Summary
As a Digital Systems Librarian you will deliver a high-quality, proactive and professional service.
Digital Systems Librarians have responsibility for maintaining and managing the specialist knowledge and library digital systems, resources and infrastructure to enable healthcare staff and learners to access the evidence base to inform their practice and learning. This might will include:
- Liaising with digital content and systems providers, troubleshooting any issues, evaluating resources, and providing statistical reports.
- Ensuring that all digital knowledge resources such as databases, journals, e-books, point of care tools and other online resources are easily discoverable and accessible to staff and students.
- Proactively exploring and using the latest and emerging technologies and AI to improve access to digital evidence-based content.
- Managing, designing, and maintaining the knowledge and library website and intranet pages to facilitate access to knowledge and library resources and services.
- Implementing and maintaining knowledge and evidence repositories
Work Activity Components
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Analytical classification and coding (ANCC) (Level 2) | Accurately assigns classifications/labels to low complexity information under supervision. Understands and applies relevant classification/labelling systems, standards, and guidelines. Participates in quality assurance activities such as peer review or supervisor checks. |
| Analytical classification and coding (ANCC) (Level 3) | Independently assigns accurate classifications/labels to a broad range of information. Interprets complex information and chooses appropriate classifications/labels. Participates in team quality improvement initiatives. Provides advice and guidance on classification/labelling to others. |
| Learning delivery (ETDL) (Level 3) | Teaches, instructs, and/or trains students/learners in order to develop knowledge, techniques and skills using appropriate methods, tools, online environments, equipment and materials. The students may be of differing levels of ability and potentially have minimal experience of IT. |
| Learning delivery (ETDL) (Level 4) | Teaches, instructs and/or trains students/learners in order to develop knowledge, techniques and skills using appropriate methods, tools, online environments, equipment and materials. The students are likely to be of differing levels of ability and to have some understanding of the application of IT |
| Learning delivery (ETDL) (Level 5) | Manages the delivery of programmes of learning to ensure learning objectives are met. Plans and schedules the delivery of learning activities. Leads the design and selection of appropriate environments to support and enhance the learning experience. Customises learning activities incorporating relevant scenarios and case studies. Delivers learning activities to specialist audiences requiring the application of advanced technical and professional principles to unpredictable situations. Advises others in learning delivery techniques and options. Evaluates and monitors the performance of learning delivery activities. |
Behavioural Skills
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Analytical Thinking | Acquiring a proper understanding of a problem or situation by breaking it down systematically into its component parts and identifying the relationships between these parts. Selecting the appropriate method/tool to resolve the problem and reflecting critically on the result, so that what is learnt is identified and assimilated. |
| Attention to Detail | Applying specific quality standards to all tasks undertaken to ensure that deliverables are accurate and complete. |
| Critical Thinking | The ability to think clearly and rationally; review and evaluation of processes and outputs; the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking; reasoned thinking involving critique. |
| Customer Focus | Understanding the needs of the internal or external customer and keeping these in mind when taking actions or making decisions. |
| Decision Making | Making decisions at the appropriate time, taking into account the needs of the situation, priorities, constraints, known risks, and the availability of necessary information and resources. |
| Flexibility | Taking account of new information or changed circumstances and/or business requirements and modifying response to a problem or situation accordingly. |
| Goal Orientation | Maintaining focus on agreed objectives and deliverables. |
| Initiative | Being proactive, anticipating opportunities for systems, service or product improvement or development and taking appropriate action(s). |
| Leadership | Clearly articulating goals and objectives, and motivating and leading others towards their achievement. |
| Organisational Awareness | Understanding the hierarchy and culture of own, customer, supplier and partner organisations and being able to identify the decision makers and influencers. |
| Persistence | Meeting targets, acting and/or fulfilling agreements even when adverse circumstances prevail. |
| Planning and Organisation | Determining a course of action by breaking it down into smaller steps and by planning and resourcing each of these, making allowance for potential problems and escalating if necessary. |
| Providing Direction | Directing others to undertake specified tasks within a defined timescale. |
| Resilience | Demonstrates resilience when working under pressure, displaying a calm and rational approach to the task at hand. |
| Teamwork | Working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal. |
| Verbal Expression | Communicating effectively using the spoken word. |
| Written Expression | Communicating effectively in writing, such as reports and via emails. |
Professional Development Activity (PDA)
| Title | Details | PDA Group |
|---|---|---|
| Community of Practice | Contributing to and leading communities of practice to enable the exchange of knowledge for healthcare knowledge and library staff with an interest in specific topics. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Deputising | Standing in for supervisor or manager on a temporary basis during periods of absence. | Broadening Activities |
| Education/Learning Delivery | Lecturing, tutoring, coaching, formally or informally, in area of own expertise. Developing policy, implementing and maintaining online interactive and collaborative learning delivery skills and assessments. | Participation in Professional Activities |
| Ethics and Values | Underpinning healthcare ethics and values by providing the best available evidence at the right time, in the right place, to inform decision-making and enable better outcomes for patients and populations. | Developing Professional Skills |
| Evidence Based Practitioner | Keeping up to date with good practice, innovation and appropriate evidence. Ensuring changes to everyday knowledge and library practice are informed by appropriate evidence and professional knowledge. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Facilitation skills | Methods and techniques for managing (or facilitating) a meeting or group session (both face-to-face and online) and then through a series of planned activities. | Developing Professional Skills |
| Gaining Knowledge of Broader IT Issues | Increasing and maintaining currency of knowledge of broader IT issues through reading, attending and participating in seminars or conferences, special studies, temporary assignments etc. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Job Shadowing and Special Assignments | Undertaking temporary periods or secondments in other roles, particularly those that offer a new perspective on own function or exposure to other environments and cultures. | Broadening Activities |
| Leadership development | Developing leadership skills, understanding leadership styles and approaches and growing self-awareness and emotional intelligence as a leader. This will require both on and off-the-job learning and may require participation in an appropriate development programme such as an NHS Leadership Academy Leadership Programme or ILM/CMI Chartered Management qualification. | Developing Professional Skills |
| Mentoring | Acting as a mentor, advising those for whom there is no direct responsibility, on matters to do with their job role, career and professional development. | Broadening Activities |
| Negotiating and Influencing | Undertaking learning and practice of negotiating with and influencing others. | Developing Professional Skills |
| Organisational and environmental context | Understanding organisational priorities and challenges identified by the executive team. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Participation in Professional Body Affairs | Taking an active part in professional body affairs at branch, specialist group, committee or board level. | Participation in Professional Activities |
| Professional development and reflective practice | Reflecting on practice and being self-aware about performance. | Developing Professional Skills |
| Project Assignments | Participating in a project team, working group or task force established to deliver a solution to a specific problem or issue - especially valuable if the group is inter-disciplinary. | Broadening Activities |
| Research Assignments | Exploring a topic which is not part of own normal responsibilities and presenting findings to colleagues and/or management | Increasing Knowledge |
| Team Working | Undertaking learning and practice in the techniques of team and collaborative working. Gaining an understanding of the underlying concepts. | Developing Professional Skills |
| Wider library, data, information and knowledge sector context | Networking across the healthcare economy, both information providers, data analysts and health informaticists, to support shared learning and joint working. | Participation in Professional Activities |
Qualification Components
| Title | Awarding Bodies |
|---|---|
| Chartered Member CILIP | Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals |
| Graduate or Post-Graduate level qualification in Library and Information Studies (or equivalent) | Higher Education |
| FEDIP Senior Practitioner | The Federation for Informatics Professionals |
GKIM Skills Framework Skills
| Skill | Level |
|---|---|
|
OR10 | Risk management Understanding and mitigating risk (for example, as part of a project led by your team). |
OR10 | Working OR10 | Risk management 1.Demonstrate an ability to follow departmental risk management policies and procedures to assess GKIM-related risks. |
|
IT05 | Information security Developing a good understanding of information security principles. |
IT05 | Working IT05 | Information security 1.Follow best practice on information security, such as storing documents on the right system within the organisation and regularly checking settings. |
|
CE13 | Informal learning Facilitating informal learning (for example, through knowledge cafes). |
CE13 | Working CE13 | Informal learning 1.Identify the need for informal learning. 2.Develop some of the learning material for users. |
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework Skills
| Skill | Level |
|---|---|
|
Business process improvement Business process improvement involves analysing and modifying existing and new processes to make them more efficient. |
Working Business process improvement You can:
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Problem management Problem management involves anticipating and identifying problems in systems, processes or services, and ensuring appropriate solutions are implemented. |
Working Problem management You can:
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Knowledge, Library and Information Management Framework
| Skill | Level |
|---|---|
|
1.1 Collection management |
1.1 Collection management | Level 2 - Assist I can apply collection management policies to support collection development. I can maintain the collection, including reviewing currency and relevancy of resources. |
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2.1 Data management |
2.1 Data management | Level 4 - Enable I can provide strategic oversight to the management of data to inform business and research decisions. I can use data to inform service improvements. I can establish services to assist others to use data. |
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2.9 AI and algorithmic literacy |
2.9 AI and algorithmic literacy | Level 4 - Enable I can contribute to organisational policy to encourage effective use of AI and mitigate organisational and healthcare system risks. I can devise training programmes and influence organisational culture to encourage adoption of emerging technologies such as AI. I can strategically plan and develop systems to ensure that organisational information, knowledge assets and data sets are organised and maintained to facilitate reliable use by AI. I can provide professional advice to the healthcare system about the application of machine learning (ML), large language models (LLM), development of bespoke agents and other AI technologies. I can measure the efficiencies to be gained from such technologies and balance this with the risks to the organisation and how they can be mitigated. .(CKO) |
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2.10 Data stewardship |
2.10 Data stewardship | Level 4 - Enable I can contribute to organisational policies about the interoperability of data sets. I can advise organisations about understanding and protecting data privacy. I can inform healthcare organisations and systems about the importance of maintaining accurate data, organisational responsibilities and risk management in relation to data privacy. |
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3.3 Information retrieval |
3.3 Information retrieval | Level 4 - Enable I can identify evidence based information needs by working in an embedded way alongside healthcare and public health teams. I can formulate and carry out complex and comprehensive evidence searches across bibliographic databases, information resources and organisational knowledge assets. I can evaluate, select and present the evidence search results to inform healthcare and public health staff decision making. I can rapidly transfer knowedge into policy and practice through the development and delivery of horizon scans, personalised alerts and current awareness bulletins to keep health and public health staff up to date with the latest resarch . |
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3.6 Information appraisal |
3.6 Information appraisal | Level 3 - Apply I can understand and apply information appraisal skills to evidence searches. I can provide training to staff and learners on how to appraise evidence and information, I can advise staff and learners how to appraise AI generated information. |
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3.7 Abstracting and summarising |
3.7 Abstracting and summarising | Level 3 - Apply I can understand how to provide a summary of evidence at both document and aggregated level. I can carry out basic summary of evidence search results. I can effectively use AI technologies to assist with abstracting and summarising, complying with legal requirements. |
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4.1 Information governance |
4.1 Information governance | Level 4 - Enable I can ensure effective information governance processes and compliance with organisational policies and legal requirements for the handling of data and information for knowledge and library services. I can ensure knowledge and library systems are fully compliant with information governance requirements. This includes completing Data Protection Impact Assessments and having responsibilities as the Senior Information Rick Owner for knowledge and library service inforamtion assets. |
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4.3 Copyright, intellectual property and licensing |
4.3 Copyright, intellectual property and licensing | Level 4 - Enable I can advise the organisation on compliance with information legislation and guidance including licensing, intellectual property, open access and copyright . I can provide assurance to the organisation that use of information resources is maximised within the limits of licensing regulations. I can oversee organistional compliance with local copyright licensing arrangements. |
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5.1 Information management |
5.1 Information management | Level 4 - Enable I can provide strategic oversight to the organisation about information management. I can set standards and share best practice to advise upon the storage, co-creation, access and dissemination of organisational information on a range of platforms such as intranets, internets, SharePoint, repositories and discovery systems. |
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5.4 Metadata |
5.4 Metadata | Level 3 - Apply I can create and structure metadata to describe organisational information and digital knowledge resources to make them easier for healthcare and public health staff and learners to find and use. I can apply the principles of metadata to identify provenance, improve the recall and manage retention and disposal of organisational information. |
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5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies |
5.5 Classification schemes and taxonomies | Level 4 - Enable I can provide subject matter expertise on how to organise data, information and organisational knowledge within digital systems using classification schemes and taxonomies so that it is stored effectively and is easier to find and use for evidence?based decision making. |
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5.8 Subject indexing |
5.8 Subject indexing | Level 4 - Enable I can apply pre-existing schemes such as Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and produce modifications and alternative systematic arrangement of terms to aid the retrieval of various specialist collections of information, organisational knowledge and resources I can make improvements to pre-defined schemes such as Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to ensure they remain relevant for use with local collections and reflect evolving language, culture, terminology and are suited to local needs I can develop thesauri and controlled vocabularies to demonstrate the inter-relationship between terms. I can advise the organisation on effective application of subject headings and maintain standards to ensure organisational information can be easily located. |
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5.10 Cataloguing and resource description |
5.10 Cataloguing and resource description | Level 4 - Enable I can develop and apply policies, formats and guidance to create accurate catalogue records and resource descriptions of knowledge resources. I can act as a subject matter expert in cataloguing and resource description for colleagues across a healthcare system. I can ensure the quality of catalogue records and check that standards are maintained across various systems. |
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7.1 Information literacy |
7.1 Information literacy | Level 2 - Assist I can assess the quality and validate information sources in my area of work. I can appraise and evaluate information when answering enquiries. I can provide basic assistance to healthcare and public health staff and learners on how to evaluate information and misinformation. |
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7.8 Learning environments |
7.8 Learning environments | Level 3 - Apply I can develop policies to ensure the library learning space is suitable and accessible for all staff and learners. I can ensure an appropriate environment to nurture study, innovation and wellbeing for staff and learners. I can develop and maintain digital resources and digital learning space. I can lead on delivering inductions to staff and learners on the availability, how to access and use the library learning space and resources |
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8.1 Records management |
8.1 Records management | Level 3 - Apply I can assist the organisation to curate, preserve and archive critical knowledge according to records management policies and processes. |
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9.9 Research support |
9.9 Research support | Level 2 - Assist I can refer research enquiries to the appropriate member of my team or network following internal procedures and guidance. I can assist healthcare staff and learners to access and use research discovery tools and library resources. I can assist with the management of a research repository. I can assist learners with managing references and citations advising on reference management tools |
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10.1 Customer service skills |
10.1 Customer service skills | Level 3 - Apply I can apply customer service skills in answering complex enquiries I can resolve conflicts and difficult situations whilst being mindful to retain a positive customer experience. I can apply my knowledge of customer service needs to deliver improvements to enquiry services and inform customer service standards. |
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10.5 Service innovation, development and design |
10.5 Service innovation, development and design | Level 3 - Apply I can apply quality improvement methodology to knowledge and library service innovation, developments and improvement. I can monitor knowledge and library service activity, key perfomance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to identify areas for service innovation , development and design. I can execute complex evidence searches to support decision making and inform service innovation, development and design. |
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10.8 Marketing |
10.8 Marketing | Level 3 - Apply I can collaborate with organisational teams to take a targeted approach to ensuring that staff and learners are aware of the knowledge and library services that will meet their evidence needs. I can use a range of marketing techniques, including user experience (UX) and developing personas, to identify staff and learner needs to inform service development / development of a service marketing plan. I can maintain an awareness of the unique user profiles of different groups, using metrics, data and feedback to shape service and delivery. I can design and promote the knowledge service offer taking account of the user experience. |
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11.1 Leadership skills |
11.1 Leadership skills | Level 3 - Apply I can apply a range of leadership skills, self-awareness and emotional intelligence in effectively delivering knowledge and library services. I can deliver knowledge and library services and contribute expertise to healthcare teams enabling them to deliver improved healthcare outcomes. I can use my area of specialism to deliver knowledge and library services and contribute to strategic plans. I can contribute to the development of the strategic direction for the service. |
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11.2 Advocacy |
11.2 Advocacy | Level 3 - Apply I can ensure visibility of specialist knowledge and library services across the organisation I can influence stakeholders and staff to raise the profile of the impact and benefits of knowledge and library services |
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11.3 Demonstrating value and impact |
11.3 Demonstrating value and impact | Level 3 - Apply I can work with a range of healthcare teams to identify and collect qualitative and quantitative data to demonstrate the impact of knowledge and library services on health and public health teams and organisations. I can demonstrate the impact and value of the delivery of specialist skills to raise the profile and support embedding of evidence and knowledge into practice. |
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11.6 Partnership development |
11.6 Partnership development | Level 3 - Apply I can work collaboratively and form partnerships to develop and expand delivery of services to meet identified knowledge and evidence needs of staff, learners and the organisation. |
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12.1 Strategic planning |
12.1 Strategic planning | Level 3 - Apply I can contribute to the development and implementation of strategic priorities for the knowledge and library service that align with organisational aims and objectives. |
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12.2 Business planning |
12.2 Business planning | Level 3 - Apply I can contribute specialist knowledge to the development of business plans for the knowledge and library service. I can collect and analyse service and resource data and draw conclusions to inform strategic business planning. |
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12.3 Operational planning |
12.3 Operational planning | Level 3 - Apply I can use national guidance to inform and write local guidance to ensure the effective delivery of services. I can resolve issues with resources or facilities, escalating serious concerns within the organisation as required. I can contribute to risk registers for my service area and take responsibility for key areas to maintain continuity of services. |
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12.7 People management |
12.7 People management | Level 3 - Apply I can support the recruitment and development of members of my team. I can provide specialist training and development to grow the skills and knowledge of my team. I can mentor and coach my team colleagues to continually improve the delivery of services. |
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12.8 Financial management |
12.8 Financial management | Level 4 - Enable I can effectively apply knowledge and skills to perform a range of finance management techniques, budget planning, financial forecasting and business case development. I can apply understanding and expert knowledge of procurement of resources and contract management. I can ensure management responsibility for the knowledge and library service budget for staffing, services and resources. I can understand and apply organisational financial operating procedures. I can prepare business cases to bid for additional funding to deliver the strategic priorities of the service. |
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12.12 Change management |
12.12 Change management | Level 3 - Apply I can support stakeholders to use evidence and knowledge to inform organisational transformation activities. I can ensure that successful delivery of change programmes are informed by an evidence-base and transfer of knowledge. |
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13.2 Exploiting technology |
13.2 Exploiting technology | Level 4 - Enable I can design, implement and evaluate current and emerging technologies and digital systems for the exploitation and use of organisational knowledge. I can oversee content management systems, knowledge repositories and maintain and manage digital resources and services. I can use my subject matter expertise to advise the organisation or healthcare systems on the suitability and application of digital technologies, to inform commissioning, conformity to inter-operable standards and customisation to meet user needs. I can scope digital skills and fluency requirements of healthcare staff, learners and the public so they can effectively use technology to inform healthcare decisions. I can act as a human bridge between people and technology so people can build their confidence and maximise their use of digital technologies. |
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13.3 Library, information and knowledge technologies |
13.3 Library, information and knowledge technologies | Level 4 - Enable I can set-up, build and optimise knowledge, information and library systems to streamline the delivery of knowledge and library services. I can advise the healthcare organisation about which knowledge, information or library system is best suited to perform a particular task. I can define data-entry and system standards for a variety of knowledge, information and library systems to aid interoperability. I can ensure system compliance and accuracy and mitigate risks to system performance. I can use specialised programming languages to create reports and manage system performance. |
The Professional Body Responsible for this job family is CILIP. This job role profile was created in collaboration with BCS, using Role Model Plus.