The Northern Lights Survey Report 2021
As chair of the Northern Lights Editorial Group, I am happy to provide this short introduction to the Northern Lights Survey Report 2021 on behalf of the group.…
Developing partnerships
On 27th September 2021 we delivered a presentation about Bolton Health Information Partnership at the CILIP Health Libraries Group Virtual Study day. The day was focused around Users, Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilisation, just perfect for the topic of our session.…
Hello from James Ryan
Hello everyone, I am James Ryan and I’ve recently joined the Library and Knowledge team at Stockport Foundation Trust as an Assistant Librarian. This is my first foray into the world of NHS libraries, and I have been made feel so welcome not only by Kieran Lamb and staff here at Stockport, but also the LIHNN network.…
Ingrid Francis new starter
I have recently joined the team at Leeds Community Healthcare Trust as a Library and Information Specialist – Primary Care. This is a really unique and exciting opportunity to provide support to the 19 Primary Care Networks and 94 Practices working across Leeds…
Springboard programme reflections
I took part in the Springboard women’s development programme which consisted of 8 free workshops that was delivered virtually over the period of four months - from February to May 2021. The workshop was for two half days in a month, and the objectives of the programme are; • To take clear practical realistic steps to take more control over your life. • To find out what you value. • To make decisions and take action based on your core values.…
Welcome to Helen Ashton, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS FT
Welcome to Helen Ashton who joined Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS FT recently.…
Poetry in health libraries workshops – a collective response
In June 2021, a group of NHS library staff dared to stretch our comfort zones a little wider by attending two poetry workshops delivered by Betty Doyle. The workshops were part of a pilot research project being conducted by MMU, exploring whether there was such thing as ‘poetry anxiety’ amongst health library staff. In just 4 hours (and in some cases 2!), we were transformed into poetry explorers, appreciators and creators.…
Liberation and creativity through poetry
I work as a Library Assistant in the Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, one of the biggest acute NHS trusts in the country. In June I volunteered to participate in a series of poetry workshops. Staff from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) were conducting an action research project on poetry in health libraries, and they needed a diverse group of Northern NHS Library staff to explore an intriguing question: ‘Can poetry add to the existing NHS Health Library offer?’.…
Poetic ingredients in the mix
The opportunity to take part in a research project about poetry and wellbeing, by participating in online workshops, appealed to me because I have not previously associated poetry with health libraries and I was interested in discussing the potential benefits. I hadn’t anticipated writing much of my own poetry during the workshops, but that revealed itself to be the focus.…
Anyone can write poetry (and it doesn’t have to rhyme!)
Like (I suspect) many people, the word poetry fills me with anxiety and takes me back to excruciating English lessons at school when people would be asked to read lines of poetry aloud to an unreceptive and giggling bunch of teenagers. I enjoy reading novels but I rarely read poetry for pleasure and I feel that my school experiences did put me off.…