Topic: This workshop builds on ongoing discussions around understanding knowledge synthesis (KS) search strategies as data and promoting their deposit in research data repositories. It will foster dialogue and critical thinking through real-world scenarios that health sciences librarians frequently encounter when searching for, developing, citing, and advocating for librarian-authored search strategies in KS projects. Through group discussions, scenario-based activities, and collective brainstorming, attendees will deepen their understanding of: The value of librarian-authored search strategies as intellectual outputs; the importance of depositing librarian KS work in research data repositories; common barriers to deposit and authorship recognition; practical strategies for advocacy and institutional change.
Target Audience: Health sciences librarians in any setting who develop search strategies for KS projects, have questions related to authorship, recognition, or data deposit and/or are curious about how to advocate for the visibility and impact of their KS-related work. Objectives: By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to articulate the benefits and challenges of conceptualizing search strategies as research data; identify common barriers to depositing search strategies and receiving appropriate credit; analyze real-world scenarios to develop practical responses and advocacy strategies; collaborate with peers to brainstorm solutions and share institutional practices. Activity Description: In small groups participants will engage in mini design-thinking activities to discuss real-world scenarios, identify key issues, and propose possible solutions.

Introduction : Literature searching is arguably a health science librarian’s bread and butter. Experienced librarians develop intuitions drawn from their searches, and subject matter knowledge accumulates from reference interviews and background readings. Collaboration with librarian colleagues, both internal and external, invites new points of view, draws on different bodies of knowledge and experience, and helps break down naturally-occurring knowledge silos. However, both of these processes - engaging with literature and searches to develop wider-ranging knowledge, and outreach to colleagues - are often personal, private, and specific to the individual librarian. Description : Drawing on recent publications proposing that health science librarians write up case reports of challenging searches, we present a particularly tricky search and the unexpected flashes of inspiration and insight that resulted in the user receiving useful articles from their librarian. Discussion : An increasing proportion of patients in Quebec, along the entire continuum of care, do not have access to a family doctor or GP (general practitioner). We describe a research project seeking to explore models of care for cancer survivors without a GP, and more broadly the particularities of searching for articles about people who do not have a doctor. We will present what seem to be the most appropriate and useful MeSH terms, as well as alternative conceptualizations of the search that added to the pool of pertinent articles retrieved; the products of an informal and fruitful collaboration across two institutions.