WM.

• Advocacy tool for public library services.• Argues for health and well-being benefits of reading

activity.• Led to a signed Memorandum of Understanding between

SCL WM and NHS WM

National Information Offer – West Midlands Pilot

Looking to provide easy access to health information, including Books on Prescription, Online Health Checks and staff training modules.

These might have been separate parts of the project but ultimately we sought to bring them all together.

The result:

www.myhealthlibrary.co.uk

Still a test site to explore and comment onDeveloped by NHS West Midlands