Outreach Evaluation Resource Center

Quarterly Report: November, 2004 - January, 2005

Training and continuing education

November 3-6: C. Burroughs attended the American Evaluation Association annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia. In a panel session, she presented "Outcomes Assessment in Community-Based Health Information Outreach", with a prepared paper and bibliography. Cynthia Olney, a co-panelist, presented "Overcoming the barriers - successful outcomes assessment in community-based outreach projects."

Dec 2-3: C. Burroughs attended the December 2004 NLM Community Based Outreach Symposium in Bethesda, Maryland . As part of the symposium, C. Burroughs chaired the Assessment & Outcome Panel that featured evaluation perspectives and white papers from 4 panelists, including: Charles P. Friedman, Ph.D; Lawrence W. Green, Ph.D.; Judith M.Ottoson, Ed.D.; and Cynthia A. Olney, Ph.D.

For the Symposium, C. Burroughs also prepared a literature review, posted on the CBO Symposium website: http://medstat.med.utah.edu/symposium/articles.html. Topics of the review included: Library Science: Selected perspectives or evaluations of consumer health collaborations; and Public Health and Health Promotion: Selected perspectives about principles and evaluation of collaborative or community-based interventions.

Consultation with Network members and NNO

Results of PubMed/MedlinePlus Training Followup Survey responses were reviewed at the December RML Director's meeting to determine next steps for the survey. The survey had not been running long enough for clear decisions on its usefulness. The group recommended another review of survey results at the May RML Director's meeting.

C. Burroughs contacted two RMLs about their interest in hosting a new evaluation workshop that will pilot updated educational materials about evaluating community-based outreach efforts.

Assistance with analysis, synthesis, and reporting of evaluation results

The PubMed/MedlinePlus Training Followup survey was launched, after several pilot tests and refinements. Any NN/LM training session with PubMed or MedlinePlus content, and from which completed Participant Information Sheets provide email addresses, is included in the follow-up survey. Results include feedback provided by trainees from many spheres in addition to public libraries and public health: members of the general public, patients, families or friends of patients, health educators, health care providers, researchers and scientists, health office workers, health administrators, and students.

Communications and collaboration

Leading up to the Symposium, C. Burroughs continued membership on the steering committee for the Community Based Outreach (CBO) Symposium

C. Burroughs reviewed and commented on a draft white paper, for presentation at the CBO Symposium, about NLM's Native American portfolio.

M. Blake investigated options for subscribing to SurveyMonkey for NN/LM related surveys. It was determined that OERC would propose a trial subscription during Year 5.

Utilization and promotion of the evaluation guide

NN/LM PNR continued to distribute the evaluation guide based on request.

C. Burroughs began planning discussions with Cindy Olney about revising and updating the evaluation guide. Ideas included a series of short booklets to complement the current evaluation guide, incorporate needed updates (e.g. use of a logic model) and add focus on principles of planning and evaluating community-based outreach. C. Burroughs also asked Dr. Olney to consider co-developing a new evaluation workshop to pilot the new booklets.

Administration

C. Burroughs developed a list of recommended goals for the OERC in the upcoming 2006-2011 contract, submitted to NNO in Dec 2004, per request from Angela Ruffin.

C. Burroughs developed a Year 5 budget and narrative for the OERC and submitted it to NLM.

C. Burroughs was invited to be a panelist at the MLA annual meeting, in a session sponsored by the Research Section called: "Yes! You can do Research." Ms. Burroughs declined due to time constraints in holding her concurrent 2 positions as the OERC Assistant Director, and the Acting Associate Director of the NN/LM PNR. Instead, on her recommendation, Cynthia Olney, consultant to the OERC, was confirmed to present at the MLA annual conference.