1|Page

2013 Library Survey of the College of Medicine, Nursing

and Health Sciences Staff and Students
at
NUI Galway
Results and Analysis

2|Page

Contents

Introduction

Page 3

Acknowledgements

Page 5

Key Findings

Page 6

Main Report

Page 8

Appendix One: Survey Questionnaire

Page 28

Appendix Two: Responses for Question 8

What other sources of online information do you use?

Page 33

Appendix Three: Comments for Question 15

Please list any shortcomings in the Library's provision
of online services and resources.

Page 35

Appendix Four: Comments for Question 16

What improvements to the Library's online services
would be of most value to you?

Page 41

Appendix Five: Comments for Question 17

Any other comments?

Page 47

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Introduction
The survey of staff and students in the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences ran
from Monday 15th April until Friday, 10th May 2013. It is part of a Health Sciences Online
Information Services Project which aims to strengthen the online information services
provided for the College. It takes into account the engagement by staff and students in the
College with online resources and the need to deliver online services to off-campus users at
Regional Medical Academies and in Allianze University College of Medical Sciences
(AUCMS), Kapala Batas, Malaysia. A reappraisal of the Library's website, electronic
information services, training delivery, updating services and Blackboard presence will be
undertaken.

The survey gathered more information on the online information needs of this group of
Library users in respect of:
the Medical Library web pages and the most convenient point of access to services
and resources
links to electronic information resources via the Blackboard virtual learning
environment
access to e-books, book chapters, articles and other course readings
updating services for medical information users e.g. electronic newsletter, other
online media
online training materials
The survey (see Appendix One) was circulated by the College Dean, Professor Loftus.
Altogether 298 staff and 1160 students were emailed. The response rate was 16% with 235
completed responses received during the four week period of the survey. Questions were
designed to elicit information, opinions and levels of satisfaction with online access and
resources. Questions relating to use of online resources, access routes, online training and
communication with Library staff were included. Some open questions invited respondents to
comment on shortcomings of the Librarys online services and improvements that would be
of most value to them.

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The questionnaire benefited greatly from the input of the following colleagues: John Cox
(University Librarian), Ann Mitchell (Head of Staff Development and Service Environment),
Jane Mulligan (Subject Librarian, Health Sciences), Dr. Adeline Cooney (Head of the School
of Nursing and Midwifery) and Dr. Mary Byrne (Lecturer in Primary Care, School of
Medicine).

This report presents an analysis of the survey data. A summary of key findings precedes the
main report which provides an analysis of each question. The questionnaire and comments
arranged by themes are provided in the appendices.

Trish Finnan,
Health Sciences: Online Information Services Project,
June 2013.

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Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following colleagues for their advice, insight and assistance during
the survey process.

Dr. Josephine Boland, Senior Lecturer in Education, School of Medicine

Dr. Mary Byrne, Lecturer in Primary Care, School of Medicine
John Cox, University Librarian
Dr. Adeline Cooney, Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery
Dr. Yvonne Finn, Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Group, School of Medicine
Dr. Rosemary Geoghegan, Chair Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Group,
School of Medicine
Lorraine Kent, School of Health Sciences and Occupational Therapy
Professor B.G. Loftus, Dean of College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Sylvia McDonagh, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Emer McHugh, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Ann Mitchell, Head of Staff Development and Service Environment, James Hardiman
Library
Jane Mulligan, Subject Librarian, Health Sciences

I also wish to thank the staff and students who responded to the survey.

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Key Findings

Daily and weekly use of the Librarys online services is high. The majority of
respondents (83.4%) access services from home as well as from other locations e.g.
Library, Clinical Sciences Institute.

Laptops are the most used devices.

Google, databases (e.g. Medline, Embase), e-journals and Google Scholar (in this
order) are used often by significant numbers of respondents. See question 7.

Wikipedia, Uptodate, Google and PubMed (in this order) are the most used other
sources of information. See question 8.

The most preferred access routes to information resources are Google Scholar, the
Library Website and Blackboard in order of preference.

There is low usage and knowledge of the subject pages for Health Sciences on the
Library website.

75% of respondents said they would use a portal for Health Sciences, via the Library
website.

Use of self-directed online tutorials for using Library resources is low. The following
tutorials would be welcome:
Using EndNote to manage references and bibliographies
Locating fulltext articles
Searching databases
Conducting a systematic literature review

Email and Blackboard are the preferred options for receiving communications from
the Library.

The library website was cited most often in relation to shortcomings.

Shortcomings in the Librarys provision of online services and resources include:

the lack of e-books
difficulty accessing journals and full-text
difficulty navigating the library website
lack of online tutorials

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Easier access to resources is a priority especially to the fulltext of journal articles.

In their own words:
having a section with all the medical links easily laid out
make it easier to reach the medical journals,
have a clearer homepage to make it easier to find and see everything
the online library has to offer

Suggested improvements include:

easier access to journals
better layout of the library website
online tutorials (e.g. EndNote, How to access fulltext off campus, How to
use the services)
more e-books
better publicity for the services available.

Other interesting suggestions:

Lists of medical apps for both iPhone AND Android Maybe an area
with weekly Medical articles of interest
More android-based applications for getting information on the go
quicklinks to the most frequently used databases like Uptodate and
scopus for me
reviews and links to online study websites and MCQ would help

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Main Report
Questions 1 to 3 were designed to build a profile of respondents.

Question 1: Respondents were asked to indicate their status.

The majority of respondents 75.3% were undergraduates.

Other categories of respondents included a Consultant Physician,

Hospital Consultant/ Clinical Lecturer, an Honorary Post Holder, an
Honorary Senior Lecturer and a Joint Post Holder with the HSE.

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Question 2: Respondents were asked to indicate their place of work or

study.

Response

Count Percent

Clinical Sciences Institute

41

17.4%

Castlebar Regional Medical Academy

1.7%

Letterkenny Regional Medical Academy 8

3.4%

Portiuncula Regional Medical Academy 4

1.7%

Sligo Regional Medical Academy

3.0%

School of Medicine

84

35.7%

School of Nursing and Midwifery

19

8.1%

School of Health Sciences

40

17.0%

University Hospital Galway

17

7.2%

Merlin Park University Hospital

1.3%

Other (please specify)

3.4%

The highest number of respondents (35.7%) indicated the School of

Medicine as their place of work or study.

The Main NUIG Campus, NUI Galway e-block, NMPDU, Health

Promotion Research Centre, Aras Mhuire Community Nursing Unit,
Erasmus Medicine Bochum, Germany and Erasmus Montpellier,
France were also cited.

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Question 3: Students who responded were asked to indicate their year

of study.

Student who responded were predominantly 4th and 2nd years followed
by 1st and 3rd years.

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Questions 4 to 6 address frequency of use, location of online Library users and devices used
by them.

Question 4: How frequently do you access the Library online?

47.25% of respondents access the Library online on a weekly basis.

23.4% access the Library on a daily basis.

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Question 5: Respondents were asked to indicate from where they

accessed the Librarys online services. They were invited to select all
that applied from a range of options.

83.4% of respondents access the Librarys online resources from

home. 46.4% from the James Hardiman Library 31.1% from the
Medical Library.
A range of other places were also specified including any room in
college Im studying in, cell phone, PC Suites and Reading Rooms on
campus, Hospital office, HSE, Aras Moyola and on the move.

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Question 6: respondents were asked which devices they used to access

online services. They were invited to select all that applied from a
range of options.

Laptops are used by 70.6% of respondents followed by PCs at 55.7%.

iPhones are used by 21.7%
Respondents who selected other use an iPod and a netbook. One
respondent does not have online access.

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Question 7: Respondents were asked to indicate how often they used

online resources.

Search engine e.g. Google; Databases e.g. Medline, Embase; e-journals

and Google Scholar were used most often by a high number of
respondents.

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Question 8: Respondents were asked what other sources of information

they used.

68% of survey respondents cited other sources of information used.

Listed below are the top ten other sources of information used by
respondents.

Other sources of information used

Times cited

Wikipedia

31

Uptodate

21

Google

17

Pubmed

14

Books

12

Websites of Associations and

Organisations e.g. INO, INMO, EWMA

Medscape

11

YouTube

11

Scopus

Blackboard

See Appendix Two for the complete list of other sources used cited by
68% of survey respondents.

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Question 9: Respondents were asked about their preferred access to the

information resources they use. They were invited to select all that applied
from a range of options.

The most preferred access routes to information resources used by

respondents are in order of preference Search engines e.g. Google
Scholar, the Library website and Blackboard.

Respondents who selected other cited the class Facebook page to

access links; websites of Professional Societies; and journals as access
routes to the information resources they use.

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Question 10: Respondents were asked how frequently they use the subject
pages for disciplines within the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health
Sciences on the Library website.

52.3% of respondents were unaware of subject pages on the Library

website.

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Question 11: Respondents were asked if they would use a portal for the
Health Sciences, via the Library website, to access all the information
resources they use. Additional comments were also sought.

73.2% said they would use a use a portal for the Health Sciences, via
the Library website.

Fourteen respondents provided additional comments which included:

A one stop shop would be useful
I would use it definitely to access some information resources.
I might if I had access and it worked
Library website needs to be more user friendly
It would need to be more accessible than Wikipedia
Its quicker to go directly to a database

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Question 12: Respondents were asked about their use of self-directed online
tutorials for using Library resources. Additional comments were also sought.

77.9% of respondents do not use online tutorials for using Library

resources.

Additional comments included:

I think YouTube like videos would be helpful.
I don't need to create more work for myself in order to do the work I
already have

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Question 13: Respondents were asked to select online tutorials that they would
welcome to support their research, teaching or learning. They were invited to
select all that applied from list.

The following table lists their selections in order of popularity.

Response

Count

Percent

Using EndNote to manage references and bibliographies

137

58.3%

Locating fulltext articles

106

45.1%

Searching databases

103

43.8%

Conducting a systematic literature review

101

43.0%

Using e-books

91

38.7%

Access to other libraries

89

37.9%

Using the Library Catalogue

82

34.9%

Precision searching using database filters

81

34.5%

Using online library information from home

71

30.2%

Accessing resources via Apps

57

24.3%

Google Scholar

56

23.8%

Publishing and disseminating my research

53

22.6%

How to use social media for my research, teaching or learning

51

21.7%

Locating books

49

20.9%

Using other reference management software e.g. Mendeley, Citavi, Zotero

48

20.4%

Open access publishing

41

17.4%

Using search engines e.g. Google

40

17.0%

Setting up alerting services for current awareness

35

14.9%

Other (please specify)

2.1%

Comments included:
If I need something I will learn how to do it independently or ask

not interested in tutorials

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Question 14: Respondents were asked how they would like the Library to
communicate with them. They were given fifteen choices and invited to select
all that applied from list.
Response

Count Percent

Email

222

94.5%

Blackboard

96

40.9%

Text message

43

18.3%

Facebook

33

14.0%

Library website

26

11.1%

Phone Apps

20

8.5%

Electronic newsletter 19

8.1%

Health Sciences blog 17

7.2%

Health Sciences

14

6.0%

Library blog

13

5.5%

Subject pages

2.6%

Twitter

2.1%

RSS feed

0.9%

0.9%

0.4%

portal

Other (please
specify)
Library LCD

The majority (94.5%) chose email as their preferred option with

Blackboard (40.9%) and text messages (18.3%) the next most popular
options.

Suggestions added by respondents included:

Inform Class reps of resources

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Question 15: Respondents were asked to list any shortcomings in the

Librarys provision of online services and resources. 68% of
respondents replied. See below for a selection of comments.
Appendix Three provides a complete list arranged by theme.
E-books
Medical textbooks generally not available online through library
More books please for us off campus and at a distance
More online access to books are required
Very few online books directly related to my course

Journals
Access
Difficult to access journals
I find it difficult to access full articles though I know the university allows me to do so
Many of the SFX pages on the data bases do not work. They lead to pages that can not be
opened or else they are only abstract copies of papers when they say it
not always easy to locate full text. Always confusing which button to click to get access
and some websites don't allow this. So linking up university/library with access would be
good
SFX for locating journals can be confusing and doesn't always work.
sometimes difficult to get full text articles
Try to improve access to paid online journals
Fulltext
advertising journal but not supplying the full text
Can be disastrous trying to get access to a full paper, chasing down different links with
some giving you access and some not giving you access.
Can find articles but then not access them. Cannot request these as a student (must be staff
member)
the lack of fulltext and insufficient titles
It was also noted that A Massive emphasis is being put on research and journals etc. as
med undergrads that just isn't relevant to us. We don't have to wrte essays. We need instant
access to quick and easy to digest information. Putting a lot of resources into using journals
just isn't relevant to the normal med student.

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Library Website
Comments range from:
The website is a bit difficult to navigate, specifically relating to the use of external databases.
to:
The website is extremely hard to navigate. When you log on to find out when books are due
back there is no simple path straight to the list of books on your account. From my experience
the website is a maze and I always have to comb through it until I eventually find exactly what
I want.
Other comments included the following:
can be combersome navigating a thousand links to get to a certain database
Can be difficult to use the searching interface
Clunk interfaces, numeous links need to be followed
Can be quite confusing sometimes to locate what i'm looking for as there is so much
Complicated to find the page
DIFFICULT SITE TO NAVIGATE.
difficult to navigate for medical databases
Difficult to search through the Databases, this needs to be streamlined.
hard to get familiar with the interface
It takes a long time and a lot of windows to open to get to where you want. E.g. I use scopus
and there is no fast way to get to it
i find the website really awkward and confusing to use. links dont lead you to what you are
looking for, only explanations about them.

Off campus Access

Altogether nine comments related to off campus access:
Not being able to use some sources outside of the library i.e researching stuff from home.
Difficulty accessing tools on private computer at home
Occasionally resources won't open from home
Unable to access Scopus off campus.

Online tutorials
database online training
no video tutorials
Would benefit from recorded online tutorials for example how to search databases
student availability to core learning resources on-line
Easy-to-follow guidelines are not readily available on EndNote / referencing/ using databases
e.g. Scopus.

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Question 16: Respondents were asked what improvements to the Librarys

online services would be of most value to them. 68% of respondents suggested
improvements and a selection of their comments are provided below.
Appendix Four provides the complete list arranged by theme.
Apps
Make an apps on Apple and Andoid
...Lists of available medical apps for both iPhone AND Android

Blog
Maybe an area with weekly Medical articles of interest

Easy access
One place to find everything
improving the organisation of the library website so as to make the resources very
clear.
having a section with all the medical related links easily laid out
Make it more straight forward to use it can be a bit convoluted sometime to get to
search
databases etc.
make it easier to reach the medical journals, i.e. link on homepage
quick and easy access to Journals and databases simple instructions of how to access
info
if there could be quicklinks to access most frequently used detabases, like uptodate and
scopus for me that would be great so i don't have to keep searching for it.
Better catagorising of articles etc. to coincide with our studies.
A portal system for online information
Categorising sections that are relevent to your course e.g resources for medical
students/nursing students etc
more clear layout and make people more aware of online study websites
specific health science search engine
Health Science Portal
A health sciences portal could be very helpful.

E-Books
Make more medical ebooks available online
More access to books online
More books please for us off campus and at a distance
more ebooks - online editions of books recommended by professors

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EndNote
Focus on instructions for EndNote/referencing perhaps a specific 'how-to' page

Journals
quicker and easier to load papers
More access to clinical articles.
Providing access to journals that can not be accessed that are vital to my research.
if it is easier to access into reasonable journal as sometimes the articles are not available
to reader although it is present in the SFX.
See above. I also find frequently that the SFX reports full-text access where we dont
have it and sometimes doesn't report when we do. Being honest, I have stopped using it
because of this and prefer now to access via PubMed

Library website
better layout on website
The webpage structure
Better user interface could be introduced
Streamlining of services, less direction from page to page needed
More intuitive in terms of accessing material. You tend to have to go through several
screens which can be frustrating.
None.
49 people said that they had no improvements to suggest and a few commented that the
current online services were acceptable good adequate or sufficient

Off campus
Off-campus access for data bases."
easier to log in on android phone off campus
A tutorial/ email messages on how to access the full journal articles when off-campus (ie
in the medical academy)

Online tutorials
Online tutorials would be of help!
An online service showing how to conduct systematic reviews
tutorials on how to quickly search info that you're looking for
I really believe you Tube like tutorials are needed because you need to be able to go back
as needed to see how to navigate certain area's, search engine's and refinements etc.
...and tutorials in how to search databases and endnote

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Training
Better publicity so that more are aware of the services available.
Making students more aware of all the services provided

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Question 17: Respondents were invited to make further comments

11% of respondents availed of the opportunity and a selection of their
comments is provided below. See Appendix Five for the complete list sorted
by theme.
Blog
reviews and links to online study websites and MCQ would help
Journals fulltext
i get so frustrated trying to access journals etc at the library website that i have started
using google scholar which also has major shortcomings but at least there is a more direct
route to sources that you want and you can get then quickly . later you can go back into
the library system to get a better range of material and resources if you have time!
excellent access to full text articles
Perhaps more straightforwardness access to articles. As a new member, I found it
difficult to locate where I can find all articles / journals etc online

Library Services
More computers in the library, for easier access to the libraries on-line resources would
be a nice improvement.
overall I satisfied with the services!tq! :)
Hard copies could be made available on loan between NUIG and regional academy
HSE libraries. Academies should have longer loans available eg. 2 weeks instead of 3
days
Overall, I satisfied with online library services.Thank you!
Online tutorials
reviews and links to online study websites and MCQ would help
Other
Keep up the good work
You do a great job
staff always friendly and willing to help, makes for a positive experience
Training
It's my own fault for not logging on to the library's website more but it would be nice if
all the library services were more advertised because I feel unless you go actively
searching for them you won't find out about them.

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Appendix One
2013 Library Survey of the College of Medicine, Nursing
and Health Sciences Staff and Students
The Library is developing its online presence for the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health
Sciences. This involves a reappraisal of the Librarys online information services, skills delivery,
communication and Blackboard presence.
We wish to know more about your Library use and needs. Help us to provide you with an online
service that meets your requirements by completing the survey below.
Individual responses will be treated confidentially and the results of the survey will only be presented
collectively.
All respondents who give their email address (in question 17) will be entered into a prize draw for
three One4all vouchers (one for 50, two for 25).
1) Please select the appropriate category below.

Staff: Academic - Research

Staff: Academic - Research and Teaching
Staff: Postdoc
Staff: Administrative/Support
Student: Phd
Student: Postgraduate Research
Student: Postgraduate Taught
Student: Undergraduate
Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify

______________________________________________________________________
2) Please select from the list below the place where you are currently located for your
work or study.

Clinical Sciences Institute

Castlebar Regional Medical Academy
Letterkenny Regional Medical Academy
Portiuncula Regional Medical Academy
Sligo Regional Medical Academy
School of Medicine
School of Nursing and Midwifery
School of Health Sciences
University Hospital Galway
Merlin Park University Hospital
Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify

______________________________________________________________________

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3) If you are a student please select the appropriate year of study from the drop down
menu below.

Foundation
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

4) How frequently do you access the Library online?

Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Less Often
Never

5) From where do you access the Library's online services? Please select all that apply.

Home
Academic Department
Research Centre
Regional Medical Academy
James Hardiman Library
Nursing and Midwifery Library
Medical Library, Clinical Sciences Institute
Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify

______________________________________________________________________
6) Which of the following devices do you use to access the Library's online services?
Please select all that apply.

PC
Mac
Laptop
iPad
Tablet
iPhone
Android phone
Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify

______________________________________________________________________

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7) How often do you use each of the following online resources?
Never Occasionally Often

e-books

e-journals

Databases e.g. Medline, Embase

Reference: online dictionaries and encyclopaedias

Search engines e.g. Google

Google Scholar
8) What other sources of online information do you use?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
9) What are your preferred access routes to the information resources you use? Please
select all that apply.

Library website
Library catalogue
Search engines e.g. Google Scholar
Publisher website
Databases e.g. Embase
Blackboard
Apps
Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify

______________________________________________________________________
10) There are subject pages for the disciplines within the College of Medicine, Nursing
and Health Sciences on the Library website. How frequently do you use them?

Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Less often
Never
Not aware of these pages

11) Would you use a portal for the Health Sciences, via the Library website, to access all
the information resources you use?
Yes
No
Additional comments
______________________________________________________________________
12) Do you use self-directed online tutorials for using Library resources?
Yes
No
Additional comments
______________________________________________________________________

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13) I would welcome an online tutorial to support my research, teaching or learning on
the following (please select all that apply):

Using the Library Catalogue

Locating books
Using e-books
Locating fulltext articles
Searching databases
Precision searching using database filters
Conducting a systematic literature review
Using EndNote to manage references and bibliographies
Using other reference management software e.g. Mendeley, Citavi, Zotero
Setting up alerting services for current awareness
Publishing and disseminating my research
Open access publishing
Using search engines e.g. Google
Using online library information from home
Access to other libraries
Google Scholar
Accessing resources via Apps
How to use social media for my research, teaching or learning
Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify

______________________________________________________________________
14) How would you prefer us to communicate with you? Please select all that apply.

Email
Text message
Library blog
Health Sciences blog
Library website
Library LCD
Electronic newsletter
Subject pages
Health Sciences portal
Blackboard
Phone Apps
RSS feed
Twitter
Facebook
Other (please specify)

If you selected other, please specify

______________________________________________________________________
15) Please list any shortcomings in the Library's provision of online services and
resources.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

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16) What improvements to the Library's online services would be of most value to you?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
17) Any other comments?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
18) Please enter your email address if you wish to enter the prize draw for three One4all
vouchers (one for 50, two for 25), noting that in doing so you are waiving the
confidentiality of your response.
____________________________________________________________
Thank you for completing this survey. To submit it please click the Submit Survey button below.

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Appendix Two
Question 8: What other sources of online information do you use?
Other sources of online information
used
Aclands anatomy
ACR daily news bulletin
Almostadoctor.com
Apps e.g. Medscape
ASHA leader
athens
Blackboard
blogs
BMJ
BMJ Best Practice
BMJ.com
Books
CINAHL
Cochran
conference
Dictionaries in app form
Doctors.net.uk
documentaries
Drive
Dropbox
Ebsco
Emedicine
Encyclopaedias in app form
ensembl
Facebook
Facebook class page
Flickr
geeky medics
Google
Google Alerts
Google Scholar
HSE Library
Hsel, aba, nhs
Index to theses
Information recommended by staff
Iris
Joanna Briggs Institute
journal articles
journal home pages
Journal website
lectures
library
Library website
Mayo clinic
Medical Apps
medical education websites
Medline
Mednet
Medscape
NCBI databases

Times cited
1
1
2
2
1
1
6
2
2
1
1
12
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
14
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
1
3
1
11
1

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Other sources of online information
used

Times cited

news
nurse2nurse
OERs e.g. Janorum
online education website
Online sample questions
Organisation (e.g.www.ewma.org, INO,
INMO) or association website
papers
Patient information website
patient.co.uk
Presentation sent from other medical schools
(emailed lectures)
Primal pictures (an interactive site)
Publisher websites
PubMed
reports
ScienceDirect
Scopus
Search engines
Specialist portals
Student consult
Study websites
Ted Talks
tutorials
twitter
UK and US university websites
Uptodate
Useful links found by class mates
Video tutorials
videos
Webmd
websites
Wiki
Wikipedia
Yahoo
Youtube clips created by lecturers and
students in other med school
YouTube video

1
1
1
1
1
7
1
1
1
1
1
1
14
1
1
9
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
21
1
2
1
1
4
2
31
2
1
11

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Appendix Three
Question 15: Please list any shortcomings in the Library's
provision of online services and resources.
Books

I think it would be helpful to have some kind of link between the

regional academies and the CSI library. For example, there is one particular
Paeds book which is not stocked here in Sligo, but I know there are numerous copies sitting on the shelf in Galway.

complicated to use databases should be simple step by step instructions

e-books

Complete ebooks for free.

Ebooks

It would be great if when looking for a book if the could be provided if the book could also be accessed
on line through google if only access is to hire on loan

Limited access to Oxford handbooks online

Medical textbooks generally not available online through library

More books please for us off campus and at a distance

More e books

More online access to books are required

more versions of books online

Not enough available books online

Not enough e books

Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine ebook and also Clinical Examination by Talley and O'Connor ebook

there are few books available online

Very few online books directly related to my course.

.and lack of ebooks

...poor selection of ebooks

EndNote

Easy-to-follow guidelines are not readily available on EndNote / referencing/ using databases e.g. Scopus.

Also, endnote access to cochrane is password protected so can't import citations easily.....etc

More end note training

Exam papers

It can be difficult to access past exam papers.

Fines

Inability to pay smaller amounts on library fines. Having to pay the full amount can be very awkward we know
we have to pay them and can't get out of them but being able to knock off 1 or 2 euro every few days is much
easier than paying a large amount in one go.

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Inter-library Loans

Having to collect the intralibray loan journal articles in hard copy from the library becomes time consuming
in addition to being an excessive use of paper and people resources having to print out paper versions of the
articles.

Journals

a lack of diabetes journals available for research

A Massive emphasis is being put on research and journals etc. as med undergrads that just isn't relevant to us.
We don't have to write essays. We need instant access to quick and easy to digest information. Putting a lot
of resources into using journals just isn't relevant to the normal med student.

Difficult to access journals

insufficient journal access; this seems to be decreasing constantly. The method for sending interlibrary loans
as a badly photocopied pdf is completely outdated.

advertising journals but not supplying the full tect

Can be disastrous trying to get access to a full paper, chasing down different links with some giving you access
and some not giving you access.

Can find articles but then not access them. Cannot request these as a student (must be staff member)

Can't access several journals so very limited selection.

Difficulty finding full text articles and not just links to some journal subscription.

e-journal

I find it difficult to access full articles though I know the university allows me to do so
It can take a long time to simply open a paper through science direct or whatever, the fact that you have to
first search it, then go through the "sfx" page to open the link. When you search a paper it can take a long
time for results to load

lack og full articles available online

Many of the SFX pages on the data bases do not work. They lead to pages that can not be opened or else they
are only abstract copies of papers when they say it will be full text.

More online journal subscriptions. There are quite a few where I need to use my brother's UK college ID
to gain access to the full article.

No direct access to Journal articles via Zetoc alerts to email.

not all electronic journals are available in library

not always easy to locate full text. Always confusing which button to click to get access and some websites
don't allow this. So linking up university/library with access would be good

Not enough access to full text articles

Often, if I find a paper I like on a database eg. Scopus, I do not have access to it as the library does not
have a subscription to it, eg. JAMA.

seems like there is an increasing number of periodicals/journals that we can't get full access to

SFX for locating journals can be confusing and doesn't always work.

sometimes difficult to get full text articles

subscritpion to the best practice BMJ website would be very helfpul for students.

There are several journals that can not be accessed that are vital to my research.

Try to imnprove access to paid online journals

very hard to find full text articles it takes ages and we are not aware of a lot of the resources

and sometimes it can be difficult to get full text.

No access to New England Journal of Medicine

Hard to access articles at times. I can end up going around in circles. However this may be my own fault for
not knowing the proper way to access them

hard to find desired article or journal

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Library access for Clinicians

I was asked to leave the library twice as I had no University ID. It took 3 years to get one. I was finally given
a blackboard password, no teaching, and it no longer works. We provide a massive commitment to teaching
at NUIG medical school, and research as best we can. It would be nice if NUIG could provide support for
clinicians who don't have time to be running in to NUIG between 9 and 5 and don't have parking there. The
best universities in the world are massively supportive of their clinician members so it's a win win win for the
students, teachers and institutions.

You have recently excluded consultant staff from library. As chairman of the medical board I have written
to Dr. Dunne but received a reply.

Library app

Perhaps further linking in with Facebook of a library app for renewing books could be useful.

Library Resources

i would like to be able to access bmj student resources

Many resources are not available though the library website

Library Space

lack of available study space during exam time

a bigger reading room

Library website

I did not know about the health portal available and couldnt find it when I searched the library website

pop up windows

Unaware of resources for Medical students on the Library website

Wide links
working cross-disciplines means having to use lots of databases and not just what is located within Health
Sciences

A reminder to renew borrowed books on the due date

Accessing some journals have been convoluted at times. results.

Accessing your account homepage is very difficult and confusing.

can be combersome navigating a thousand links to get to a certain database

Can be difficult to use the searching interface

Can be quite confusing sometimes to locate what i'm looking for as there is so much information

Can only renew three times online, request is confusing, don't reply to emails on time

Clunk interfaces, numeous links need to be followed

Complicated to find the page

confusing layout at times

DIFFICULT SITE TO NAVIGATE. CAN'T ACCESS EXAM PAPERS OFF-CAMPUS

Difficult to find things

difficult to navigate for medical databases

Difficult to renew books. Have a simple link to renew books on home page. Then straight away be able to log in
and press renew.

Difficult to search through the Databases, this needs to be streamlined.

Find it difficult to find things on the website. How to pay library fines for instance, I still can't find the link.

hard to get familiar with the interface, poor selection of ebooks

I didn't know any of these resources existed and don't know what half of them listed above are

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Library Website continued

I feel that navigating the library website is difficult and that while there are a lot of instruction finding links
to certain pages is difficult sometimes.

I find searching library catalogue difficult, prefer to use pubmed.

I find the latest change to the home page very difficult to navigate. I am sure i could avail of furthe library
services but don't know how
I find the page unhelpful as the firs screen is about the library rather than direct links to seach engines or
databases

I find the website difficult to navigate.

i find the website really awkward and confusing to use. links dont lead you to what you are looking for,
only explanations about them.
It is tricky to access your account when u sign in. I always enter via renewing books.the layout of the website
could improve

it is very confusing

it is very hard to find how to access the different databases from the library website
It takes a long time and a lot of windows to open to get to where you want. E.g. I use scopus and there
is no fast way to get to it

its quite confusing to get through

Library web page impossible to navigate

Library Website is difficult to navigate. Trying to renew books is always tricky

Long winded approach to access databases eg ebsco

Make searching databases simpler

map of contents

Navigating the site needs could be set out in a step by step approach. Perhaps, new innovations and changes
to the navigation of the site could be flagged immediately after signing in.

navigation initially difficult.

Not always easy to access.

not always easy to find the links or services for which I am searching

Not that user friendly

poorly laid out,difficult to navigate

poorly laid out,difficult to navigate

Several steps in accessing

Sometimes when the page format changes it can be difficult to navigate the system

Takes a lot of Time to access on library website

The interface and process for getting into search batabases if cumbersome and needs to be streamlined a little
for thos unsure of which database they want it is not straight forward. I icon for batabase searching on the home
page that takes you straight to the search engines would speed up and simpilfy the process

The library webpage is really difficult to navigate since it has been changed- not at all user friendly

the library website is sometimes difficult to navigate

The nursing@ovid portal has huge potential as a single point of access for multiple simultaneous database
searching. But the interface could do with being overhauled. This would be a good investment across College

The website is a bit difficult to navigate, specifically relating to the use of external databases.

The website is extremely hard to navigate. When you log on to find out when books are due back there is no
simple path straight to the list of books on your account. From my experience the website is a maze and I
always have to comb through it until I eventually find exactly what I want.

There is a lot of steps to get to where you want to go. To access the online catelogue to find a book in the library
it is complicated enough

Website a little user unfriendly.

Website can occasionally be difficult to use

website difficult to navigate changes very frequently and i do not find it user friendly

WEbsite seems dated

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Library Website continued

Some journals have a 1 year embargo that is not explitcitly displayed on the library website search

I feel that maybe the website could be made more user friendly-it takes a while to figure out how to navigate it!
website lay out
Things are hard to find and I don't think I am aware of most things it has to offer

No Shortcomings
28% of respondents answered none or n/a to this question. The following comments
were included:

Haven't had any problems really

I am happy enough with the Library's provision of online services and resources.

I dont feel there are shortcomings;

I feel that the Library's provision of online resources and services is adequate.
I have just moved to the university as a post-doc so am currently unsure - I have accessed the library and it
all seems sufficient so far

I haven't noticed any shortcomings with the library.

Nil identified

None aware of

none come to mind

None that I can think of

none to date

unaware of major shortcomings

Very happy with library services.

all good to me

im not sure

Not sure

Off campus access

Being unable to access full texts on scopus etc. from home

Difficulty accessing tools on private computer at home

I think its very good it can be a little trying to access from home as if u click to go to one resource it opens the
page on the page u are already currently accessing making it difficult to browse several articles at once if you
forget to right click to open n a new page...

More off-campus access for students

Not able to access from home

Not being able to use some sources outside of the library i.e researching stuff from home.

Occasionally resources won't open from home

slow connection from home

Unable to access Scopus off campus.

Online tutorials

database online training

Having had one tutorial per year, i really struggle to re-access information shown to us- more handouts
with step-by-step directions might help

More online tutorials

no video tutorials

student availability to core learning resources on-line

Would benefit from recorded online tutorials for example how to search databases

Easy-to-follow guidelines are not readily available on EndNote / referencing/ using databases e.g. Scopus.

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Online tutorials

Opening hours

Opening hours in Sligo Academy Library

opening hours should be extended. even if a reading room was made available.

opening hours too short

Referencing

Easy-to-follow guidelines are not readily available on EndNote / referencing/ using databases e.g. Scopus.

Report a problem

don't reply to emails on time

Resources

not enough computers.

poor availabity of older issues of standard titles.

provision of medical books from different subjects

Too few computers in clinical science institute

More resources should be offered to final year students who are trying to write a thesis/dissertation, especially
those who have to conduct primary research

More information should be provided on how to conduct inferential tests e.g. using SPSS.

Up To Date is the only thing I use so I can't really comment.

uptodate

Space

more computers, seats, and increase availability hours

Not in relation to Online matters but a lack of seats in James Hardiman

Training

more training opportunities.

there is a lot of resources there however I feel that my ability and knowledge on how to access relevent resources
is lacking

I think it is as important to make people aware of the services provided as actually getting services.

I'm not sure that I'd manage to use any of the online library services without 1:1 tutorials from the librarians and
even these are subpar because it's impossible to recap. In fact the librarian gets testy and nasty when you take
notes or want to be shown twice! Its the kind of stuff that needs several runs to retain the route.

Not enough is known about it

Things are hard to find and I don't think I am aware of most things it has to offer, so more publicity.

Also many do not know the services that are available.

very hard to find full text articles it takes ages and we are not aware of a lot of the resources

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Appendix Four
Question 16: What improvements to the Library's online services
would be of most value to you?
Alerting Service

Is the library able to assist with table of Contents emailing for selected journals of interest
with the ability to access full text? The HSE library offers a limited service but Hardiman
has far greater journal choice

Apps

Make an apps on Apple and Andoid

...Lists of available medical apps for both iPhone AND Android Maybe an area with weekly
Medical articles of interest

More android-based applications for getting information on the go

is it possible to integrate HSE Athens accounts with the library? For example, the MIMS and
BNF are available there as well as other useful info. Can NUIG library therefore integrate
more online with the HSE library which is nationwide and extensive.

Blackboard

Ensure lectures upload there lectures and tutorials to blackboard

Blog

...Maybe an area with weekly Medical articles of interest

Books

More access to books and tutorials in how to search databases and endnote

Communication

Updating us on changes to the library system. Or if they are relocating books within the
library. i have never been given notice to changes being made to the library.

Easy access

To have one route to cross search databases and not to search them individually.

One place to find everything

Easy access to any available search

improving the organisation of the library website so as to make the resources very clear.

as above

Login in screen is not intuitive to find

simple, clear text well-grouped to facilitate easy navigation

easy access

having a section with all the medical related links easily laid out

A tab to quickly and easily go to your account homepage

Make it more straight forward to use it can be a bit convoluted sometime to get to search
databases etc.

Easy quick links to useful resources made available

make it easier to reach the medical journals, i.e. link on homepage

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Make access to My Account feature more prominent, can take quite awhile to get to it to
renew books etc

Easier to use

Giving us an Athens password instead of going through the library may be easier in some
situations. When you find a paper say through google and can't get access you then have to
go to the library, log in and find in through that way to access it. It's a bit tedious

If things were more easily available and easier to find.

quick and easy access to Journals and databases simple instructions of how to access info

Making the website more foolproof.

if there could be quicklinks to access most frequently used detabases, like uptodate and
scopus for me that would be great so i don't have to keep searching for it.

Better catagorising of articles etc. to coincide with our studies.

have a clearer home page to make it easier to find and see everything the online library has
to offer.

Improve the interface. It might be possible to build one's own page in which the most
frequently used databases are listed and thus one could access much quicker, particularly for
general searches as opposed to more detailed systematic review searches

-make it more accessible and up-to-date

More user friendly

simplifying the lay out to enable faster access to what i am looking for

A portal system for online information

easier to navigate

making it easier to get to the online journals

more user friendly interface

Categorising sections that are relevent to your course e.g resources for medical
students/nursing students etc

more clear layout and make people more aware of online study websites

access to articles with easy one click

Access

specific health science search engine

A more directed website, where all services can be viewed from the homepage

more clear

if it was more straight-forward or sign-posted better

easier access to full online journals

improve navigation of web page

Clear layout. links that directly bring you to what you are looking for. have a help/
information section separate.

easier access to full articles

Health Science Portal

A health sciences portal could be very helpful.

... Improved ease of access to resources Lists of available medical apps for both iPhone AND
Android Maybe an area with weekly Medical articles of interest

e-books

Make more medical ebooks available online

More e book availability

More access to books online

more ebooks

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more access to online books

More ebooks available on the website

more books available online, perhaps the recommended main textbook for each discipline
(like the oxford series)

more ebooks - online editions of books recommended by professors

More e books

More Ebooks

More books please for us off campus and at a distance

E-book availability for students.

Option to "rent" ebook versions of textbooks

more free access to online books and journals

...loans ot electronic copies.

EndNote

Focus on instructions for EndNote/referencing. perhaps a specific 'how-to' page

Exam papers

MORE EXAM PAPERS AVAILABLE

Journals fulltext

quicker and easier to load papers

full access to pubmed articles

More online journals

More access to clinical articles.

more access to journals

direct link of document PDFs via pubmed. Avaliable in many amercian insitutions a decade
or more ago.

More journal available free. A better system for inter-library loans; eg purchase article,
where you get a proper pdf.

Providing access to current and relevant journals.

Providing access to journals that can not be accessed that are vital to my research.

More access to journal articles

e-journal, database,

More accurate journal searches

Access to more journal articles Improved ease of access to resources Lists of available
medical apps for both iPhone AND Android Maybe an area with weekly Medical articles of
interest

An improved search engine - if journals could come ahead of books. Also, I have previously
typed in the exact name of an article and been told it isn't available. Then when I enter the
journal and manually search for said article I've been able to get it. I just find that takes ages
to do.

if it is easier to access into reasonable journal as sometimes the articles are not available to
reader although it is present in the SFX.

See above. I also find frequently that the SFX reports full-text access where we dont have it
and sometimes doesn't report when we do. Being honest, I have stopped using it because of
this and prefer now to access via PubMed

easier to locate full text journals

Access to more medical journal articles online

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...more free access to online books and journals

Have the library search only articles of journals we can actually access so I don't have false
hope looking for articles in pubmed or medline that I won't even be able to read?

Library Resources

Add BMJ best practice to the library's subscription. It is a good database. It is similar to
UpToDate but it is a lot more student-friendly.

uptodate access

see above - maximising availability of written sources

Library Services

Reserve seats
working plugs

Location of books

Bookings of study group rooms.

borrow, reserve, renew online

nonlimited frequency for book renewal.

putting hold on books.

providing VPN account to all students

faster reply to online questions - sent one 6 hours ago and still waiting!

Assistance with online access which proved difficult on initial attempt

Make locating and booking info on books more accessible. A link beside the book to this
info

Library
Website

better layout on website

The webpage structure

Better user interface could be introduced

A more clear layout of the site.

Quicker

Streamlining of services, less direction from page to page needed

Change the webpage

More user-friendly website.

More intuitive in terms of accessing material. You tend to have to go through several screens
which can be frustrating.

Make the library website more straightforward.

Instead of searching each database , have a google format where you can just type what you
want to search and then be given the top results from each database

easier navigation/ cleared layout

One stop room booking instead of the current 5 stage set up.

Easier to use

online fine payment.

updating as library changes are made, less changes to the interface

Longer period before database access times out while using Library website at home

Renewal of books should be allowed more than 3 times

Webpage update

Making the website more user-friendly.

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More simple to use website. Access to ASHA leader data base for free

...request is confusing, don't reply to emails on time

...don't reply to emails on time

Reminder for borrowed book

Can only renew three times online, request is confusing, don't reply to emails on time

In the CSI, please Stop people from leaving their books/stuff at computers and then leaving.
Most of these students are not even using the computer and just stopping others from using
them.

No Improvements needed
20% of respondents answered none or n/a to this question. The following
comments were included:

Nothing I can think of really

I am happy enough with the Library's current online services

I think the email reminders when a book was due were very helpful.

don't know

the online services of the library are accceptable

Unknown

none come to mind

Can't think of any improvements that would be needed.

Happy with services as current

at present services are good

It is adequate

I have just moved to the university as a post-doc so am currently unsure - I have accessed the
library and it all seems sufficient so far

none - easy to use and navigate through the system

Cant think of any improvements needed.

Off Campus Access

Being able to access full texts from home.

Being able to be accessed from home

Off-campus access for data bases.

access to Scopus off campus

easier log in on android phones off campus

A tutorial/ email messages on how to access the full journal articles when off-campus (ie in
the medical academy)

Online training

More tutorials etc

Online tutorials would be of help!

An online service showing how to conduct systematic reviews

tutorials on how to quickly search info that you're looking for

Online tutorials via blackboard

I really believe you Tube like tutorials are needed because you need to be able to go back as
needed to see how to navigate certain area's, search engine's and refinements etc.

If there was a step by step teaching guide to problems and ways of finding articles specific to
your question or topic

just need information on how to access resources

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Notification of changes to an area with a link to a quick tutorial would be great.

an online video library for key topics

on line tutorials for the above

tutorials on methods of how to access more information and sources for research in my
studies. I always use the way to access information because i dont know how to use a lot of
the resources in the library.

Clearer instructions for use

...make people more aware of online study websites

...and tutorials in how to search databases and endnote

...have a help/ information section separate.

Other

not making all questions mandatory in the survey...

IRevert intralibrary, loans ot electronic copies.

Training

How to accurately look up most relevant research journals

Awareness of what exists to be Improved a better communication of what the library can
provide

tutuorials on how to use the service

mandatory training to end note or any other reference generator

how to conduct literature searches

Better publicity so that more are aware of the services available.

I am unaware of/unable to use several of the aforementioned services so I am not well

informed enough to comment - I know of workshops/tutorials run by the Library so perhaps
spreading awareness of those.

Making students more aware of all the services provided

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Appendix Five
Question 17: Any other comments?
Blog

reviews and links to online study websites and MCQ would help

Journals fulltext

i get so frustrated trying to access journals etc at the library website that i have started using google
scholar which also has major shortcomings but at least there is a more direct route to sources that
you want and you can get then quickly . later you can go back into the library system to get a better
range of material and resources if you have time!
I realise that the Library is under huge financial pressure and that access to all journals is,
unfortunately, not possible.
excellent access to full text articles
Perhaps more straightforwardness access to articles. As a new member, I found it difficult to locate
where I can find all articles / journals etc online

Library Services
less frequent emails for over due books

more computers, seats, and increase availability hours

It would be nice to get a reminder about when my books are due.

some of the teaching software eg. PathCal need to be accessed from college network, by providing
VPN account to students enable student to access it from anywhere. Most of students i believe will
study at home.
More computers in the library, for easier access to the libraries on-line resources would be a nice
improvement.
The book section is a bit of a mess. i don't understand it and whats the point if you still need to go
into the library to pick it up. Also, I think its wrong that if you miss a return date for books, that
you're prohibited from paying the fine online and re-issuing the books online. The fines are
outrageous as well.

great service

overall I satisfied with the services!tq! :)

The library service is a great service.

The library service is extremely good and the staff always very supportive and helpful. Thank you
Hard copies could be made available on loan between NUIG and regional academy HSE libraries.
Academies should have longer loans available eg. 2 weeks instead of 3 days

Overall, I satisfied with online library services.Thank you!

no, staff always very helpful so if possible I like to call into CSI for renewing books etc

Very happy with the library survey at present.

Overall, the library team have always been very dynamic and innovative. The personal service
provided to me has always been excellent including the inter library loan service.

Online tutorials
reviews and links to online study websites and MCQ would help

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Other

I'm a painfully slow reader and a bit of a technophobe, so my answers may not be the most
indicative for assessing the efficacy of the library's online resources.

No thank you

Keep up the good work

You do a great job

Great staff

staff always friendly and willing to help, makes for a positive experience

Training

It's my own fault for not logging on to the library's website more but it would be nice if all the
library services were more advertised because I feel unless you go actively searching for them you
won't find out about them.

We received training on two occassions now from a member of the library staff . This element has
been integrated into our course as podiatry students in accessing and searching databases to assist
in our research.