INDEPTH
Connections, opportunities and development – the power of being part of the network
Two years out from graduating in her MSc in Information and Library Studies, Elizabeth Carney explains how she has been able to seek out development opportunities by staying connected to the wider profession.
I CURRENTLY work as a Librarian for NHS Forth Valley, based in Larbert, Scotland. I started this post in January 2021 so it is relatively new for me however I have learnt and done a lot in this short period of time. I have really been able to immerse myself in the role and am thoroughly enjoying it! My first library post was as a Library Assistant at the University of Glasgow. I then undertook an MSc in Information and Library Studies at the University of Strath- clyde. Being an ILS student was an extremely rewarding experience and, following a year of hard work, I was excited to graduate in 2019. I then worked as a Graduate Trainee for CILIP, based in the CILIP Scotland (CILIPS) team, before moving on to my current post. I am very grateful to have had three fantastic roles that have interested me, challenged me, and which I have genu- inely enjoyed.
A focus on health
I spent a lot of time in my public library as a child. I borrowed as many books as I could at a time, took part in the summer reading challenge each year, and visited after school to use the PCs. I think this introduction to libraries at a young age is what inspired me to join the profession. I realised early on what important places libraries are, full of opportunities to explore, learn, and
24 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL
Elizabeth Carney (@emcarney94) is a Librarian for NHS Forth Vallley Library Services.
connect, and I wanted to be a part of that. Undertaking two health library placements within NHS Scotland during my MSc then helped me narrow down the type of library I wanted to work in.
Throughout my time at university, I enjoyed conducting literature reviews and research, and always loved the challenge of finding the perfect articles to inform my thinking. I was therefore excited by health librarianship. I liked that there was a focus on supporting evidence-based practice, helping users to navigate databases to find information, and, in particular, that conducting and providing training on liter- ature searches was a key aspect of the role. I am thankful that I was able to gain this
July-August 2021
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