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Social Policy & Practice: a UK Information Resource Alan Gomersall UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice

Social Policy & Practice: a UK Information Resource Alan Gomersall UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice. UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice. www.evidencenetwork.org 6 years providing information, guidance and help to social science researchers and practitioners

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Social Policy & Practice: a UK Information Resource Alan Gomersall UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice

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  1. Social Policy & Practice: a UK Information ResourceAlan GomersallUK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice

  2. UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice www.evidencenetwork.org • 6 years providing information, guidance and help to social science researchers and practitioners • Training in information retrieval, systematic reviewing & critical appraisal: social workers; PGs; local & central government officers; academics; charity and voluntary sectors; consultancies; research institutes

  3. What have we found? (1) • Social workers: no access/no training/ no knowledge/no money • PGs: excellent access/varied training/little knowledge • Local/central government officers: limited access/no knowledge/no training/no money • Academics: excellent access/little knowledge/refuse training • All use Google; some use Google Scholar

  4. What have we found (2)Most users limit their searching to databasesproduced in the USMost users only know about three sources – always US producedFew users know any UK databases except IBSSNone have heard of : Childdata, AgeInfo, Planex, Urbadoc, SCO, DrugData, NSCPP Inform, etc

  5. What have others found? Resource Information Network Survey: • 60% of academics use Google; only 20% use databases • Academics are ‘conservative’ in their choice of databases • Many only know of Web of Knowledge (strong American bias) • Little use of databases produced in UK

  6. Why? UK databases: • poor platforms/confusing front ends • Difficult to use; limited facilities • No money for marketing • No government support • Too small to attract CSA/Ovid • Fluctuating content

  7. Why not?UK Databases • Unique content • Practice & research journal coverage • Coverage of grey literature/government reports and policy documents/charities’ literature • Supporting libraries for document supply • Some full text material

  8. The solution • Persuade the major UK database producers to merge • Find a vendor • Obtain government funding to launch a new database • Persuade JISC to ‘offer’ it to the FE/HE sectors

  9. Pathway to a new database July 2005: meeting of Ovid and CSA and five database producers: Planex, AgeInfo, ChildData, Urbadoc and Social Care Online Agreement to merge social care/social policy, family welfare, health care/health policy, housing policy, etc content of the five databases CSA and Ovid to produce terms and conditions, financial data, etc

  10. The lead up to the launchCSA fails to respond after first meeting; panic sets in!Ovid does respond and further meetings held during autumn 2005Sample data sent to Ovid for trials – problems of different formats and field codes etc resolvedContracts drawn upNCB withdraws just before contract is signedLaunch to go ahead in December 2005 with free trials for one month

  11. Launch of Social Policy & Practice • December 2005: new database launched – but without ChildData • Loaded onto the Ovid Silverplatter platform • British Library agrees to fund first year Ovid costs of the merger in return for document supply • January 2006: first subscribers join but no academic institutions

  12. Training events SPP included in all Locating the Evidence workshops sponsored by SCIE and run by UK Centre for EBPP SPP included in all training events run by the Centre for academics and central government officers SPP included in ILRT sponsored seminars

  13. Where is Social Policy & Practice now? • London universities taking out subscriptions • Regional health trusts subscribing • Other bodies either subscribing or using the Ovid free trial facility • NCB in discussions with the four producers for ChildData to join SPP during 2007 • Royalty payments now exceeding annual costs of loading on Ovid platform

  14. What does SPP offer? • Excellent coverage of the very broad field of social care/policy, health care/policy and housing policy • A UK database on an international platform alongside IBSS and other social science databases • Tool for both researchers and practitioners • Comprehensive document supply back up from the BL • 200,000 plus abstracted records mainly of UK research & practice

  15. Evidence Network Website The website of the UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice • www.evidencenetwork.org

  16. Contains:- • Evidence based policy and practice bibliography • Key information resources – databases, gateways • Centre research projects • Newsletter for Associates • EBPP Associates list • E-mail facility for Associates’ enquiries • Document supply information • Breaking News and Events and Training • Details of events and training courses

  17. Accessing Social Policy & Practice • Ovid platform http://web5.silverplatter.com/webspirs/start.ws id:tr194419 password: summer

  18. UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice Alan Gomersall King’s College London alan.gomersall@kcl.ac.uk

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