Librarians learning together to enhance their evidence synthesis expertise

Guest post by Siobhan Bowman, Paul Breen, Stephanie Chen, Breeda Herlihy, Ronan Madden, Ben Williamson of UCC Library. 

Introduction 
Evidence synthesis or knowledge synthesis are terms used to describe a research methodology where information from multiple sources is brought together to answer a specific question and provide a comprehensive and reliable summary of available evidence.  The humble literature review or narrative review is a type of evidence synthesis along with many other types including systematic reviews, scoping reviews, qualitative evidence synthesis, integrative reviews and umbrella reviews.  Searching the literature for a review is a fundamental part of undertaking evidence synthesis and this is where librarians can support and enable research. 

A number of UCC Library colleagues, including the Library’s Learning & Teaching Team, decided to set up a Community of Practice on evidence synthesis earlier this year. The aim was to build on some existing experience and to develop the expertise to help meet the demand for support from UCC staff and students. One part of this involved undertaking some collaborative learning in the form of a free online course developed by the Evidence Synthesis Institute and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) from the US. The course “Evidence Synthesis for Librarians and Information Specialists” (Kocher, M., Riegelman, A., Kibbee, M., Young, S., Bostrom, M., Marsalis, S., Premji, Z.)  is a 15-module course developed by evidence synthesis librarians and subject librarians from various American and Canadian university libraries.  Over a period of a few months in a quieter part of the year, we set out a timetable for working through a group of modules on our own and followed each group of modules with a meeting to share insights, clarify complex topics, and relate the course material to our own experiences.

The outline of the course shows how relevant it is to librarians and information specialists and each of us gives an account further below of how we found the process of learning about evidence synthesis together. 

Module 1: Introduction to evidence synthesis
Module 2: Exploring different review methodologies
Module 3: Reproducibility: the importance of transparent evidence synthesis methods
Module 4: Evidence synthesis steps and librarians as co-investigators
Module 5: Systematic review guidelines/checklists/reporting standards
Module 6: Introduction to protocols and protocol registration
Module 7: Formulating a research question
Module 8: Frameworks and eligibility criteria
Module 9: Reference interview
Module 10: Selecting databases for evidence synthesis
Module 11: Search strategies
Module 12: Adapting searches across database platforms
Module 13: Grey literature
Module 14: Supplementary search methods
Module 15: Writing the methods section and PRISMA flow diagrams

Siobhan Bowman, Learning Support Librarian
As a newly appointed learning support librarian, this course was perfect for me, providing case scenarios, templates and toolkits that I have brought directly into my work. The interviews with librarians discussing the various levels of tiered support they provide really helped me as I begin to develop my role. The course has been like having a supportive mentor at my side, particularly Module 9 on the reference interview, which proved invaluable in bridging the gap between my emerging role and the expectation to provide 'expert' guidance on evidence synthesis.

While systematic reviews have traditionally been focused in the health sciences, we are increasingly encountering students from across disciplines, from education to engineering, who are being asked to conduct systematic literature reviews for their research projects. The module's practical framework for distinguishing between traditional and evidence synthesis consultations has proven immediately applicable, from undergraduates exploring their first literature review to funded research teams planning systematic reviews. What resonated most was the emphasis on contextual factors: learning to assess what type of review a researcher wants to conduct, giving me the confidence to negotiate our level of involvement and to direct researchers toward suitable methodologies, and resources.

Paul Breen, Mercy University Hospital Librarian
Having recently taken up the position of Mercy University Hospital Librarian, I found this course hugely beneficial. A key component of the services delivered by MUH Library is evidence synthesis support for staff and students on placement in the hospital. 

Of all my responsibilities as the new MUH Librarian, continuing the delivery of this service to a high standard was the one which I was most apprehensive about. Working my way through this course’s modules went a long way to easing my concerns. It provided me with an invaluable structured framework for developing and testing my understanding of processes related to systematic reviews and other forms of evidence synthesis. This was aided by regular discussions with my colleagues throughout the process. 

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that several useful external resources are linked throughout the course. I highly recommend it!

Stephanie Chen, Learning and Teaching Librarian
As someone new to systematic reviews/evidence synthesis, I found the course to be a great introduction to evidence synthesis projects. The content was particularly relevant as it was designed and developed by librarians. As such, it provided a good understanding of how library staff can support or participate in these types of projects. 

All of the modules were easy to complete and the interactive elements such as videos and ‘learn by doing’ questions were engaging. Links to external resources meant course content wasn’t overwhelming and the descriptive module titles makes it easy to revisit the course if you need a refresh on specific content.  

I enjoyed doing the course as part of a community of practice alongside my colleagues as it allowed opportunities for questions, discussion, and sharing of experiences. I would 100% recommend enrolling in this course and, if possible, completing the course with other library staff.

Breeda Herlihy, Quality and Planning Coordinator
This course was recommended to me by a fellow librarian, and I initially set it aside. In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t delayed—it's well-designed and paced. The content is clear and concise, a testament to the expertise of its creators. In a field with lots of guidelines on evidence searching, it takes real skill to distil complex ideas into accessible, digestible learning materials.

Taking the course alongside colleagues as part of our library-based community of practice added a layer of accountability. We scheduled regular meetings to discuss specific modules, which meant we had to complete them in advance. There’s nothing like a deadline to keep you on track! These discussions also proved invaluable—highlighting resources I might have overlooked and offering fresh perspectives on topics I hadn’t considered.

I’d highly recommend this course to any library staff involved in supporting literature searching for systematic reviews or their close relatives, systematised literature reviews. It’s a practical, well-structured resource that will make a real difference to your knowledge and confidence. 

Ronan Madden, Learning and Teaching Team Lead
The course was a valuable opportunity for me to build on some existing knowledge and gain a much deeper and more structured understanding of this very important area. Developed by librarians who are experts in evidence synthesis, the course is very comprehensive, including review methodologies, protocols, search strategies, grey literature, and reporting with PRISMA. Working through the modules individually allowed me time to reflect on the material, while the group discussions offered a space to share thoughts, clarify topics, and connect the content to our practice in UCC Library. This blend of self-directed study and group reflection was a great way to build confidence and skills.

Ben Williamson, Learning and Teaching Librarian
I found the course very encouraging and affirming with regard to my current teaching practices. It showed me that I was already covering many important points about search strategy development and use of resources, and also that I had gaps in my knowledge that ought to be addressed. The use and searching of Grey Literature, for example, is something I need to develop more confidence in demonstrating. 

One notable takeaway from the course was a potential use of the Boolean operator ‘NOT’ to test the effectiveness of new search terms against an existing seat. I had previously avoided using this operator myself and had actively discouraged others from using it. 
While I may not cover all areas of evidence synthesis in my present role, I found the course a useful overview of the wider picture. Librarians and researchers alike can benefit from completing it.