Training and Induction
Virtual Induction
Welcome to your virtual induction of Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Integrated Library Service.
Take a virtual tour of the services and facilities we can offer you by navigating each section below.
Location
We have two site libraries: the McArdle Library at Arrowe Park Hospital and the John A. Aitken Library at Clatterbridge Hospital.
For more details on how to find us, and our full contact details, please link here.
For more information about the library team, please link here.
Access
Membership
The Integrated Library Service is available to all NHS staff working within Wirral and all students on placement within Wirral. Please link here for more information about library membership.
Staffed hours
The McArdle Library, Arrowe Park Hospital, is staffed weekdays 9:00am-5:00pm. The library is accessible 24 hours a day for all library members with an out-of-hours access card. Staff will advise you on your eligibility for an out-of-hours access card when you submit your completed library membership form at the library counter. Cards must be collected in person from the McArdle Library so that access procedures can be explained.
During unstaffed hours, all library facilities can be accessed, including the computers, printing and photocopying facilities, and reference access to books and journals. We regret that books cannot be issued when the library is unstaffed. Books can be returned in the book box located outside the McArdle Library entrance. Access to the library through the back of the Education Centre (from the main hospital building) is only available during staffed hours; at other times please use the main Education Centre entrance.
The John A. Aitken Library, Clatterbridge Hospital, is staffed weekdays 9:00am-5:00pm. 24 hour access is available; please ask library staff.
Virtual access
Details of all our services, facilities and resources are available via the Integrated Library Service website. Our Ask Us Tell Us section allows you to suggest an item for stock, feedback any comments about our service, use our online enquiry service ‘Ask a Librarian’, and view examples of how your comments have enabled us to improve our service in ‘You Said We Did’.
Resources
Book collection
For details about searching the catalogues, renewing and reserving items, please link here for more information.
Journal collection
Our journal collection is made up of print and electronic journals. Print journals are held across our two site libraries and electronic journals are accessible with an NHS Athens username and password. For further information please link here.
Please note: if you are registered on an academic course you will also have access to some e-journals via your academic institution.
Library Helpsheets
The Integrated Library service produces a series of Library Helpsheets to help you navigate the electronic resources available to you.
Electronic Resources
NHS staff working within Wirral and students on placement within Wirral are eligible to register for an NHS Athens account. When you register for a NHS Athens account, you will create a username and password. You will need your username and password to log-in to NHS Evidence (www.evidence.nhs.uk) to access all your free NHS Athens electronic resources including e-journals, health related databases, e-books and images.
Library Helpsheet No. 1: Creating and using an NHS Athens account will give you further details and help with getting started with your NHS Athens account.
Please note: If you have an Athens account with a University, your university Athens username and password will only allow you to access online resources purchased by your university; you will need to register for an NHS Athens account in addition.
Services
Borrowing, renewing and reserving items
For details of book allowances, loan periods and fines for overdue items please link here.
Inter Library Loan Service
If you require a book or journal article that is not available in our collection or online then we can obtain it for you from other sources. Please link here for details.
Clinical Librarian Service
The Clinical Librarian Service is a service designed to support the learning and development needs of NHS staff working or on placement within Wirral University Teaching Hospital or Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology.
For more details please link here.
Outreach Services
Our outreach services are designed to support the work, learning and development needs of NHS staff working for or on placement with NHS Wirral (Formerly Wirral PCT).
For more details please link here.
Photocopying, printing and faxing
Self-service photocopying is available at both sites. A faxing and printing service is available; please link here for more information and for details about charges for these services.
Items for Sale
The ILS offers a number of items for sale; please link here for more details.
Literature Searching Service
If you do not have the time or expertise to do your own literature search, Integrated Library Service (ILS) staff can do searches for you on a topic relevant to your audit, clinical or research work. Staff will carefully search the most relevant databases they have access to, to search for literature on your behalf.
Literature Searches are free and available to all staff who are currently employed by:
- Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH)
- NHS Wirral
- Clatterbridge Cancer Centre (CCC)*
*subject to terms of Service Level Agreement (SLA), for more details contact us directly.
For more details about out literature searching service please link here.
Facilities
IT facilities
Computer access is available free of charge at both site libraries. All computers have Internet access and Microsoft Office packages. Scanners are available at the McArdle Library and access to the Trust’s Patient Care Information System (PCIS) is also available at both sites. For more information about our IT facilities please link here.
Specialist software
A range of specialist software is available to support your clinical practice and research, including SPSS, Reference Manager, Boardmaker, NVIVO and UpToDate. Please link here for more details.
Study space
Private and group study space is available at both site libraries.
Enquiries
Enquiries can be made to the library desk during staffed hours; please link here for our contact details.
Alternatively, our Ask a Librarian enquiry service is available 24 hours a day via the ILS website.
Training
The Integrated Library Service (ILS) offers a series of training and induction sessions as part of its Information Literacy and Skills Programme.
Facilitated by members of the ILS team, these training sessions will enable you to develop a range of lifelong information handling skills. Our sessions will teach you to find, retrieve and appraise information gathered from an ever-expanding range of health related resources (both print and electronic formats). Used effectively this information can help to change clinical practice, support continuing education and/or research in today’s knowledge rich society.
Please click on Training and Induction in the menu on the left to find out more about current training sessions.
CONGRATULATIONS!
You have successfully completed your virtual library induction.
To obtain a certificate as evidence that you have successfully completed the virtual induction, please answer the questions below. This links to KSF Core IK3, Level 1: Knowledge and Information Resources – access, appraise and apply knowledge and information. Fill your answers and your details on the form below.
Link here to access the form.