This month we wish a very happy retirement to Tom Roper, a legend among the health library community, a staunch advocate of evidence-based practice and lifelong learning, and a joy to work with.
Tom began his library career in 1978 and has spent most of the years since in health libraries, including working for the Royal College of GPs and as head of the library service for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Tom has worked for both Western Sussex Hospitals and Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, and set up the library service for Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
Since 2013 Tom has worked as a clinical librarian for BSUH, bringing evidence to bear on decision-making in a wide range of specialties, including neonatology, maternity, surgery, and acute care.
Tom’s work has enabled clinical staff to make more informed decisions with their patients, has influenced the hospital redevelopment programme and led to co-authorship on around a dozen clinical research papers.
Tom is an enthusiastic teacher, engaging his audiences with eclectic references to everything from Archie Cochrane to cats and classical literature. He is nationally and internationally renowned, having been a council member of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), chair of the CILIP Health Libraries Group, published work in journals of librarianship and given presentations far and wide, including to the European Association for Health Information and Libraries.
Tom’s expertise and eagerness to help improve the quality of healthcare will be very much missed by all who have worked alongside him. We thank him and hope he enjoys a long and rewarding retirement.
