Parliament for Academic Librarians

This training session shares insights for academic librarians and the researchers they work with around how to engage with UK Parliament, with a particular focus on the House of Commons Library.

This training session is aimed at academic librarians, i.e. people whose role is focused on overseeing and sharing information and resources with academics and researchers in an academic community. This includes academic librarians supporting researchers, scholarly communications librarians and librarians involved in REF support.

The presenters are Dr Laura Webb, Knowledge Exchange Manager, UK Parliament and Anne-Lise Harding, Senior Liaison Librarian, House of Commons Library.

You can also access other training sessions from UK Parliament's Knowledge Exchange Unit.

Training resources

Here are the training slides used in the session.
Here is a transcript of the session.

Useful links

The links below accompany information presented in the training session.

General advice on engaging with Parliament for researchers

Here is the Knowledge Exchange Unit web hub, containing resources about engaging with Parliament as a researcher, including 'how to' guides.
Here is information about Parliament's Knowledge Exchange Unit, including contact details for further queries. Academic librarians can join our informal Knowledge Mobilisers network by emailing keu@parliament.uk with their name, job title and institution.
Here is a "what shall I do next" webpage which helps researchers think through the steps in engaging with the UK Parliament.
Here is information on academic fellowships from the UK Parliament (this includes PhD fellowships and those for academics later in their career).

Engaging with the House of Commons Library

Here is the House of Commons Library website.
Here you can access the library's data dashboards, and find aggregated data from different sources.
You (and researchers you work with) can sign up to House of Commons Library research alerts so you do not miss publications.
You can follow the House of Commons Library on Twitter.
Where researchers have research or other information that could benefit an existing Library briefing, you can email the House of Commons Library on papers@parliament.uk (naming the specific briefing).
Here you can search all indexed Parliamentary material using Parliamentary Search, to track engagement of the school or faculty you support.
Here is the UK Parliament glossary to help you navigate Parliamentary Search.
Here is the House of Commons Library Editorial Policy.

Engaging with POST (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology)

Here is the POST website, including upcoming briefing topics, newsletter sign up, Twitter handle and contact details for specialists.
You can introduce your institution to the relevant section of POST by emailing post@parliament.uk.
Here is information about Parliament's COVID-19 Areas of Research Interest, and Parliament's COVID-19 research repository.

Engaging with the House of Lords Library

Here is the House of Lords Library website, including information about the Library and research briefings published by the Library staff.

Engaging with select committees

Here is more information about select committees.
Watch our online training session on how to work with select committees.