NHS Library Quality Assurance Framework
(LQAF) England
GUIDANCE ON USING THE FORM / a)b)
c) / Use one form for each innovation you wish to report.
Use the Tab key to move through the form.
Press the Enter key in a grey text box to add another line.
Refer to LQAFAppendix 1 Recognising and Rewarding Innovation in NHS Health Library/Knowledge Servicesfor further information.
NHS LIBRARY/KNOWLEDGE SERVICE
LQAF INNOVATION REPORT
1. Details of the Library/Knowledge Service
Name of Service: / Northeast Libraries Alliance
Address of Service: / c/o Education Centre Library
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust
Wansbeck Hospital
Ashington
Northumberland
NE63 9JJ
Strategic Health Authority / Click to select from drop-down list:
NHS East Midlands NHS London NHS North East NHS North West NHS South Central NHS South East Coast NHS South West NHS West Midlands NHS Yorkshire and the Humber NHS East of England
- Category of Innovation
GUIDANCE:
The 4 categories of innovation used in the LQAF that you can report against are:
Product Innovation - product innovation concerns a product or service that is new or significantly improved. This includes significant improvements in content, mode of delivery, user friendliness or other functional characteristics.
Process innovation - process innovation concerns a new or significantly improved way of producing or delivering a service or product. This could include significant changes in techniques, equipment and/or software.
Marketing Innovation - marketing innovation is about new marketing methods involving new or significantly improved ways of marketing or promoting a library service or product.
Organisational Innovation - this involves introducing a new or improved way of organizing or managing the library service, including working in partnership with other services, to increase overall performance and productivity.
Click to select category from drop-down list / This report concerns:
Product innovation Process innovation Marketing innovation Organisational innovation
- Rationale for the Innovation
This is where you should describe the innovation in detail, explain why you consider it is innovative and provide evidence to support your assertion.
a. Describe the innovation. / An innovative marketing campaign featuring superhero librarians was developed for all NHS libraries in the North East SHA. It offered a vibrant and consistent regional image for NHS libraries to promote their services and drive up new and active membership across all staff groups.
The campaign consisted of eyecatching promotional materials and engagement with all levels of library staff to hold 'library week' events to promote the 'new look'and encourage participation, particularly from under-represented staff groups.
b. Explain what makes this different and therefore innovative. / The campaign was themed around comic book superheroes. We wanted something colourful, eye-catching and different to make people sit up and notice the NHS libraries and inspire them to join. The concept hinged around the idea of librarians as superheroes with super human knowledge and skills when it comes to finding information and evidence and saving staff that need their expert help!
The theme was seen as risky because it was so different visually and was a departure from the traditional image of libraries. However, we decidedit was worth persuing an innovative approach in order to really get the Libararies noticed increase of their services and the impact they can have on staff skills nad knowledge and ultimately patient care.
The campaign was launched with a library week in June 2010. Promotional material included pens, banners, t-shirts, coasters, psoters, bookmarks. A communcations toolkit was developed and used by trust communciations departments which consistened of newsletter articles, press releases and ideas for promotional activities.
By working collaboratively across the north east (and with communications colleagues) to develop and deliver the campaign, the library network was able to come together effectively as a group and deliver work that galvanised exisiting library staff around a common goal.
c. What evidence do you have to support this assertion? / During first month of the campaign we attracted 435 new members across the north east compared to 229 during the same time the previous year. This was an increase of 90%. We also saw a 60% increase in Athens registrations
LQAF Innovation Report Template 1