HNE Health Libraries has completed a Preservation Needs Assessment (PNA), supported through the Community Heritage Grants program.

The assessment strengthens long‑term care of our historic collection and supports NSW Health obligations under the NSW Movable Heritage Policy to responsibly manage and protect significant movable heritage assets.

Delivered through expert onsite assessment and consultation by Collect Preserve, the PNA identifies priority actions including improved archival storage, preventive conservation, disaster preparedness planning, and digitisation to reduce handling risks.

This work builds on our earlier Significance Assessment confirming the national importance of the collection and reinforces our commitment to preserving the region’s medical and mental health heritage.

The outcome of the PNA is an evidence‑based, prioritised action plan that strengthens governance, reduces preservation risk, and supports informed investment in the ongoing stewardship of nationally and internationally significant heritage assets.

📩 For more information about the Preservation Needs Assessment, Significance Assessment or the historical collection, please contact Cherish McDonald.

The Hunter New England Research Office is hosting a Research Support Clinic at Maitland Hospital to provide tailored help with research development, ethics and governance. Staff can receive support in refining research questions, identifying grants, navigating REGIS and completing ethics, Site Authorisations and Access Requests.

Professor Deborah Harris, Professor of Nursing and Midwifery Research, will be available to guide project development, and Library Manager Angela Smith will offer expert assistance with literature searching and evidence retrieval.

Interim arrangements are currently in place for the Tamworth Library.

Onsite library coverage is available during the following hours:

Nurse Educators will continue working from the space, outside of onsite library hours, services and enquiries will be supported from Newcastle based team, including the facilitation of loans.

Please note that on Mondays and Thursdays, the library doors will be locked from 4.00pm, aligning with the usual Nurse Educator finish times.

Arrangements for Fridays are still being finalised, and further advice will be provided once confirmed.

HNE Health Libraries has marked a standout year in 2025, with new data showing significant growth in digital engagement, resource use, and support for clinical teams across the district.

Throughout the year, the library website recorded 89,460 visits, with GrandRounds taking out the top spot as the most viewed webpage. Staff interest in emerging technologies also surged, with the AI Toolkit becoming the most accessed specialty guide.

In-person activity remained strong, with 23,364 visits across the Tamworth and Mater library locations, reflecting continued demand for on-site support and study spaces.

The libraries also played a key role in supporting clinical practice and evidence-based decision-making. In 2025, staff delivered:

HNE Health Libraries’ communication channels also saw strong engagement, with 85,668 newsletter views across the year—equivalent to every staff member reading an average of 3.6 editions.
These results highlight the growing reliance on library services for clinical care, professional development, and research—demonstrating the vital role the library plays in supporting the HNELHD workforce.

 HNE Health Libraries now provide access to a curated '2026 Medical and veterinary collection' Cambridge University Press medical collection, including 67 journals available via HNE Heath Libraries ePortal.

This expanded access helps fill key evidence gaps alongside CIAP and open‑access resources.

Coverage varies by journal and supports evidence‑based practice across a wide range of topics, including epidemiology, nutrition, mental health, genetics, biophysics, ethics and law, and disaster preparedness.

Samantha Wieczorek, District Manager and HNE Innovation Precinct Lead, delivered an engaging presentation at JHH Adult Medicine Grand Rounds.

In this recording, Samantha explores how flipping the traditional hierarchy of research and innovation can drive meaningful improvement in healthcare. By treating frontline experience as evidence, she highlights a powerful idea: the people who live the problems every day are best placed to solve them.

You’ll hear fresh insights, real-world examples, interactive discussion — along with practical, accessible ways for anyone to contribute to innovation.

HNE Health Libraries acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which we live, 
work and practice. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded

this always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

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