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This is an amalgamation of the replies I received from my roving librarian query and also some of the outreach librarian queries that have been posted since. What? Although I called it “roving” (mainly due to this word being used in academic libraries) in essence this is an outreach service. Roving in an academic library is usually done by library assistants or student volunteers within the library walls. Huddersfield University (as I understand) have been one of the first universities to use roving as a service outside of the physical library space. http://www.hud.ac.uk/tali/projects/tl_projects_12/roving%20librarian/ They specifically target popular student areas such as departments and cafes. This is where roving turns into outreach and where I think hospital libraries could benefit. Roving/outreach also brings up the need for a viable mobile device. Whereas clinical librarians attending meetings may not usually have a laptop or tablet with them, roving/outreach librarians most definitely should. The main aim of roving is to “leave your comfort zone of the library and go on to wards and to departments to take the library service to the staff”. How? It’s a good idea to have a pilot study first to gauge the interest of your potential users and to do this with library-friendly departments. It’s clear that library staff have to be respectful of their users’ busy schedules. The feedback I have received from customers is they would rather come to me unless I have made previous arrangements to visit them on the work area. Personal judgement about entering a ward/department. Having a presence/offering to talk at/having a stand/display at multi-disciplinary team meetings, audit meetings, admin and clerical group meetings, R&D meetings, Trust inductions, conferences, workshops, canteen areas, main corridors and attending any other staff events. Having freebies to give away attracts attention (mousemats, post-its, canvas bags, stress balls, pens, sweets etc). Mobile devices Having a laptop or tablet is essential for a roving/outreach service. Showing staff your website/renewing or reserving books/conducting a literature search or information skills training is impossible without it. The whole point of roving/outreach is to bring the library service to the user. It’s also not a good idea to rely on the member/s of staff having access to computers in their departments. IT departments may prefer a Windows based device (iPads are not compatible with this). A Windows powered tablet, like an ACER Iconia or an HP Slate would be more suitable however, the problem with that is the distinct lack of apps. In effect, Windows tablets are little more than laptops with a touch screen instead of a keyboard. (Although this is better than nothing!) There may be issues with remote Wi-Fi access around the hospital/site and this will need to be taken into consideration unless you have a device which uses 3G. We are about to obtain several mobile devices for the library which I will be using in the future. My understanding is that it has taken considerable time to get these authorised for use remotely on clinical areas. The last thing we want is our IT department coming along and placing so many restrictions on the technology we purchase so as to render it less than useless! We want to start using the full range of social networking and web 2.0 services as a way of connecting and engaging with our customers with 21st century technology, just like they are used to working with at home or in their leisure time with Smartphones and Tablets. Why? Better access to library services for users. Immediate access to evidence-based resources. Higher profile for the library. Feedback/Results I have received very positive feedback from some clinical areas, when you catch them in a quiet spell. Staff have fed back that they appreciate the contact with library services and it does raise the profile (no publicity is bad publicity!). I’ve just done a talk to 80 physios at a quarterly meeting and that then led to another talk to 28 podiatrists who have the same line manager. I have done some follow up training on NHS Evidence to a smaller team and several individuals as a result, and had a couple of lit searches afterwards. I usually get in contact with people after meetings to raise a point or offer help too. Staff seem quite receptive. One morning a week on a fixed day, I feel does not work. Feedback from staff working varying shift patterns is that they find it inflexible and I often see the same staff week in week out. It did take a long time to arrange as they (departments) organize the meetings 3 months in advance. So far I have had little support from department managers in accessing their staff and no departments have taken up the offer of a librarian joining them at a staff meeting to run through services available. I have not had access to a mobile device for demonstrating or retrieving electronic information, this has created a barrier. I would say it is essential to have this equipment. Kind regards, Lesley Firth Assistant Librarian United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Library and Knowledge Services, Professional Library, Lincoln County Hospital, Greetwell Road, Lincoln, LN2 5QY T: 01522 573952 Keep up to date with Library and Knowledge Services’ news with our blog www.lksnews.blogspot.co.uk. Health Libraries in Lincolnshire www.hello.nhs.uk