The Knowledge Network - FAQ

  1. 1What is The Knowledge Network?

    The Knowledge Network is a new platform for knowledge and information provision. It facilitates access to portals, journals, books, patient information, communities, tagging facilities and to NHS Scotland eLibrary. A more detailed introduction can be found here.

  2. 2Who can use this site?

    Many of the resources within The Knowledge Network are freely available for everyone to use, whether or not you register for a username and password. This includes a wide range of quality assured health and social care information resources including evidence overviews, guidelines, patient information, articles and reviews, evaluated health and social care resources, and much more.

     

    Login free access
    It is now possible to access some resources from within NHS premises without the need to log in. Currently this includes OVID databases, OVID abstracts from search results, BMJ journals and Dynamed.

    However we do recommend you log in from The Knowledge Network homepage in order to:
    1. Access full range of resources
    2. Use personal OVID accounts to save searches etc
    3. Use personal settings on The Knowledge Network

     

  3. 3What has happened to eLibrary?

    NHS Scotland eLibrary now exists as the Library which provides a search for subscription journals, books and databases. You can access the Library from the main search on The Knowledge Network or via the Library tab.

    Other former eLibrary facilities such as Shared Spaces, and other portals are also located elsewhere within The Knowledge Network.

  4. 4Do I have to register?

    Registration is not mandatory but there are many benefits of doing so.

    Benefits include access to subscription content such full-text journal articles; full control of the look and feel of your homepages; the ability to create a profile and join communities; and the ability to tag, organise and manage your own resources.

    For further details, see our Why Register? page.

  5. 5What is the Knowledge Services Group?

    The NHS Education for Scotland Knowledge Services Group provides a national strategic and policy framework, leadership, resources and tools to widen access to knowledge and promote competence in its use, to help to improve Scotland's health and healthcare. A more detailed introduction is available here.

     

  6. 6How do I contact Knowledge Services Group?

    Please send us an email via the Contact Us page. Your email will be forwarded to an appropriate member of our team.

  7. 7Will you visit our organisation?

    We offer training events both online and face-to-face.  Contact us and we will look into the possibility of a training event for your organisation.

  8. 8What is Information Literacy?

    An information literate person can recognise an information need and is able to apply the set of transferable skills, attitudes and behaviours needed to find, retrieve, assess, manage and apply information in any situation, throughout life.

    Information literacy supports individual and organisational learning, creativity and innovation and contributes to improved healthcare delivery through a continuously evolving, reliable information base.*

    Three key resources to help with Information Literacy:

    *Definition taken from the IL portal homepage. Visit the portal and the framework booklets for further information.

     

  9. 9What is a portal?

    A portal is a web page or web site which acts as an entrance or gateway to other sites and resources.

    The Knowledge Network enables access to a large number of portals for a diverse range of clinical and professional groups. Examples include The Admin Centre and Social Services Knowledge Scotland.

    Within The Knowledge Network, portals are sometimes refered to as Community websites, Managed Knowledge Networks or MKNs.

  10. 10What is tagging?

    Tags are keywords of your choice selected and associated with a resource. They enable you to mark items you find on the Internet with your own labels. This labelling allows you to group related resources so that you can retrieve them more easily in the future.

    Tags are similar to Bookmarks and Favourites but have the added benefit that they can be shared.

    In The Knowledge Network, resources can be tagged and organised within Communities and My Resource Space sections.

    For more information, please see our Tagging help page.

     

  11. 11What is SFX?

    SFX is an OpenURL linking resolver that allows you to link directly to the electronic full-text of a reference as well as other options such as document delivery services, online catalogues and reference management software.

    An SFX target icon against references will open up a new window and display information on where to access the full-text of the reference.

  12. 12What is SHELCAT?


    Shelcat refers to the Scottish Health Libraries Catalogue, at www.shelcat.org. By extension, it has become the umbrella name for those libraries who are using the Aleph library management system provided by NHS Education for Scotland, and which generates this online catalogue. While library services remain independent of each other across Boards and services, this collaborative project is what defines them as ‘Shelcat libraries'.

    These library services have a working agreement that they will share resources, thus significantly increasing the range of books available to their users. Working in partnership on a single system enables greater scope for identifying and circulating stock, now estimated at 150,000 items across the 50 library sites.

    The decision to join the project is taken by the Boards and services themselves, with the first phase of implemantations in 2008, and further services joining in 2009. The next phase of new implementations is expected to begin in 2011.

    Below is the current list of Shelcat libraries. If you are eligible to join one of these libraries, you will receive a Shelcat library card upon completion of a membership application form. Please contact your local library service direct with any further queries.

     

    Shelcat libraries

    NHS Ayrshire & Arran
    - Ailsa Hospital
    - Ayr Hospital
    - Crosshouse Hospital

    NHS Dumfries & Galloway 
    - Crichton Hall
    - D&G Royal Infirmary

    NHS Fife
    - Fife Health Promotion
    - Fife Public Health
    - Lynebank Hospital
    - Queen Margaret Hospital
    - Stratheden Hospital
    - Victoria Hospital

    NHS Forth Valley
    - Forth Valley Royal Hospital
    - Forth Valley Health Promotion
    - Stirling Royal Infirmary

    NHS Grampian
    - Chalmer's Hospital
    - Cornhill Hospital
    - Dr Gray's Hospital
    - Raeden Centre
    - Woodend Hospital

    NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
    - Vale of Leven Hospital

    NHS Highland
    - Lorn & Islands Hospital

    NHS Lanarkshire
    - Hairmyres Hospital
    - Lanarkshire Health Promotion
    - Monklands Hospital
    - Wishaw Hospital

    NHS Lothian
    - Astley Ainslie Hospital
    - Royal Hospital for Sick Children

    NHS Orkney
    - Balfour Hospital

    NHS Shetland
    - Shetland Staff Development (Montfield)

    NHS Tayside
    - Carseview Centre
    - Murray Royal Hospital
    - Roxburghe House
    - Sunnyside Royal Hospital

     

    NHS National Services
    - Health Management Library
    - ISD Library Services
    - Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service
    - NHS 24
    - NHS Quality Improvement Scotland

    Non-NHS Partner Services
    - Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
    - Dementia Services Development Centre
    - MND Scotland
    - SCLD Library
    - Capability Scotland
    - Down's Syndrome Scotland
    - ENABLE Scotland
    - PAMIS Library