MedlinePlus now has an account on Twitter! The account is maintained by the staff at the National Library of Medicine. Check out their Twitter stream for quick tweets of consumer health information!

Our goal for the Library Open House was to bring medical staff into the library and show them what the library has to offer. We wanted to promote library resources, services and create awareness for the redesigned library web page.

The event featured two book exhibits: Alternative and Complementary Medicine (courtesy of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and Swedish Institute, College of Health Sciences) and new medical books from our collection.

We created a display of pamphlets and educational materials about the National Library of Medicine resources and services. The Library was decorated with paintings from a private art collection of our staff member. Refreshments were served during the day.

In the preparation for the event we updated the library web page, created a Library Brochure and a Power Point Presentation about library resources and services. We redesigned the library space and created a Group Study Area where our patrons can study together and not disturb others in the library.

The External Affairs Department helped us to promote the event in the online newsletter and electronic bulletin board. E-mail was sent to the hospital staff, and posters were placed in the Lobby one week before the Library Open House.

Library tours were conducted every hour, PubMed Training session and library electronic resources demonstrations were also conducted on demand. Medical trivia and PubMed quizzes were offered to the visitors. Winners received prizes and gifts. A Small Project Award from the National Network of  Libraries of Medicine allowed us to purchase Barnes & Nobles Gift Certificates, Medical Books, and Gift Certificates to the Coffee Shop and office supplies for the Open House.

The event was a huge success, and over 150 people attended the Open House, 37 participants subscribed for my NCBI account. After the event we started getting more Literature Searches requests, more patrons are using the library web page, and the nursing and medical staff is utilizing the library resources more frequently.

The Library Staff is grateful to the National Network of the Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region for the Small Project Award, which allowed us to promote the library, its resources and services.

Irina Meyman- Lutheran HealthCare, Health Sciences Library.   Brooklyn, NY

NN/LM MAR Announces Fall/Winter Online Classes

It’s time to head back to school with the Middle Atlantic Region! Join MAR staff and network members for online classes from September through December-all you need is an Internet-connected computer and a telephone. Classes are FREE. Ten classes will be offered-and two are new!

To sign up for a class, e-mail us at rml(at)med.nyu.edu with the title and date of the class(es) you wish to attend. Please include your name, e-mail address, and mailing address.

1. Basic Nutrition Resources
Tue Sep 15, 10am – 11am
Consumers, students, clinicians, and you!  Where do you begin when looking for nutrition information for consumers or for clinicians?  This course will take you through basic resources available to you from NLM, NIH, and others.  We will also briefly review how to search for nutrition information literature.

2. MAR Funding NEW!
Wed Sep 16, 10:30am – 11:30am
MAR has a number of awards available to support your library improvement and outreach projects. Plan to attend this session and learn about the award application process.

3. Logic Models
Tue Sep 22, 10:30am – 11:30am OR Wed Oct 28, 11:30am – 12:30pm
Are you curious about logic models and their application? Logic models are an often used tool in grant proposals, strategic planning, and program planning and evaluation. Attend this one hour introductory session to learn about their purpose and how to create a logic model. This class will be offered twice.

4. Resources for Disaster Response and Preparedness
Thu Oct 1, 10am – 11am
This course is designed to help librarians identify the key resources they and their users can turn to in the event of an emergency or disaster.  Instructor Emily Molanphy will focus on Web sites (FEMA, CDC, etc.), databases (TOXNET, HazLit, QUAKELINE, etc.), blogs and Listservs, as well as resources for mobile devices.  Attendees will learn sources for useful information in an emergency; the formats that are easiest to use; and ways to keep up-to-date.  Disaster preparedness is a major undertaking-and knowing where to look for information in the event of an emergency is an important step towards readying your institution.
Emily Molanphy is Web Services Librarian at the NYU Health Sciences Libraries, where she also serves on the Disaster Preparedness Team.

5. What’s New in PubMed
Wed Oct 21, 2pm – 3pm
This update class will review new and noteworthy features in PubMed, including the new interface.

6. Free Productivity Tools
Tue Nov 10, 3pm – 4:30pm
Library’s budgets are always pinched for one thing or another. Did you know that there are a multitude of free software packages out there that do just about everything that commercial software packages can do? In this 90-minute class we’ll take a look at some of these software packages, their usefulness, their limitations and things to think about if you decide to go the free software route.

7. Licensing Electronic Resources
Tue Nov 17, 10am – 11am
Licensing electronic resources has been identified as one of the biggest challenges for members of our region-and with good reason.  Electronic collections are an incredible asset to users, but securing an effective license and managing multiple licenses from multiple vendors is a huge responsibility.  This one-hour session is designed to present the basics for effective licensing which will increase access to and resource sharing from electronic collections.  Presenter Paul Wrynn will explain what to look for in an electronic license (especially ILL rights, remote access, etc.); tips on managing multiple licenses; strategies for communicating with vendors; and best practices for consortia licenses.
Paul Wrynn retired in 2008 from NYU’s Health Sciences Libraries as Collection Development Librarian.  Wrynn has over 30 years of experience in libraries, including significant experience managing electronic licenses.

8. Clever Evaluation
Thu Nov 19, 10:30am – 12pm
Evaluating programs and projects is a lot like exercising: most of us know it’s very important and we plan to start doing it as soon as we have time. Cindy Olney, evaluation specialist for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Outreach Evaluation Resource Center (OERC), will present a 90-minute session on evaluation methods that are quick, resourceful, and useful. Her strategies include using existing data, combining evaluation with other project activities, and enlisting the help of others in data collection. Cindy Olney has been an evaluation specialist since 1991 and has worked with the OERC since 2004. She specializes in planning and evaluation of health information outreach and public health projects.

9. PubMed MyNCBI
Wed Dec 2, 2pm – 3pm
You will learn how to customize your PubMed experience using MyNCBI (formerly Cubby), and create shared filters for your library users. Save your favorite citations, and keep current with automatic searches-the results will come straight to your inbox. Change the look of PubMed with custom tabs and highlighted search terms.

10. Health Information for the Public Librarian NEW!
Tue Dec 8, 11am – 12pm
How can I learn more about my dad’s diabetes? What are the side effects of taking these pills? Where can I find a good doctor or hospital? What is the latest news on autism? Members of the public need answers to their health related questions. This class will show public librarians how to find reliable consumer health information using National Library of Medicine’s resources such as MedlinePlus.

If you were unable to attend the PubMed Redesign Presentation online webinar, or if you would like to listen to the class again, a recording of this class is now available here: https://webmeeting.nih.gov/p93606971/

PubMed Redesign Presentation

Recording of session conducted Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 2:00 pm

NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region, New England Region, and Southeastern/Atlantic Region present a live webinar on the upcoming National Library of Medicine PubMed page redesign. David Gillikin, Chief of NLM’s Bibliographic Services Division, reviews the draft design for the new search results page and abstract view in PubMed. A question and answer sessions follows the presentation. This webinar is a repeat of the presentation at the NLM Online Users’ Meeting at the Medical Library Association’s annual conference in May.

This free, online class was conducted using Adobe Connect. The recording provides the session in its entirety with audio and the PowerPoint presentation.

The recording runs for approximately 49 minutes.

The Joint Commission, with funding from The Commonwealth Fund, is developing proposed accreditation requirements for hospitals to advance effective communication, cultural competence, and patient-centered care. This 18-month project will explore how diversity, culture, language, and health literacy issues can be better incorporated into current Joint Commission standards or drafted into new requirements. In conjunction with the proposed requirements, The Joint Commission is developing an implementation guide that will help hospitals meet the proposed requirements and provide best practice information and educational resources and tools. Additional project information can be accessed at: www.jointcommission.org/Patientsafety/HLC.
As experts and stakeholders in the health literacy community, The Joint Commission is requesting your input on how hospitals are currently addressing health literacy issues and what resources and tools can provide guidance for improvement. Specific questions include:

1 – How are health literacy needs currently addressed in hospitals?
2 – Are there any recommended methods/tools/resources for assessing health literacy needs that can be used in hospitals?
3 – How do hospitals currently assess a patient’s understanding of information?
4 – Are there any recommended methods/tools/resources for assessing a patient’s understanding of information in the hospital?

Please send your responses to these questions directly to Dr. Cordero:

Christina L. Cordero, PhD, MPH
Project Manager
Division of Standards and Survey Methods
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Phone: 630-792-5845
Fax: 630-792-4845
email: ccordero at jointcommission.org
website: www.jointcommission.org

For some background, watch the webcast of Dr. Cordero’s presentation at the Wisconsin Literacy 2009 Health Literacy Summit:
http://www.wisconsinliteracy.org/HealthLiteracySummit.php
Her presentation is the second one listed and the slides to her PowerPoint are also available.

Chinese Anti-Malaria Poster Online Exhibit Mounted

NLM History of Medicine Division (HMD) has mounted an online exhibit of modern Chinese Anti-Malaria Posters at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/chineseantimalaria/index.html. It is available as well through a banner link on the HMD home page.

This exhibit represents the work of Chinese public health historian Dr. Liping Bu, who has been in residence at the History of Medicine Division for the summer. Roxanne Beatty did the work of preparing the on-line exhibit.

Malaria control in modern China was is a resounding success. According to the exhibition introduction, “In 1998, there were 31 thousand malaria cases in China, with a morbidity of 0.25 per ten thousand, a drop of 99% compared to 1954.” The great reduction in disease was due to concentrated and coordinated programs in public health control and prevention. The exhibit’s gallery of images presents classic posters, from the early 1950s through the early 1970s, at the peak of the campaign.

Enjoy the lively exhibit, and many thanks to Liping and Roxanne.

Paul Theerman

Head, Images and Archives

History of Medicine Division

The NN/LM MAR has made available recordings for the following online classes. Recordings include the online class in its entirety with audio and a visual slide presentation. Simply click on the recorded session link to begin the recording for the class. MAR will continue to add recordings for future online classes, look for the link from the class descriptions on the MAR web site,
http://nnlm.gov/mar/training/classes.html .

DOCLINE SERHOLD: Searching, Updating, and Reporting
This course will focus on the SERHOLD feature of DOCLINE.  Attendees will learn how to add new titles and formats to their library’s record, search SERHOLD for other library’s holdings, and utilize the SERHOLD reporting functions to make the most of this unique tool in DOCLINE.  
The class presentation is available in PDF.
A previously recorded session is available for viewing online .

Free Productivity Tools
Library’s budgets are always pinched for one thing or another. Did you know that there are a multitude of free software packages out there that do just about everything that commercial software packages can do? In this one hour class we’ll take a look at some of these software packages, their usefulness, their limitations and things to think about if you decide to go the free software route.
Productivity tools resource page
A previously recorded session is available for viewing at anytime.

Valuing Library Services and Cost Benefit/ROI Calculators
On April 22, 2009, MAR hosted an online class to enable health sciences librarians to determine the return on investment and cost benefit of their libraries and services. The instructors discussed and demonstrated two tools to show the value a library brings to its institution:

1. The Retail Value Calculator, adapted from one originally provided by the Massachusetts Library Association, and then adapted for the web by Chelmsford Public Library, helps to determine the library’s worth to the institution, and how much would it cost to replace library services on the retail market;
2. The CBA and ROI Calculator helps to determine a library’s contribution to the institutional bottom line, and how much benefit the institution receives for every dollar spent by the library.

Guest Speakers/Instructors: Betsy Kelly, Assessment and Evaluation Liaison (NN/LM MCR) & Barb Jones, Advocacy Liaison (NN/LM MCR)
This free, online class for MAR network members was conducted using Adobe Connect. The recording provides the session in its entirety with audio and the PowerPoint presentation. The recording runs for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
View the recorded session.
Class notes are available in PDF.

On August 19, 2009 NNLM MAR announced four new funding opportunities for its member libraries.  A few weeks ago we announced 2009 funding for three other awards: Small Project, Exhibit and Professional Presentation/Development.  Some of you have already applied and been funded for these, and there are more awards still available.  Detailed information on these and how to apply can be found under the “Funding” tab on the MAR website (http://nnlm.gov/mar/funding/).

In September and October we anticipate posting “Calls for Applications” for several more funding opportunities. These include: an Outreach and Evaluation Conference (1 award @ $30,000), Outreach to Unaffiliated Health Professionals (3 awards at $30,000 each),  a Technology Awareness Conference (1 award @ $15,000), a Bioinformatics Training Award (1 award @ $4700), and two Emergency Preparedness Conference awards funded at $7500 each.  We will be funding a GoLocal project this year, as well, and encourage a consortium approach.

In all, the NNLM MAR will offer 14 kinds of award opportunities this year and anticipates funding more than 50 projects: seven at $25,000 and above, and 43 for under $15,000.  For those of you who would like to plan a little in advance of the “calls” this fall, award applications share many common elements such as describing your project goals, methods and developing an evaluation plan.  Reviewing application forms for the funding opportunities already posted will offer some information for planning.

Funding priorities reflect the MAR Strategic Plan (http://nnlm.gov/mar/about/plansreports.html ) which was developed based on member needs and are consistent with the NNLM mission to enhance medicine and the public’s health through access to health information. Brief descriptions of the awards to be offered this fall are given below:

Outreach to Unaffiliated Health Professionals Awards

These awards will encourage development of local programs linking targeted unaffiliated health professional groups to health information. The Strategic Plan identifies targeted unaffiliated health professionals as nursing/long term care professionals, private practice physicians, nurse practitioners, public health departments, and Federally Qualified Health Centers (health clinics for the underserved).

Outreach and Evaluation Conference

This award, as outlined in the Strategic Plan, is intended for a network member to organize a conference on outreach projects and evaluation methods and present lessons learned. The awardee shall share conclusions beyond the conference through the MAR Website and other mechanisms.

Technology Awareness Conference

This award will fund a conference in technology and policy awareness to be organized by a partnership of a Resource Library with either a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) or a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

Bioinformatics Training Award

This award will be offered to an institution to allow travel expenses and honoraria (if applicable) for two bioinformatics instructors to teach classes in New York, NY and Rochester, NY on NCBI molecular biology information resources. Molecular biology and genetics are fast-growing areas of scientific knowledge, and this award will build capacity within the region of librarians who can assist clinicians and researchers.

Emergency Preparedness Conference Awards

This award will be offered to a partnership of network members (e.g. a regional consortium or Library Resource Council, regional association) to hold a working meeting on emergency preparedness. The intent is for group members to gather together to draft emergency preparedness documents for their individual libraries.

Creating a Health Information Community

Serving Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania

Kathleen Burr Oliver, Associate Director; National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region, New York University Langone Medical Center, 423 East 23rd Street, Floor 15 South (23rd & First Avenue), New York, NY 10010; 212 263 4197 (voice); 212 263 4258 (fax); kate.oliver@med.nyu.edu

General Phone: 212-263-2030; Toll-Free-Phone within DE, NJ, NY, PA: 800-338-7657; FAX: 212-263-4258: http/nnlm.gov/mar

MAR is pleased to announce four new funding opportunities:

Leadership Institute Planning and Implementation Award

http://nnlm.gov/mar/funding/leadership.html

MAR is accepting letters of interest from Full and Affiliate Network members to plan and implement a MAR Leadership Institute. One award up to $65,000 will allow a member to develop a program to teach business, management, and leadership skills, which will help librarians advocate for themselves and their libraries with their institution’s administrators, other funding agencies, government bodies, and user groups. The Strategic Plan includes a Library Improvement objective to “broaden training opportunities with emphasis on management, advocacy, and leadership skills through Web opportunities for training in a ‘MAR Leadership Institute.’” The Leadership Institute is intended to be broad enough in scope to appeal to librarians with a range of experience, working in different types of institutions, and located throughout the region. Deadline for letters of interest is September 30, 2009.

Outreach Training

http://nnlm.gov/mar/funding/outreachtraining.html

This award for Full and Affiliate Network members it intended to support  training for and promote awareness of the products and services of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and NN/LM. Two awards up to $10,000 each are available. Deadline for applications is October 2, 2009.

Health Literacy Awards (New Projects)

http://nnlm.gov/mar/funding/healthlitnew.html

These awards are designed to support and encourage Full and Affiliate Network members to create or develop new health literacy projects within their library or organization or by partnering with other libraries or organizations. Health literacy projects should address issues of the target population’s ability to read, listen, analyze, and make decisions, and the ability to apply these skills to health situations. Two awards up to $30,000 each are available. Deadline for applications is October 9, 2009.

Technology/Library Improvement Awards

http://nnlm.gov/mar/funding/technology.html

These awards are designed to support and encourage Full and Affiliate Network members to upgrade or purchase new technology. Eleven awards up to $7500 each are available. Deadline for applications and all supporting materials is October 2, 2009.

On Behalf of Joanne Muellenbach:

Dear Colleagues,

I am very pleased to announce that the Medical Library at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC), in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is officially open for business. TCMC’s inaugural class of 65 medical students began class at 8:00am this morning. Another 30 students will begin class next week for the master’s in biomedical sciences program.  TCMC marks the first opening of a medical degree-granting school in the state since 1962.  It is the first M.D. school not associated with a larger university to open nationwide in at least 35 years.

Last Sunday, our medical students began a full week of orientation, which included 2 full days, and 1 night, of outdoor activities at Camp LaDore, just 1 hour east of Scranton in beautiful northeastern Pennsylvania.  At camp, students, faculty and staff participated in team building and new skills training, taught by faculty & staff.  Skills activities included fly-fishing, kayaking, canoeing, yoga, salsa dance, bocce ball and quilt making.  My hope is to have a TCMC Charter Class quilt to adorn the Medical Library in the near future!

As construction progresses on our new 120 million Medical Sciences Building, which is scheduled to open in 2011, students are attending classes just a few blocks away, at Lackawanna College.  Lackawanna College is also the temporary home of the Medical Library, our Gross Anatomy Lab, the Clinical Skills & Simulation Center, Student Affairs and other departments with an academic focus.  The Medical Library reports to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and comprises 2 professional librarians, including myself, and three support staff.  A third librarian will be recruited in 2010 and a fourth librarian will be recruited in 2011.  The Office of Academic Informatics works closely with the Medical Library to provide students, faculty & staff with instruction and training in the areas of information management and retrieval, literature searching and evidence based medicine.

The TCMC Medical Library is 95% electronic and all of our students are provided with laptops, portable printers and wireless cards.  The Medical Library provides access to over 13,000 e-journals, 1,400 e-books and 50 biomedical databases. Our print collections consist of 125 reserve titles, 200 core biomedical titles, as well as reference and leisure reading collections.

The TCMC Medical Library website may be accessed at: http://tinyurl.com/ncsbcu. This will take you to the TCMC’s Community tab.  From this page, click on the link to TCMC Medical Library, under: TCMC Library Services.

The Medical Library is a member of DOCLINE, so feel free to add us to an appropriate cell.

Finally, I want to extend special thanks to Barbara Shearer, who worked as a Library Consultant for TCMC during the early days of TCMC’s development and who continues to provide me with her invaluable assistance and expertise. I also appreciate the support that I receive from my AAHSL colleagues, whose wisdom and generosity has been a tremendous help in getting the Medical Library to where we are today.

Thank you, all!

Joanne

Joanne M. Muellenbach, MLS, AHIP

Director, Medical Library

The Commonwealth Medical College

501 Vine Street, Ground Floor

Scranton, Pennsylvania 18509

T: 570.504.9627

F: 570.504.9618

E: jmuellenbach@tcmedc.org

W: www.thecommonwealthmedical.com