It is a strange time to start a new role. When I was offered the role of LKS Development Manager back at the end of February, I didn’t imagine that I would start the job sitting in our spare room/office surrounded by the kids old toys. However, here we are! Like everyone else, I am adjusting to our new ways of working and that includes changing roles by swapping laptops. However, despite the difficult circumstances, I am very much enjoying the new role and I have been made to feel very welcome. I was also impressed that my laptop arrived on time and my IT access was set-up without any delays, so it is all systems go!…

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We may be going back to work in the new normal.  A very, very clean and socially distanced workplace.  As eMails go out on the lists about the process of reintegrating into our physical libraries what will we remember about the time when the virtual library was the new normal?…

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My Trust, that covers acute and community services in Northern Lincolnshire and part of East Yorkshire, serves a population of 350,000 and employs approximately 6,500 staff. Trust Library Services consists of two staffed site libraries and one small library resource room that is not staffed. Professionally qualified staff in my service consist of two full time staff, supported by 2.44 whole time equivalent para professionals.…

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Another blog Matt? Well I am following my own advice that you are at work when you are thinking about work even if you are in the garden. Also the possibly contradictory advice, presentism in front of the laptop is pretty pointless if you are working from home. When the job is done do something else. So in the garden, punctuated by quixotic charges across the lawn with my hoe to chase off the rabbits I have been thinking about how to respond to COVID19 in particular about guides to resources.…

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Informationists Sandra Johnson, Kelly Doolan and Fran Morrisroe reflect on their experiences of working from home, adapting library service provision, and the importance of taking a proactive approach to support their NHS colleagues, in what is a period of great challenge and uncertainty.…

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On 16th March the first emails started to arrive from our library colleagues around the region telling us that due to the spread of Corona Virus cases in the UK their services would be closed until further notice. That was just three weeks ago, but it feels like a lifetime. At that point the UK had 41 reported Covid-19 deaths, as we write this on 7th April; we have now lost 6,159 NHS patients to this virus.…

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Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, most of us are working differently to the way we usually would. At Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH), both of our library sites have closed and we are providing virtual library services from home. Working from home is both a challenge and an opportunity, so here’s my personal experience of surviving it through a typical daily routine!…

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Hi everyone, I’m Iris and I’ve recently joined Andrew, Helen, Erica and Dawn at the Evidence Service in Mersey Care. I’m training to become a fully-fledged researcher, doing literature based discovery, this is my first time working in healthcare so everything is quite new to me.…

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I am watching with interest as eMails announcing that one NHS library service after another has “gone virtual”. It’s a process that has many dimensions, new software and new ways of working in teams. Anyway, as a lone home worker I don’t have any insights into remote team working and I don’t have any additional special software. So I thought I would share some reflections on the intangible aspects of running a virtual service. Things I am guessing that might be over looked in the excitement of change!…

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I have just read a piece on the BBC website that had the wise advice to get dressed. Really. I have to tell you I am writing this wearing … hmm … perhaps we won’t go there dear reader. Rest assured all the important bits are covered. Anyway I can reveal that lots of underemployed scribes are going to be writing lots of rubbish at 50p a word on working from home. This advice is based on experience and it’s free.…

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