Bernard Barrett

Biography

Bernard has been working with the Mental Health Services of the Mid Western Health Board for just over two years.  His work involves researching international best practice, the production of policies and guidelines, capacity building with mental health staff, and the fostering of knowledge management within the mental health services.  Bernard is also chair-person of the Irish Health Sciences Libraries Group, who are currently in the process of finalising a three year strategic plan.

Monday - 6 September

Abstract - Nurturing growth in our sector of the profession: An overview of the Irish Health Sciences Libraries Group

Within the Irish Health Sciences Libraries Group, particularly within its committee, there is a real desire to engage with a whole plethora of issues that face our profession.  It's probably no different in Ireland to the UK, or elsewhere in the world - lack of professional status, lack of staff, governmental re-organisations and so on to boot.

We would have to say at the outset that we have no magic formula or wand to wave, that will all of a sudden make things better.  What we have are questions, and what we are increasingly learning, is that discerning the right questions to ask, and seeing all the alternatives, is probably more important initially than striving for answers.  It's for this reason that the group has engaged in a three year Strategic Planning Cycle, the purpose of which is to nurture growth in our sector of the profession.

But if we follow this through, what exactly does this mean.  What type of growth are we looking for?  What is actually involved in nurturing growth?  And when we've thought it through what does it really mean for us as Health Care Librarians - because as Irish Health Care/Health Science Librarians, that's where we feel the emphasis needs to be - not simply or solely on the Library, but on what is required for us to evolve and go on growing as Librarians?  Or as Health Care Information Professionals?

This presentation will not give you all the answers, but it will I hope prompt some interesting questions, perhaps some insights and challenges, and reveal the path which we as Irish Health Science Librarians are beginning to tread.

Tuesday 7 September

Abstract: Planning to reform: how Irish Health Science Librarians are laying the foundations for change

The Health Sciences Libraries Group has for the past twelve months been laying the foundations for a three year strategic planning process, which we hope will articulate clearly what we as Health Science Librarians are trying to achieve.  In addition to this, the Irish government announced its Health Reform programme, the impact of which will have far reaching consequences for Health Science Information professionals.  Bernard's presentation will describe all these developments, and look at some of the desired outcomes from both processes.

This page was last updated on: 25 August, 2004