The online community of medical librarians often laments the publication of methodologically poor systematic reviews, asking questions like “How did this get through peer review? Does no-one at the journal understand searching? Why did none of the authors talk to a librarian?” etc. These complaints are arguably so common because requiring input of someone with searching expertise is not typically required in the peer review of systematic reviews. This talk will introduce some of the ways librarians and information specialists can participate in peer review of reviews, from the PRESS checklist for giving feedback on searches to formal journal reviewing and post-publication responses. It will also consider individual and community benefits of information professionals’ participation in peer review, and the barriers and obstacles to doing so.

Kirsten Elliott is a Research Intelligence Librarian at the University of Nottingham, and previously worked for Imperial College London as an NHS Support Librarian. She is also co-founder of Fair Library Jobs and peer reviews as a information specialist for the Campbell Collaboration.