Evidence Based Practice is being championed as one of the core values in the new We are CILIP strategy, meaning that the work and activity of the Library and Information Research Group (LIRG) could become all the more prolific within our professional community.

In February, CILIP launched its new five-year strategy and action plan, We are CILIP which sets out the key themes, priorities and values that will define the future of our professional community.  Based on conversations with its members, at the heart of the strategy is a vision of a professional community, dedicated to changing lives through quality information, services and expertise

One of the values which the strategy champions as uniting the profession is that of evidence based practice (EBP).  EBP is an approach that promotes the collection, interpretation and integration of the best available evidence to improve the quality of professional decision making.  Best available evidence may mean research evidence or that created through evaluation, local data or the views of service users.  For librarians in practice, EBP can provide a bridge between research and practice. As a CILIP special interest group whose mission is to raise the profile of library and information science research and encourage it into practice – LIRG was delighted to see the value of Evidence Based Practice highlighted in the We are CILIP strategy in this way.

The Library and Information Research Group and the Health Libraries Group of CILIP are delighted to bring you a series of four CPD events during 2022, which will take you through the stages of undertaking and completing research in a library, information and knowledge services setting.

These events have been developed collaboratively between LIRG and HLG, and while there is a health libraries focus to them, they are open to all who are interested in developing their research skills and undertaking LIS workplace research.

The sessions are outlined below, along with dates for your diaries. You can register for individual sessions, or all four to get a complete picture of the workplace research environment. As well as the skills development and workshop elements of the sessions, participants will also hear from health sector library, information and knowledge practitioners who have themselves already gained practical skills in these areas will talk about their experiences.

Each session is priced £30 per participant, or £20 for CILIP members. There are also a number of complimentary places available on each session for students and unwaged.

Each session will run virtually on Zoom.

Session dates and details - “Library and Information Workplace Research” events series:

Friday 25th March 2022 – Getting started with research and evaluation

Register here: https://www.cilip.org.uk/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1587380&group

This session aims to help LIS practitioners get started in research or evaluation projects by providing an overview of:

• The difference between research and evaluation and when to use them
• The challenges and practical considerations involved in undertaking research or evaluation projects
• When to use quantitative and qualitative approaches
• Stages involved in projects
• Links to the Knowledge for Healthcare Quality and Improvement Outcomes Framework

Friday 6th May 2022 – Research Methods

Register here: https://www.cilip.org.uk/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1587385&group

This session aims to provide an introduction to research methods and methodologies including

• Using quantitative approaches, qualitative approaches and mixed methods
• What makes a “good” quantitative or qualitative study
• Which methods are useful and when.

Friday July 1st 2022 - Writing a research proposal

Register here: https://www.cilip.org.uk/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1587397&group

This session is designed to guide participants through the stages in writing an effective research proposal. It covers the when, why and how to aspects of research proposals

Friday October 7th, 2022 - Writing for publication

Register here: https://www.cilip.org.uk/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1587404&group

This session is designed to increase participants confidence in writing for publication.  It includes:

• Getting started and keeping going
• Structure of a paper and what makes a high quality paper
• Where to publish and the peer review process

Programme presenters

Each session will be run by Professor Alison Brettle and Dr Leo Appleton of the Library and Information Research Group, both of whom have extensive experience of workplace research.

Alison is Professor in Health Information and Evidence Based Practice in the School of Health and Society at the University of Salford, where her research interests include evidence based practice, the effectiveness and impact of library services and systematic reviews and systematic review methodology. She co-edited the book Being Evidence Based in Library and Information Practice (EBLIP), which brings together and moves forward current thinking and practice in the EBLIP field, and co-authored a report for CILIP which brings together the latest evidence to demonstrate the value of trained library and information professionals. She is working with Knowledge for Health to develop resources to routinely collect impact data on health library services and CILIP to develop access to evidence based resources for the library profession.

Leo is a university teacher at the University of Sheffield’s Information School, where he teaches library and information service management. Prior to this role Leo worked as a library practitioner in the health and academic library sectors, where he has successfully pursued many work place research projects. He has presented and published widely about the outputs and outcomes of the various projects and innovations that he has been involved with.

In each of the Library and knowledge services workplace research sessions, Leo and Alison will be joined by health library and information practitioners who will share their experiences of workplace research. The first of these speakers will be Dr Lukasz Lagojda, who is a Clinical Evidence-Based Information Specialist at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

Further speakers to be confirmed

Price (including VAT)

** Students and Unwaged members can contact ebony.burke@kcl.ac.uk on the details above for their discount code.

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It is a pleasure and a privilege to have been recently appointed as the new Chair of the Library and Information Research Group (LIRG) and I look forward to working with all of our committee colleagues (both new and those who are more time-served) in continuing the great work of LIRG and engaging with all our members. I've been on the committee for a few years now myself, most recently as our Events Officer, and I'm very pleased that we have been able to appoint Ebony Burke into that particular role. Ebony is joined by three other new members, Jess Scorrer, our new Digital Officer, Cath Dishman, our new Content Officer and Emma Ramstead, as our new Honorary Secretary. Welcome to you all.

Many thanks must go to our two outgoing honorary officers, Professor Alison Brettle who has held the role of Chair of LIRG over recent years and also to Dr Diane Pennington, who has been our Honorary Secretary for several years as well. Both Alison and Diane have been wonderful colleagues to work with on the committee and together they have energised both the committee and the group and ensured that we are a visible and active special interest group, through all the activity that they have co-ordinated and led on. Emma and I have 'big shoes to fill' in this regard, and I hope we will carry on where they have left off. The great news though, is that we still maintain the wit, wisdom and experience of Alison and Diane because, whilst they may have vacated their honorary officer posts, they are staying on the committee, Alison as an ordinary member and Diane in her role as Editor-in-Chief of Library & Information Research. I'm very pleased that this is the case and I look forward to continue working with them. Thank you again for all you have done.

Leo Appleton (Chair of LIRG)

What role will you be playing in the committee?

I'm the new Events Officer for LIRG. Helping the committee to develop and create interesting events that will interest the CILIP community.

What is your day job?

I am currently a Senior Library Assistant at King's College London. I work as part of the Learning, Design and Delivery team which creates and delivers 121 support and workshops to the KCL community. My area of work focuses on systematic reviews, critical appraisals of research, supporting our NHS partners to access resources and teaching skills to enable life long and independent learning.

What do you hope to bring to the committee?

This is my first time being actively involved with CILIP and the LIRG committee and I hope to create activities that will engage a diverse community. I have experience organising a variety of physical and online events. Watch this space!

When you aren’t working what do you enjoy doing?

I am a big hot yoga fan and like to relax in this way. I am also a couch potato and love to chill and watch Netflix. Very yin and yang personality.