This document provides an introduction and overview of resources available at the Fade Library in Liverpool, UK. It describes key databases for evidence-based research, strategies for designing effective searches using Boolean operators and structured vocabularies, tools for assessing the quality and hierarchy of evidence, and ways librarians can support users through e-learning and further assistance.

1. There’s Evidence in them thar’ sites: Finding and handling best and most recent evidence Kieran Lamb Head of Library Services Fade Library, Liverpool PCT

2. Introduction to the Fade Library Designing a Search Strategy Understanding AND, OR, NOT operators Natural Language and Controlled Vocabularies Key databases described Hierarchy of Evidence Tools to Quality Assess Unfiltered Information Outline

3. Introducing the Fade Library Based at Regatta Place Operates as: Liverpool PCT Library North West Grey Literature Collection Back up service for PCTs in C&M Current size of collection 26190 items Athens password access to 1500+ full text E-Journals 500+ E-Books Key databases

4. Designing a search strategy PICO – primarily used when dealing with clinical issues ECLIPS – used for service design evaluation First we need to break our question into its key concepts Tools like PICO/ECLIPS can help your thinking Also helps structure search (And to combine columns, Or within columns) O Outcome C Comparison I Intervention P Patient/Population S Service P Professionals I Impact L Location C Client Group E Expectation

5. Worked Example of PICO Note there is no need to complete all columns Resultant natural language search (neonat* OR newborn*) AND (“infection control” OR “Catheter Care”) AND (“reduced mortality” OR mortality) Reduced mortality Mortality Infection Control Catheter Care Neonate Newborn O Outcome C Comparison I Intervention P Patient/Population

6. Natural Language and Controlled Vocabularies Bibliographic Databases (Structured) Controlled Vocabularies are hierarchies of preferred terms They maximise retrieval They are native to structured databases Look for Thesaurus tools can use natural language too Search Engines Natural language searches for what you type Need to think of all synonyms to maximise retrieval Can be very precise

7. Combining Search Terms Explained - OR

8. Combining Search Terms Explained - AND

9. Combining Search Terms Explained - NOT

10. Databases to Search Cochrane Library - CDR, HTA, DARE, NHSeed, Methodology Register, Controlled Trials Register (Evidence based materials) AMED (Complementary medicine and allied health) BNI (Nursing) CINAHL (Nursing and allied health) Embase (Clinical medicine and pharmacology) HMIC (Policy and management) Medline (Clinical medicine, Allied Health, Nursing, Vet Science) PsycINFO (Psychology and mental health) NHS Evidence (Guidelines, best practice) (has a commissioning filter) Google Scholar (Academic articles, grey literature) Trip Database (Evidence based materials) Best Bets (Evidence based materials)

11. Hierarchy of Evidence

12. CASP Checklists Structured reading guides that ask key questions of the evidence Systematic Reviews Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) Qualitative Research Economic Evaluation Studies Cohort Studies Case Control Studies Diagnostic Test Studies Tools to Assess the Quality of Unfiltered Information

13. JAMA Users’ Guides to the Medical Literature series (part of NHS core content so can be freely downloaded with Athens password) How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence Based Medicine E-Book as part of core content Tools to Assess the Quality of Unfiltered Information

14. E-Learning Fade Library Moodle www.fadelibrarymoodle.org.uk Fade Library 0151 285 4493 ? Further Support