2026-06-04 –, Room #2 Language: English
INTRODUCTION
We are a team of library professionals dedicated to enhancing the instructional processes within our team while also designing accessible and impactful learning experiences for our users. Based on a literature search of both published and grey literature related to accessible instruction and best practices, we found no resource that addressed best practices for instruction in hospital libraries.
DESCRIPTION
We developed a comprehensive guide for our library team covering internal library processes, accessibility, multimodality, interactivity, and best practices for diverse learners. We will share our process for developing the guide, as well as the guide itself.
OUTCOMES
It was important to assess the usability, accuracy, and completeness of the guide, to ensure that our team could easily develop and offer the most accessible instruction possible. Feedback will be presented from several sources: test users applying the guide to sample instruction products, our institution’s Accessibility Council, and surveys of our team as well as outside health sciences library professionals.
DISCUSSION
While accessibility remains a guiding principle, it comes with real world constraints such as institutional, technological, or contextual challenges. Our guide offers practical strategies for enhancing the planning and delivery of asynchronous and synchronous sessions. The guide will officially launch in January 2026, followed by broad sharing across health sciences libraries and an anonymous usage poll in summer 2026. A regular review schedule will help keep the guide relevant, inclusive, and responsive to evolving needs.
Raluca Serban has been a Library Technician at the University Health Network since 2012. She is an active member of the Instruction Group and the Outreach Team, where she enjoys coordinating the workshop schedule, developing workshops, exploring the foundations of adult education and contributing to workshop promotion. Outside of work, Raluca keeps busy with her energetic six year old, fuels her days with copious amounts of coffee, and indulges in late night reading whenever she can.
Melanie Anderson has been an Information Specialist in Library & Information Services at University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto since 2013. She works with the Instruction Group to plan, create and evaluate instruction services in the library, provides search, training and consultation services to learners, health professionals, and researchers in several areas of UHN. Outside of work she crafts, reads ands works to prevent her cat from tackling every lamp on sight.