Overview
The Library is based at Darent Valley Hospital and offers a wide range of service and resources to support NHS staff and students on placement.
Most resources can be accessed or found by searching on the library catalogue or the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub:
Useful Links & Information
To further enhance access to library resources, the library has the following:
- access to books from the RNIB Bookshare scheme (Royal National Institute of Blind People) – books for colleagues with a neurodiverse condition, blind and partially sighted. Click here to find out more.
- a dedicated computer with specialist software for converting text to speech (or vice versa) – (Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking software)
- an electric height adjustable computer desk – (which is bookable)
- page overlays in assorted colours (216 mm x 298 mm) available to be borrowed
- longer book loan periods; beyond the usual four weeks
- provision of coloured paper for printing or photocopying when required
- assistance with retrieving books off the shelves during the library’s staffed hours (Monday - Friday; 9am to 4.30pm)
Comb binding
Need your presentation, dissertation or document bound? The library offers a document binding service for NHS staff and students on placement.
Completion time: Please allow up to two working days.
Price per item bound (maximum no. of sheets 100)
-
1-100 sheets £3.00
-
Includes transparent PVC covers.
-
Page Insertion £1.00
Paper or photo laminating
Need a sheet or photo laminating? Then use our laminating service.
-
Laminate A4 or A3 sheets. £1 per sheet irrespective of size.
Sheets of any size or shape can be laminated providing they are no bigger than A3/A4 size. You can then simply trim off any surplus laminate.
NOTE: Sheets thicker than 1mm cannot be laminated.
Library catalogue
Click here to access the library catalogue.
You can now search the collections of all NHS health libraries in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, including DVH Library. To request an item, contact us, and we'll try to obtain it for you. Items can also be renewed online—just ask us for your PIN.
Books
The library has a collection of over 8,000 books that covers most medical and nursing topics. We also have a range of management and personal development books covering topics such as NVQs, European Languages, IT & study guides. To request a book simply complete the online book request form.
eBooks
The library has a selection of ebooks available to download via Kortext. Click here to find out more.
Select 'Sign in to browse your institution library'; search for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust in the drop-down list and then sign in with your OpenAthens id.
Click on Collections' to view available titles. Select a cover to read a title you are interested in. It will now be available for a limited time on your virtual bookshelf.
Journals
Some journals are available in full text electronically via OpenAthens. To find out which journals are available electronically you can search the Journals A-Z and login with your Openathens id to see all those available to you and follow the links from there.
If we don’t have what you’re looking for here, we can usually get it from somewhere else. Items can be requested from other NHS libraries in the region or from non-NHS sources such as the British Library. For standard requests there is no charge but any subsequent charges made by external libraries such as for renewals or overdues will be passed on to the borrower in full.
Library Charges
Article supply: Free for NHS work and educational purposes. Copyright and license restrictions may apply.
- For books etc borrowed from stock belonging to the Library at Darent Valley Hospital: There are no overdue fines or renewal fees. However, the cost of replacing lost or damaged items will be charged to you, the borrower, at full publishers list price plus a £5 administration charge for each item.
- For books borrowed from EXTERNAL libraries such as the British Library the initial loan is free, but any subsequent charges made by external libraries such as for renewals, overdue fines, or replacement of non-returned items will be passed onto you, the borrower, IN FULL.
Clinical librarians provide evidence from research to support best practice, providing a mobile library service in the clinical setting and attending a variety of clinical meetings, ward rounds and clinics. Clinical Librarians support departmental journal clubs, provid information skills and critical appraisal training on the wards, and work closely with clinicians and their departments to provide a library service tailored to that department and their needs.
The service supports all clinical staff at all levels by:
- Providing the best evidence to support patient care
- Providing evidence for research, audit and guideline production
- Delivering formal and informal information skills training
- Supporting journal clubs
Advantages:
- Clinician time saved on searches
- Professional librarian expertise
- Promoting evidence-based practice
- Supporting a learning culture
If you would like to find out more information, or arrange a visit to you or your team, please contact Genny Franklin or Christine Williams in the library on ext 8548 or email: dgn-tr.library@nhs.net
Computer access
The Library has freely available PCs which can be used for Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.) or for searching the Internet. You will need your own hospital network password to log on.
A PC may be booked for a 3 hour period (with a minimum of 24 hours notice) if you need assurance of availability at a particular time. Contact the Library to make your booking.
Printing & Photocopying
A copier is available for printing from the PCs and for photocopying. This is free for copying or printing for NHS work or education purposes, although limits may apply.
Scanning
The Library also has a scanner that can be accessed via the main printer/photocopier.
Notes:
- Users of copying equipment must observe copyright and license restrictions.
- The Library does not undertake copying or printing on behalf of individuals or departments, other than for the supply of published material.
Enquiries and Literature Searches :: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
Are you working on audits, quality improvement projects, business cases, or patient care guidelines and need supporting evidence? Whether you're searching for clinical or non-clinical information or studying for professional development, our library staff can help by conducting thorough literature searches on any healthcare-related topic.
These searches can provide you with the evidence you need to enhance decision-making, improve patient outcomes, and support your work.
When requesting a search, please provide as much detail as possible to ensure we deliver the most accurate and relevant results.
Please note that searches can take up to 5 working days to complete.
If you would like to improve or refresh your knowledge on searching (or referencing), why not take a look at the training sessions we offer: Information skills training :: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (dgt.nhs.uk)
The Trust now has a Clinical Librarian working within the Library, if you would be interested in finding out how our Clinical Librarian can help you in your department then please contact us for more information.
Portable display screen, Data projector and Training laptops
These are available to book for specific dates by direct employees of the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust for presentations or training. These must be booked in advance and can be loaned for up to three days at a time.
Laptops and iPads
The library has 3 loanable laptops which can be booked in advance or on the day. These laptops are overnight loans only and will need to be returned the following morning (with the exception of loaning on a Friday, whereby the laptop will be due Monday morning).
The library also has 10 iPads available to loan (again can be booked in advance or on the day). iPad loans are for the day only and will need to be returned before the library closes at 4:30pm.
Library membership needed to loan items.
Membership
Library Membership Form :: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
Staff at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust are eligible to join the library.
Staff at other local NHS Trusts, students and trainees on placement within the local health economy may be entitled to discretionary membership – contact the library for further information.
To become a member of the Library simply complete a membership form either online or printable.
Click here for the printable application form.
Borrowing
10 items can be borrowed for a period of 4 weeks.
Items can be renewed by phone, email or in person.
Items can also be renewed via the Internet on the library catalogue at https://kss.koha-ptfs.co.uk/. To make use of this service you will need to know your PIN. Ask if you are not sure how to do this.
Please note:
- The final decision on whether requests for loans from external libraries are accepted rests entirely with the staff of the library at Darent Valley Hospital. At the library staff’s discretion, such a request may be turned down, for example, because it is being submitted too close to the requestor’s leaving date, or there have been previous problems with the return of loans by the requestor.
- The external library supplying an item for loan may set its own restrictions that the DVH Library is obliged to apply.
Library access out of hours
It may be possible for library members to gain access out of hours – for further information please ask in the library.
The library has an external out of hours returns box located on the main street by the library entrance that can be used to return your library books out of hours.
Take a look at our padlets to find resources for a particular staff group or subject area:
- Resources for Healthcare Support Workers
- Leadership & Management Resources
- Resources for Allied Health Professionals
- Resources for Midwives
- Resources for Nurses
- A selection of papers & books by DGT staff
- Resources for Doctors
- Support for your education, learning, study and CPD
- Library & Knowledge Services for DGT Staff at QMH
- Library Services & Resources available to Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust