What is Zumi?

I am a Clinical Librarian, based at the Canterbury Centre for Health and Clinical Sciences at Kent and Canterbury Hospital. As a relative newcomer to the health sector, I have built a set of useful links to help both myself and our clients, who are mostly medical and nursing students, although the libraries are open to all in the wider health community, including patients, non-clinical staff and the public.

My main role will be to assist clinical staff in formulating effective searches for evidence to support diagnosis and treatment of patients, as well as for their own research. To achieve some level of expertise in that I need to develop my literature searching and critical appraisal skills in a very short timeframe. Some parts of this web site are therefore really aids to train me in the skills I need to do my job (and training materials I shall sue to deliver the training to others). These are also the same information skills the doctors will need in order to find the published evidence and research to support their clinical judgment.

Why Zumi?

Zumi is Esperanto for Buzz.

• The buzzing sound made by a telephone. Hence slang, a telephone call.
• The confused or mingled sound made by a number of people talking or busily occupied
• A feeling of excitement or euphoria; a thrill, a 'kick'. slang (orig. U.S.).

They all apply.
I'm mostly working on the last one.

What is Zumi NOT?

• Zumi: shop in Des Moines, Iowa, selling an exciting range of accessories, home décor, and musical instruments from countries in Africa, Asia and South America.
• Zumi Stool: As much origami as furniture, this stool is formed by three identical parts that cleverly interlock to create an elegant occasional seat.
• Zumi Crabtrees: With a wide rounded form, this crabapple is the standard for which other white flowering trees are compared. Flower buds are pink, foliage is green, disease resistance is excellent.
• Zuma: Contemporary Japanese restaurant in Knightsbridge, London.
• Zumo: The Zumo juice and smoothie bars - freshly squeezed smoothie and juice products...
• ZumiWeb: a blog about Ramsgate. Well ok, this one is actually by me, but it's just trivia, local history and old seaside postcards.