Our Services

In addition to the resources and facilities that CDDFT libraries provide, we also have a range of services to help you with your studies, research or professional practice.

Our services include:

• Literature Searches
• Current Awareness & Journal Table of Contents (ToCs)
• Alerts & Updates
• Support & Guidance
• Inter Library Loans & Book Request services
• OpenAthens Accounts

More information about these services is available below.

Literature Searches

Our Librarians can undertake a detailed literature search on your behalf and then send you resources relevant to your studies, research or professional specialism. To request a literature search, fill in our online form,   provide as much detail as possible and then submit it. Our librarians will do the rest. Literature Search Request Form

If you prefer to do your own research, you can use our print e-Resources. Take a look at our Resources page to see what is available.

If you need further help to get the best from our resources, you can get further information about the support we can provide by contacting staff at either of Our Libraries.

Current Awareness

Signing up for our Current Awareness service means you no longer have to worry about keeping up to date with your favourite journals or be concerned about those important new developments that you may be missing out on.  We have a range of alerting services that will keep you well informed.

Journal Table of Contents (ToCs)

The Library subscribes to JournalTOCs, a service which provides access to the Table of Contents of over 28,000 journals. The journals cover a wide range of medical topics, including medicine, nursing and pharmacology.

At JournalTOCs, you can set up your own account and create lists of followed journals. You will then receive alerts for new articles and current awareness information.

To use this service go to http://www.journaltocs.ac.uk click on the sign in option and then register as a new user.

Alerts & Updates from Organisations

Many organisations produce regular alerts to highlight news and developments. These include:-

• Care Quality Commission Newsletter
• Health Management Bulletin
• HPR Weekly - a weekly report for the Health Protection Agency
• Information Commissioner's Office Newsletter
• Kings Fund Newsletter
• NICE Newsletter

To receive alerts, fill in our Alerts & Updates from Organisations form, tell us which alerts you would like to receive and you will be added to our email lists.

Support & Guidance - Support Request Form

If you or your team need help or support to use our resources or services effectively, we can arrange a training session at a time convenient to you. This could be a one to one or a group session, in your department, in one of the libraries or over Teams.

A support session could take just 10 minutes or last an hour, we will tailor the session to suit you. The session could cover anything from search techniques to using individual e-Resources.

For more information or to arrange a support session, use this form: Support Request Form

Inter Library Loans & Book Request services

If you come across details of an article you need and cannot access the full article, request it through our Inter Library Loans service. Use the link below to open the Inter Library Loan request form, enter as much detail as possible and the Library Team get it for you from another NHS library service or from the British Library.

Similarly, if you want to get hold of a particular book and cannot find it on the Library Catalogue, use the link below to open the Book Request form and we will borrow it from another NHS library service or buy it for you to use.

Inter Library Loan request form

Book Request form

OpenAthens Accounts (NHS England OpenAthens)

OpenAthens is a gateway to a range of e-Resources (healthcare databases and e-Journal articles) which are exclusively available to NHS staff and students to access over the internet. You need to create an OpenAthens account which you can then use to login to these e-Resources.

With OpenAthens you can find evidence and information to support patient care and your own studies or personal development whenever you need to. The e-Resources are available for you whenever you want to use them, at work or at home.

Creating your OpenAthens account

• To create your own OpenAthens account you must be logged onto an NHS computer.
• You can then create your account at OpenAthens registration.
• It is important that you select the correct information from the drop down boxes, to identify the organisation that employs you.
• Once you submit your registration, you will receive an automated email from OpenAthens. This will contain an activation link.
• Click on the link to activate your OpenAthens account and set your password.
• Your new OpenAthens account will be ready to use within a few minutes.

If you experience any problems or need assistance with registering, please go to Our Libraries webpage for our contact details.

e-Resources available through OpenAthens

Go to our Resources page to see what's available under e-Resources (databases, specialist resources, e-Journals and e-Books).

You will also find information on how to search for journals through our Journal Listing (Full Text Finder).

OpenAthens login problems

If you have an NHS OpenAthens account but have forgotten your log-in details:

• Go to the MyAthens home page.
• Click on the login icon and select the  Forgotten your Password option.
• Enter your email address and select next.
• You will be sent an email message containing a link to reset your password.

If you need further assistance with your OpenAthens account, please contact us Our Libraries and Contact Details

OpenAthens Registration Form

MyAthens