Libraries closed Bank Holiday Monday 3rd of May

The libraries will be closed on Monday the 3rd of May for the bank holiday.

We reopen as normal on Tuesday the 4th.

We are working on restoring out of hours access and hope to have some news soon.

Apologies for any inconvenience. 

NHFT virtual book club - our next read is The Man on the Street

Following on from our reading of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, our next novel for the NHFT virtual book club will be the multiple award winning crime thriller The Man on the Street by Trevor Wood.

"It started with a splash. Jimmy, a homeless veteran grappling with PTSD, did his best to pretend he hadn’t heard it – the sound of something heavy falling into the Tyne at the height of an argument between two men on the riverbank. Not his fight.

Then he sees the headline: GIRL IN MISSING DAD PLEA."

Our book club a very informal, with lively conversation, lots of laughs and doesn't always stay on topic. 

The next meeting will be Thursday the 27th of May at 7pm via MS Teams where we will be discussing the novel. You can find the link via the Events Calendar on the Staff Room.

Hope to see you there.

The libraries are open!

Isebrook issue desk

We are very pleased to be able to say the libraries at Berrywood Hospital, Isebrook Hospital and Northampton General Hospital are now open again to visitors.

Our opening hours are:

• Berrywood Library 9.30 am – 5.00 pm, Monday – Friday
• Isebrook Library 9.30 - 12.30 and 1:00 - 5.00pm Monday - Friday
• Richmond Library 9.30 am – 5.00 pm, Monday – Friday

The later start is to allow library staff time to clean the study spaces and computer workstations. For the moment there will be no out of hours opening.

In line with trust policy you will need to wear a mask or face covering throughout your visit so you will have to leave the library to eat or drink.

We know that many of you have been wanting to use the study space the libraries provide and we thank you for your patience while we have done risk assessments and put in place the measures needed to keep you and the library staff safe. 

Self-issue

If you prefer to keep your time in the library to a minimum we are still providing our ‘Click and Collect’ service whereby you can request books (by phone, email or via our catalogue) and then arrange a time to collect them. All of our other services (journal articles, literature searches, training etc) can also be done remotely.

When you visit you will notice some changes we have had to make to the spaces to ensure social distancing and to keep everyone as safe as we can. We have screens up at all of our counters and brand new self-issue machines at the Berrywood and Richmond libraries.

Berrywood Library

 Access to the first floor where the library is situated is currently on door fob control. If you don’t have a fob for Berrywood Hospital then you will need to sign one out from Berrywood reception (library card/ID required and car/house keys left in exchange).

Isebrook Library

Because of the library’s proximity to Café Vie we will be leaving the outside door to the library closed but as long as the OPEN sign is showing (Mon-Fri, 9.30 – 12.30; 1.00 – 5.00) you can get in to use the library. Please note that the library will be closed for half an hour in the middle of the day to allow the librarian to have lunch.

Study spaces and computers

We have reduced the number of computers and study spaces available to maintain social distancing and ask you to clean down the space you have use before and after use. Clinell wipes are provided but shouldn’t be used on computer screens. 

We are testing a new set up for our PCs and you are advised to bring a USB stick with you if you wish to save any documents

Cleaning/PPE

Clinell wipes and hand sanitiser are provided at sanitising stations throughout the library.  Clinell wipes should not be used on computer screen, the photocopier touch screen or the self-issue machine. Clinical waste bins are provided for the disposal of wipes and used masks.

Books

You will be able to browse the shelves but any books that you touch and then don’t borrow should be placed on the trolley so that we can quarantine them for 3 days. We will also be quarantining any returned books but if you have reserved a book you will have the option to pick it up un-quarantined. NGH and Berrywood libraries have self-issue machines to make it easier for you to take books out.

If you have any questions about the reopening please contact us. We're really looking forward to seeing you...

NHFT virtual book club - our next read is The Midnight Library

Following on from our reading of The New Wilderness by  Diane Cook, our next novel for the NHFT virtual book club will be The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

"Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?"

Our book club a very informal, with lively conversation, lots of laughs and doesn't always stay on topic. 

The next meeting will be Thursday the 22nd of April at 7pm via MS Teams where we will be discussing the novel. You can find the link via the Events Calendar on the Staff Room.

Hope to see you there.

Large new collection of eBooks now available

The Library Service now has access to a new collection of eBooks via the Kortext platform which you can access here https://read.kortext.com/.

Funded by Health Education England, the collection consists of 141 titles covering a broad spectrum of health care including:

• Anatomy and physiology
• "At a Glance" series titles 
• Leadership and management
  
• Medicine
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Nursing and midwifery
• Prescribing and pharmacology
• Research
• Surgery

As with all of our eBooks, you can also find them on our catalogue here. 

You can access Kortext with your OpenAthens password (and if you don't have one you can register online here).

Health and Care Video Library

Funded by the NHS, the Health and Care Video Library consists of over 600 free health related videos.

Developed in partnership with an NHS trust, the videos have all been approved by a clinician and they cover topics such as dementia, diabetes, heart disease, learning disabilities, mental health, pregnancy, and vaccines. 

There are also a number of ‘how to’ and ‘what to expect’ videos alongside.

https://healthandcarevideos.uk/

The videos are aimed at patients who need support, care or more information at home, but can be useful for NHS staff and students too. 

The video library is also linked from the NHS.UK home page and all the content is also available via an app.

NHFT virtual book club - our next read

Following on from our reading of Elif Shafak's The Bastard of Istanbul, our next novel for the NHFTvirtual book club will be the Booker nominated The New Wilderness by Diane Cook. 

"A daring, passionate and terrifying novel about a mother’s battle to save her daughter in a world ravaged by climate change."

Our book club a very informal, with lively conversation, lots of laughs and doesn't always stay on topic. 

The next meeting will be Thursday the 18th of March at 7pm via MS Teams where we will be discussing the novel. You can find the link via the Events Calendar on the Staff Room.

Hope to see you there.

NHFT virtual book club - our next read

Following on from our reading of Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club, our next novel for the NHFT virtual book club will be The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak. 

Elif Shafak is a British-Turkish author who has previously been shortlisted for the Booker Prize and numerous other awards, as well as having been chosen for Blackwell's Book of the Year.

Our book club a very informal, with lively conversation, lots of laughs and doesn't always stay on topic (we had a discussion about cake at the last meeting!). 

The next meeting will be Thursday the 11th of February at 7pm via MS Teams where we will be discussing the novel. You can find the link via the Events Calendar on the Staff Room.

Hope to see you there.

Christmas cover at the libraries.

Sadly, will are still unable to open the physical library spaces. 

However, library staff will be available at the Berrywood and Richmond libraries throughout the Christmas period (except for the bank holidays) to deal with any enquires, provide literature searches, supply articles, loan books and to help with all things library related.

Isebrook Library will be unstaffed from Friday the 24th of December until Friday the 1st of January. Please contact one of the other sites during this time if you need any help.

We would like to wish you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. We look forward to seeing you in 2021.

BMJ Case Reports now available to staff at Northampton General Hospital

Northampton General Hospital has taken out an annual institutional subscription to BMJ Case Reports that allows staff to submit case reports to the journal for publication at no cost to themselves.

BMJ Case Reports is an educational resource bringing together more than 15000 peer reviewed case reports covering all disciplines, allowing health professionals to learn from real cases. 

To view the journal you will need an NGH OpenAthens account (register here or contact the library for help) or see the 10th anniversary booklet for examples of the types of cases that they publish.

If you would like to submit a case report please contact the Richmond Library for the NGH Fellowship code and we will send you information from the BMJ on writing a case report and the submission process.

Library sites reopening postponed (but we are still doing everything else)

The libraries at Berrywood Hospital, Isebrook Hospital and Northampton General Hospital were due to open again to visitors on Monday 9th November. 

However due to the national lockdown and the increase in the NHS alert level, the Trust Incident Control Centre has decided that re-opening at the present moment could potentially increase the risk of covid transmission and has instructed us to postpone.

We do have everything in place to open again and are ready to go as soon as we are given the all clear. 

We know that many of you have been wanting to use the study space the libraries provide and we thank you for your patience while we have done risk assessments and put in place the measures needed to keep you and the library staff safe.

We’re sorry for the extra delay as we were looking forward to welcoming you back.

In the meantime we continue to provide all our other services virtually: book loans; the supply of  journal articles; training; literature searching etc.

If you have any questions at all about our services or the re-opening please contact one of the libraries.

A reading list in support of Black History Month

In support of Black History Month, we have put together a reading list of titles the library has in stock. The list covers race and racism, fiction from black authors, nonfiction titles from our leisure reading collection as well as health care related books.

On the list you'll find titles like "Overcoming everyday racism" and David Olusoga's "Black and British: a forgotten history" as well as fiction from black authors like Marlon James and Akwaeke Emezi (writer of the excellent "Freshwater"), along side biographies, like those of  Walter Tull and Michelle Obama. We also have classics like "The Colour Purple", "Beloved" and "If Beale Street Could Talk", books on cookery, as well as more clinically focused titles. We hope there is something for everyone on the list.

You can find the reading list on our catalogue here.