EBLIP, Library 2.0 and Australian health librarians: revealing the evidence Lisa Cotter [email_address] +61 2 4320 3859 Suzanne Lewis [email_address] +61 2 4320 3856 Gillian Wood [email_address] +61 2 9391 9078

Evaluation Bypass Are we as a profession taking an evaluation bypass in implementing web 2.0 tools in our libraries? EBLIP and 2.0

Are we as a profession taking an evaluation bypass in implementing web 2.0 tools in our libraries?

Evidence Based Library and Information Practice EBLIP and 2.0 APPRAISE the evidence ACQUIRE the evidence APPLY the evidence ASSESS impact and performance (& report findings) ASK a question

Library 2.0 “… seeks to break down barriers: barriers librarians have placed on services, barriers of place and time and barriers inherent in what we do ” (Stephens 2006) “… is where the user is, when the user is there” (Abram 2006) “ Any service, physical or virtual, that successfully reaches users, is evaluated frequently, and makes use of customer input is a Library 2.0 service” (Casey & Savastinuk 2006) EBLIP and 2.0

“… seeks to break down barriers: barriers librarians have placed on services, barriers of place and time and barriers inherent in what we do ”

(Stephens 2006)

“… is where the user is, when the user is there”

(Abram 2006)

“ Any service, physical or virtual, that successfully reaches users, is evaluated frequently, and makes use of customer input is a Library 2.0 service”

(Casey & Savastinuk 2006)

EBLIP and 2.0 friend or foe? EBLIP and 2.0 Reflects back on the evidence base . EBLIP Looks beyond standard practice seeking innovation. 2.0 Asks Qs first - a focused Q is the foundation of EBLIP Acts first, and asks (or apologises) later. Subject to technolust Constrained by research literature removed from the “real world” (?) Perpetual beta Too much analysis, too little action (?) (Cotter 2007) Suffers “evaluation bypass” (?) (Booth 2007) Ongoing evaluation

EBLIP vs 2.0 best available evidence EBLIP and 2.0

Building on the MLA Survey MLA Social Networking Software Taskforce survey instrument easily available already tested meta-analysis best available evidence Australian Survey

MLA Social Networking Software Taskforce survey instrument

easily available

already tested

meta-analysis

best available evidence

Survey Instrument Wording changed to remove references to MLA Examples of technologies added eg Media Sharing (Slideshare, Flickr) Social tagging tools (del.icio.us) added as a new category Australian Survey

Wording changed to remove references to MLA

Examples of technologies added eg Media Sharing (Slideshare, Flickr)

Social tagging tools (del.icio.us) added as a new category

Gathering Evidence ALIA HLA executive support SurveyMonkey Launched survey at NSW Health Libraries Forum , 8-9 November 2007 Open 29 Oct - 25 Nov 2007 Publicised via Australian listservs Australian Survey

ALIA HLA executive support

SurveyMonkey

Launched survey at NSW Health Libraries Forum , 8-9 November 2007

Open 29 Oct - 25 Nov 2007

Publicised via Australian listservs

Results 203 responses from 147 libraries (MLA 495 responses) Results analysed using Microsoft Excel and Access Reporting format follows MLA survey results format Results posted to the Libraries Using Evidence blog http://blog.eblip.net.au/ Australian Survey

203 responses from 147 libraries (MLA 495 responses)

Results analysed using Microsoft Excel and Access

Reporting format follows MLA survey results format

Results posted to the Libraries Using Evidence blog http://blog.eblip.net.au/

Library Sector Demographics

Library Staff FTEs Demographics

Distribution Across States Demographics

Length of Service Demographics

Importance and Use of Tools Importance & Use

Tools/Services Blocked Blocked Tools

Tools/Services Blocked in public hospitals Blocked Tools

Trendy or Time Wasting? Trendy or Timewasting ?

Trendy or Time Wasting? "I 'get' Web 2.0 technologies when I see a use for them. So I 'get' del.icio.us and bloglines but I don't 'get' Facebook or MySpace. … I actually use Web 2.0 much more at work for professional development than I do at home for recreation." "Sometimes I wonder if we're just looking for ways to use these tools instead of having a need and then looking for the right tool." "Over-rated and not time saving… I think we are kidding ourselves if we think that the medium makes the content 'trendy'." Trendy or Timewasting ?

"I 'get' Web 2.0 technologies when I see a use for them. So I 'get' del.icio.us and bloglines but I don't 'get' Facebook or MySpace. … I actually use Web 2.0 much more at work for professional development than I do at home for recreation."

"Sometimes I wonder if we're just looking for ways to use these tools instead of having a need and then looking for the right tool."

"Over-rated and not time saving… I think we are kidding ourselves if we think that the medium makes the content 'trendy'."

Conclusion First evidence of Australian health librarians’ attitudes to/ use of web 2.0 tools Evidence may assist in influencing policy Further investigation and reporting needed Evaluate alongside innovation Conclusion

First evidence of Australian health librarians’ attitudes to/ use of web 2.0 tools

Evidence may assist in influencing policy

Further investigation and reporting needed

Evaluate alongside innovation

Your Challenge! Implement your Library 2.0 service (whether or not technology based) Evaluate it Report it ! Conclusion

Implement your Library 2.0 service (whether or not technology based)

Evaluate it

Report it !

Evidence Based Innovators Librarians who move their organizations forward will be evidence based innovators, combining innovative ideas with evidence based principles. They will draw upon the research knowledge of the profession, integrate that knowledge into their own local circumstances and needs, and find innovative solutions to problems where no good solution exists. Conclusion (Koufogiannakis 2007) EBLIP 2.0

Librarians who move their organizations forward will be evidence based innovators, combining innovative ideas with evidence based principles. They will draw upon the research knowledge of the profession, integrate that knowledge into their own local circumstances and needs, and find innovative solutions to problems where no good solution exists.

References Abram, S. (2006). Web 2.0, library 2.0 and librarian 2.0: preparing for the 2.0 world. SirsiOneSource, 2 (1). http://www.imakenews.com/sirsi/e_article000505688.cfm Booth, A. (2007). Using evidence in practice. Blogs, wikis and podcasts: The 'evaluation bypass' in action? Health Information and Libraries Journal, 24 (4), 298-302. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2007.00739.x Casey, M. & Savastinuk, L. (2006). Library 2.0. Library Journal, 131 (14), 40-42. http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html Cotter, L. (2007). EBLIP and library 2.0: Friend or foe? inCite 28 (11), 39. http://blog.eblip.net.au/2007/12/eblip-and-library-20-friends-or-foe.html Koufogiannakis, D. (2007). On evidence based practice and innovation. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice , 2(4) ,108-111. http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/787/665 Stephens, M. (2006). Library 2.0 discussions up at SirsiDynix. Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology, 28 February . http://tametheweb.com/2006/02/library_20_discussion_up_at_si.html Conclusion

Abram, S. (2006). Web 2.0, library 2.0 and librarian 2.0: preparing for the 2.0 world. SirsiOneSource, 2 (1). http://www.imakenews.com/sirsi/e_article000505688.cfm

Booth, A. (2007). Using evidence in practice. Blogs, wikis and podcasts: The 'evaluation bypass' in action? Health Information and Libraries Journal, 24 (4), 298-302. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2007.00739.x

Casey, M. & Savastinuk, L. (2006). Library 2.0. Library Journal, 131 (14), 40-42. http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html

Cotter, L. (2007). EBLIP and library 2.0: Friend or foe? inCite 28 (11), 39. http://blog.eblip.net.au/2007/12/eblip-and-library-20-friends-or-foe.html

Koufogiannakis, D. (2007). On evidence based practice and innovation. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice , 2(4) ,108-111. http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/787/665

Stephens, M. (2006). Library 2.0 discussions up at SirsiDynix. Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology, 28 February . http://tametheweb.com/2006/02/library_20_discussion_up_at_si.html

EBLIP, Library 2.0 and Australian health librarians: revealing the evidence Lisa Cotter [email_address] +61 2 4320 3859 Suzanne Lewis [email_address] +61 2 4320 3856 Gillian Wood [email_address] +61 2 9391 9078 1-2 February 2008. Brisbane, QLD, Australia