Information Practices of Clinical Researchers – New Services in New Time Tiina Heino & Katri Larmo Terkko Meilahti Campus Library EIRA-dagar i Stockholm

Contents  Terkko:  Medical campus library of the Helsinki University Library, also scientific library for Helsinki University Central Hospital  Background  Our research  Case: Terkko

Background 1/2  Bologna process 3rd cycle – doctoral degree: setting goals for postgraduate students’ education  In recent years much work done in support for teaching and learning  University Law in Finland 2010  strong in the research, its infrastructure and the evaluation of research results

Background 2/2  Focus in creating new knowledge (based in research)  Libraries facilitators  Supporting and involved  Open Access etc.  Even in post publishing process (case: Terkko)

Our Research  Investigating information practices of clinical researchers (research & clinical work)  Information practice is studied in context  Practical objective: to develop tools and services which could be integrated in researhers’ workflow

Theoretical framework  A qualitative study  Aims to understand information practice in a domain  Information practice = a practice of seeking, managing, giving and using information in context  Inductive approach => discover patterns

How it was done 1/2  Semistructured interviews (totally 12)  5 interviewers working in pairs: one main interviewer and one mainly taking the notes (Soundnotes)  Partly textualized  Researchers in different stages  Junior/senior  Process (at start, established etc.)

How it was done 2/2  Regular group meetings  Reflective discussions with pair after each interview  group leader Annikki Roos (our library director)  Analysed the interviews, now writing the research article  the whole group: commenting and giving ideas

Some points from individual interviews 1/2  Multidisciplinary, translational, international – are there ”gaps” in library’s services?  Different needs – different stages of career – different kinds of groups – different roles in a group – Post graduate students, Graduate School of Clinical Investigation, principal investigators, senior researchers

Some points from individual interviews 2/2  As easy as possible!  Remote use highly important  Finding the right partners  Research data  Interest also in services like Scholar Chart  group leader  Utilizing wikis, group working spaces, cloud services, Connect Pro etc – need for support also with these?

Why was it useful to us?  Getting into researcher’s mindset also ourselves  Increase understanding about the research process!  Beginners  Senior researchers  Co operation with other universities

Conclusions 1/2  Marketing library services  Important to know how the researchers work, what could be useful for them  Communication  Easy! Active!  face to face,participation in clinical meetings: presentations of library services, social marketing  Communication channels (hospital intra etc.)

Conclusions 2/2  Training  Open, easy to participate  Flexibility and agile response  Moments of truth – in every meeting!

More  Research data  Open data  Why important for libraries  In publications etc  Bibliometrics  Cites, impact factors, other indicators etc.  Make the research visible!

Case: Terkko  Terkko Navigator  Scholar Chart  TopCited  Terkko Information Specialist  Visibility also: Mendeley, CiteULike and Twitter (#HelsinkiAcadMedCent)  => Altmetrics

Journals, Books, Databases … About Terkko Quick Access Sign in Search

Subject Field Subject Fields

My journals

Terkko information specialist  Co operation with the faculty and the hospital very important  To develop the library services together with customers  Training, guidance and consulting  To inform new materials and services  The contact person in all issues library is concerned

Sources  Re-skilling for Research: An investigation into the role and skills of subject and liaison librarians required to effectively support the evolving information needs of researchers by RLUK Research Libraries UK2012. Available: [3/18/2013].  Roos, A. 2012, "Activity theory as a theoretical framework in the study of information practices in molecular medicine", Information Research, vol. 17, no. 3, pp

Thank you   Terkko: