Professional Development for Librarians in Kenya: Planning

a Workshop

Pam White, MLS & Emma Farrow

City University London INNASP

MLA 2009

Professional Development for Librarians in Kenya: Planning

a Workshop

Pam White, MLS & Emma Farrow

City University London INASP

MLA 2009

Professional Development for Librarians in Kenya: Planning a

Workshop

Pam White, MLS & Emma Farrow

City University London UWE

MLA 2009

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/international/africa/map.pdf

Kenya Health Information Partnership (Ken-HIP)

• Grew in 2006 from a partnership between the South West Strategic Health Authority and the Kenya Medical Research Institute Library

• Links to major health libraries in Kenya and the Kenya chapter of the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Kenya (Ken-AHILA)

Objectives of Ken-HIP • 1.      To build the capacity of librarians and other health

information professionals in Kenya to develop responsive, modern information services and improve access to these, particularly in rural areas where the need is greatest.

 • 2.      Increase professional collaboration between librarians

and information professionals from different sectors, through sharing of expertise and knowledge between partners.

 • 3.      Increase Ken-HIP members’ experience of library and

information services within a developing country and awareness of issues related to health information in a global context.

2008 Project Goals were to Plan workshop based on

• Needs assessment from 2006 visit and Ken-AHILA recommendations

• Biennial Congress of AHILA, Mombasa, October 2006. Millennium Development Goals and health information provision in Africa. Resolutions.

http://indexmedicus.afro.who.int/Ahila%2010%20Congress%20Resolutions.pdf

To Organise

• Funding Site visits• Accommodation Workshop

venue• Equipment Catering • Vaccines and anti-malaria tablets• Transportation Photographer • Course content Speakers • Accompanying materials Visas • Check insurance coverage

Roles

• Chair

• Treasurer

• Scribe

• Speakers

• Grant-writers

• Kenya liaisons (Kenya and UK)

• UK Partnership members

Building Information Literacy Skills and Competencies of Health Information Professionals in the Electronic Era

Challenges & Solutions

• Communication – Delegation and Discussion

• Workshop Content– Liaise, research, prioritize and negotiate

• Timing Workshop Components– Be prepared to think on your feet!

More(!) Challenges & Solutions

• Variable audience knowledge and experience– Pre-assess audience expectations, Check

understanding, Have more experienced help less experienced

• Variable computer reliability– Buddy (or triple) up, Have a stash of things to

say or discuss while pages are loading

• Room suitability to show slides– Ask hosts to assess before you arrive and

double-check with trial run of your slides

Everyone loves a challenge!

• Audience participation – shyness, language fluency, cultural formalities– Be flexible and look for cues

• Delays - Traffic jams, vendor arrivals– Back-up plan and/or patience is a virtue

• Security – Don’t leave valuables unattended, stay alert

• Health issues– If 2 visiting speakers, 1 can serve as back-up

How did we do?

• Marketing the library

• Evidence-based medicine

• Identification and evaluation of resources

• Web site evaluation

• Web site design.

Jomo Kenyatta University

Kenya Partnership

• UK members mostly from NHS

• Also includes regional government, academia and

• Partners in Health Information (Phi)– Phi’s mentorship greatly contributed to the

success of the project– a registered UK based charity (No. 1031674)

Mahalo nui loa to•Jean Newman

•Lesley Grieg

•Jean Shaw

•Caroline Plaice

•Jane Villa

•Dorothy Curtis

•Sally Hernando

•John Loy

•Marilyn Hayes

•Emma Stanley

Pam White, Centre for Health Informatics,

City University London pamela.white.1@city.ac.uk

Emma FarrowInternational Network for the

Availability of Scientific Publicationsefarrow@inasp.info