Supporting students undertaking systematic reviews: creating a cross-institutional community of practice for librarians and information professionals’

Systematic or systematised reviews are an increasingly popular methodology in student dissertations and independent research projects, particularly in courses where gaining ethical approval for primary research may be complex, as well being an integral part of many PhD projects. Such methodologies can be a steep learning curve for students, involving the development of advanced search strategies, management of search results, extracting data and using PRISMA. For librarians, meeting this increasing support need from students means ensuring our skills are comprehensive and current. Conversations with librarian networks made clear that this situation is not unique to the University of Worcester, and that information specialists felt they would welcome the opportunity to call upon colleagues across institutions for help and advice. To that end, librarians from Worcester, Surrey, Lancaster, and Aston universities joined forces to set up an SR Community of Practice on Discord to provide a space to share best practice and ask questions. The presentation discusses the creation and progress of the CoP, currently comprising almost 200 members, and how it is helping to support us in supporting students.