Evidence-based practice is a paradigm that originated within healthcare but is rapidly migrating to other fields. It involves applying the results from rigorous research studies to professional practice in order to improve the quality of services to clients. Familiarity with these methods has caused an increasing number of information professionals to turn a critical eye to their own practice. Is it possible to adapt this model to librarianship and information work? To what extent are its skills and techniques transferable to the various areas of professional practice? Is it desirable for information professionals to integrate research findings into their day-to-day decision-making? These and other related issues are discussed in this book, the first to examine this key topic in depth. It is divided into three parts: The Context for Evidence-based Information Practice; Skills And Resources for Evidence-based Information Practice; and Using the Evidence Base in Practice. This last part explores each of the six domains of evidence-based librarianship identified in research, to demonstrate the application of evidence-based information practice in a practical decision-making context. These chapters with their associated Special Topics present concise summaries of evidence-based information practice within generic areas of work, together with practical examples of the application of evidence-based principles and methods. This book is of wide interest to all new and established information professionals, both those in fields such as healthcare where the evidence-based paradigm is already impacting on their work, and those in other fields encountering it for the first time. It is a core text in departments of library and information work.

PART 1: THE CONTEXT FOR EVIDENCE-BASED INFORMATION PRACTICE 1. Why evidence-based information practice? - Andrew Booth and Anne Brice 2. A brief history of evidence-based practice - Anne Brice and Alison Hill 3. Evidence-based information practice: a prehistory - Jonathan Eldredge 4. How good is the evidence base? - Jonathan Eldredge 5. Why don't librarians use research? - Paul Genoni, Gaby Haddow and Ann Ritchie PART 2: SKILLS AND RESOURCES FOR EVIDENCE-BASED INFORMATION PRACTICE 6. Formulating answerable questions - Andrew Booth 7. Identifying sources of evidence - Alison Winning 8. Searching the library and information science literature - Catherine Beverley 9. Appraising the evidence - Andrew Booth and Anne Brice 10. Applying evidence to your everyday practice - Denise Koufogiannakis and Ellen Crumley 11. Evaluating your performance - Andrew Booth 12. Disseminating the lessons of evidence-based practice - Ellen Crumley and Denise Koufogiannakis PART 3: USING THE EVIDENCE BASE IN PRACTICE 13. Six domains of evidence-based information practice - Andrew Booth and Anne Brice 14. Examining the evidence base for reference services and enquiry work - Andrew Booth Special Topic (A): Provision of a current awareness service for research staff (Guideline) - Robert Kiley 15. The contribution of evidence-based practice to educational activities - Anne Brice and Cindy Carlson Special Topic (B): How can I train my users? (Evidence Digest) - Alison Brettle 16. An evidence-based approach to collection management - Andrew Booth Special Topic (C): Electronic or paper: how do I manage my journals collection? (Evidence Digest) - David Peacock 17. Towards evidence-based management - Andrew Booth Special Topic (D): How do I measure the impact of my service? (Guideline) - Christine Urquhart Special Topic (E): Should I charge and, if so, what should I charge for? (Evidence Briefing) - Lynette Cawthra 18. Evidence-based perspectives on information access and retrieval - Andrew Booth Special Topic (F): What are the characteristics of a good searcher? (Critically Appraised Topic) - Catherine Beverley Special Topic (G): Which database, which interface? (Guideline) - Maria J. Grant 19. Introducing an evidence-based approach to marketing and promotional activities - Andrew Booth Special Topic (H): Determining the information needs of practising nurses postregistration in the UK from 1990 to 2003 (Evidence Digest) - Jennie Kelson 20. A future for evidence-based information practice? - Anne Brice, Andrew Booth, Ellen Crumley, Denise Koufogiannakis and Jonathan Eldredge.