"SEARCH for Health": developing a credited module in health information skills

The importance of Information Literacy (IL) has been widely recognized within the health professions. The emergence of evidence-based practice and corresponding problem-based and evidence-based teaching techniques to develop the appropriate skills and approach in health professionals has resulted in a need for effective information skills training in the health sciences academic environment. However, librarians have often struggled to establish themselves within academic structures in ways that formally acknowledge the importance of such skills and allow sufficient time and resources to plan effectively. In response to a proposal from its librarian, the School of Community Health and Social Care within the faculty of Health and Human Sciences invited Thames Valley University Library Services to develop a compulsory 10 credit information skills module for two degree courses. The librarian and colleagues had the challenge of conveying the context of Health Information Literacy, the factual information required, and the searching and appraising skills necessary in a cogent, coherent, and interesting module. Practical considerations of staff time management and other resourcing issues had to be analyzed and assessed. An evaluation of the librarian's existing and potential roles in the promotion of Information Literacy is on-going