The lend transaction service fee increase for the Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS) is scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2008. We strongly encourage you to upload any completed transaction files prior to that date. All lend transactions uploaded after January 31, 2008 will be assessed at the new 5% fee.

Keep in mind that a 5% charge on a $9.00 transaction is only 45 cents, and a 5% charge on an $11.00 transaction is only 55 cents.

To find out more about EFTS, go to their website at https://efts.uchc.edu/efts/common/index.aspx.

Hello everyone — and sorry for this late “Hello!”

I’m Shikun (”KK”) Jiang, the new Technology Coordinator for the NN/LM South Central Region. I will teach technology classes, coordinate E-licensing, coordinate open access and scholarly publishing, and serve as the technology advisor for our region. I will also be the state liaison for Louisiana.

Prior to this position, I was an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellow at the Public Health Library and Information Center at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA. I got my Master’s degree in Information Science from the School of Library and Information Sciences, University of North Texas, and I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Information Technology from South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China — and yes, I do speak mandarin Chinese and some Cantonese.

In my spare time, I like to travel, cook, and do some painting, and I hope my life will be a long journey full of interesting places, people, food, stories, colors, and so on and so on, if I keep exploring.

I’m excited to be here in this challenging position, and I’m excited to work with all of you and serve your needs. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. Here is my contact information:
Email: shikun.jiang@exch.library.tmc.edu
Phone: 713-799-7880

Enjoy everyday!

ARHealthLINK – Arkansas Go Local officially launched January 17, 2008! Arkansas citizens will now be empowered with quality information about their health, and be better able to access health services throughout their state. ARHealthLINK – Arkansas Go Local is a project of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Library.

This site would not be possible without the dedication and hard work of Chuck Byrne, Rachel Gyore (Project Director), Sharon Keel, Ben Ridout, Mary Ryan (Director of UAMS Library), Susan Steelman, and Connie Wilson.

The ARHealthLINK – Arkansas Go Local team offers special thanks to the following organizations for their support: Arkansas State Library, Arkansas Department of Health, Central Arkansas Library System, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences – Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Libraries, and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine – South Central Region.

Visit the site at: http://www.arhealthlink.org/

Based on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2007 (H.R. 2764) that President Bush signed on December 26, 2007, submission of manuscripts for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research to PubMed Central® is now mandatory. Scientists who publish in journals that do not submit articles directly to PubMed Central must deposit their manuscripts using the NIH Manuscript Submission (NIHMS) system.

The NIHMS Help page provides a variety of web-based tools divided into four categories to assist users who are navigating this submission system:

• Submission Help for Principal Investigators (PI)
• Submission Help for Non-PI Submitters
• Miscellaneous Help Items
• Login Help

This is a reminder that the NN/LM SCR Spring Cycle Award applications are due Friday, 1 February 2008.

The following awards are available:
· Course Development Award
· DOCLINE Library Improvement Project Award
· Express Outreach Award
· Mobile Health Education Project Award
· Regional Symposium Award

We hope you will consider applying!  Please let the award manager, or me, know if you have questions regarding these funding opportunities.

Initial National Institutes of Health (NIH) information on implementation of the mandatory public access policy is located at: http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has developed a free online interactive training course entitled “Unified Health Communication: Addressing Health Literacy, Cultural Competency and Limited English Proficiency.” The training course is divided into five modules:

Module 1: Introduction to Health Communication
Module 2: Health Literacy
Module 3: Cultural Competency
Module 4: Limited English Proficiency
Module 5: Capstone Activity

As noted in the HRSA press release: “The course’s five modules take four to five hours to complete. Modules 1 through 4 provide an introduction to health communication, health literacy, cultural competency, and limited English proficiency. In Module 5, participants can apply information learned in previous modules to test their ability to communicate effectively with patients. Self-paced instruction allows participants to complete one or more modules at a time. The modules’ textual information is enhanced by colorful graphics, interactive elements and video vignettes.”

To access the online course and for more information, go to: http://www.hrsa.gov/healthliteracy/training.htm

To take the course, you will be required to register through TRAIN (TrainingFinder Real-time Affiliate Integrated Network).

Do you worry that your administration doesn’t understand the value of your library? Are you concerned about library cutbacks and closures?

The NN/LM SCR is sponsoring the free class Measuring Your Impact: Using Evaluation for Library Advocacy. Conducted by the NN/LM Outreach Evaluation Resource Center, the class will teach librarians how to demonstrate the value of the librarian and the library’s services to their administration and patrons. The workshop will feature group exercises that move participants through the steps of an evaluation and advocacy process. This class is approved for 6 hours of Continuing Education credit from the Medical Library Association.

Measuring Your Impact: Using Evaluation for Library Advocacy
http://nnlm.gov/evaluation/workshops/measuring_your_impact/index.html
Date: February 14, 2008
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Location: Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library
Street Level Conference Room

Class instructors:
Maryanne Blake, Evaluation and Education Coordinator, NN/LM Pacific Northwest Region
Betsy Kelly, Evaluation Coordinator, Washington University School of Medicine and NN/LM MidContinental Region

To register for this class: http://nnlm.gov/scr/training/calendar.html

This class is free and open to anyone interested.

The NN/LM SCR will be offering Getting the Best from DOCLINE 3 at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Library, New Orleans, LA 12:30am - 4:30pm on April 3, 2008.

Course Description: Attendees will learn how to use the features of DOCLINE effectively. Instruction will include how to properly input and maintain their institution’s record and serial holdings, search for and request materials, and fill other libraries requests. Additional topics include DOCLINE upgrades, reports, Loansome Doc and EFTS.

Upon successful completion of the class, each participant will receive 4 hours of continuing education credit awarded by the Medical Library Association (MLA).

The NN/LM SCR will also be offering Easy-to-Read Health and Wellness Material for Consumers: recognizing it, finding it, writing it, rewriting it at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Library, New Orleans LA 8:30am – 12:30pm on April 4, 2008.

Course Description: Learn in a hands-on environment–in the large group and break-out groups, to critique, rewrite and create materials that get your health and wellness information across quickly and clearly. We’ll review the disconnect between information providers and information seekers, the process of educating adults, the success of “plain language” initiatives and the importance of text, type, graphics, space and layout. In this workshop you will also be provided brochure examples, SMOG and REALM tests, a webliography and links to other training. During the workshop you will edit pieces so that at the conclusion you’ll have new awareness, new skills, a new product and access to further resources. Clear health communication is the goal, regardless of medium.

Upon successful completion of the class, each participant will receive 4 hours of continuing education credit awarded by the Medical Library Association (MLA).

To register: http://nnlm.gov/scr/training/register.html

These classes are free and open to anyone.

If you have any questions, please contact Karen Bülow at karen.bulow@exch.library.tmc.edu or 1-800-338-7657.

By Carolyn K. Bridgewater, MLIS, MSW, AHIP,Reference/Outreach Librarian, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Library (LSUHSC), New Orleans, LA

The NN/LM SCR Professional Development Award provided me with the opportunity to attend the 2007 Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Health Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Conference: Understanding the Power of Place, October 7-10th, in Scottsdale, AZ.

Overall, three issues prevailed at ESRI Health GIS conference and relevant to health sciences libraries and/or health information outreach: funding, protecting privacy and confidentiality, and new technologies and trends.

Funding
Librarians are constantly searching for ways to secure funding for potential projects. Constructive tips shared to participants: convey a “compelling story” and use visual maps when making the case in all phases of the grant writing process, whether it is defining the problem, determining where to focus efforts or communicating to your target audience.1. In addition, participants were informed of ESRI’s Grants Assistance Program (GAP). GAP assists GIS users in locating funding for projects. Anyone may participate but must plan to use GIS in their project. Surprisingly, this service is free of charge.

Privacy and Confidentiality
In the Health GIS community, privacy and confidentiality issues arise when spatial data on research participants – such as the locations of their homes or workplaces – can be linked with confidential personal information. The National Research Council’s report, Putting People on the Map: Protecting Confidentiality with Linked Social-Spatial Data was summarized. Some methods discussed to reduce the risk of participant identification: withhold some part of the data; statistically alter the data in ways that will not compromise secondary analyses but still protect individual participants’ identities (masking); and restrict access to the data at a controlled site (data enclave).2.

Technologies and Trends
Innovative GIS tools and resources highlighted:

Community Health Status Indicators GIS Analyst (CHSI)
http://www.communityhealth.hhs.gov/
This project is forthcoming and will be an online, searchable GIS database which will enable users to employ maps and graphs to visualize community health status based upon county (parish) level data, identify high-risk health areas and much more. Several partners are involved: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) and National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), National Library of Medicine (NLM), Public Health Foundation, National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) and others.3.

HealthLandscape
https://www.healthlandscape.org/index.cfm
HealthLandscape is a user-friendly mapping tool allowing health care professionals, researchers, planners and others to combine, analyze and display information to increase knowledge and improve the quality of health and healthcare. This collaborative effort is among the University of Cincinnati, Robert Graham Center, Greater Cincinnati Health Foundation and the American Academy of Family Physicians.4.

CDC’s GIS and Public Health
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/gis.htm
This website is designed specifically to increase the user’s knowledge of geographic relationships that affect health related outcomes, disease transmission, access and barriers to quality health care and other community health challenges.5.

In summary, the ESRI Health GIS conference was very informative and well organized. In 2004 the NN/LM SCR asked Network members what classes they want developed by the Regional Medical Library (RML). The results revealed that Network members were unaware of GIS technology and its implications to effect change in their current settings.6. Based upon this and the knowledge gained form the Health GIS conference, I intend to develop a beginner’s GIS application class geared for health sciences libraries and/or health information outreach at a later date. Librarians play a key role in educating its public of new technologies. GIS applications are an essential tool for mapping patterns of health, morbidity and mortality. For instance, in health sciences libraries, knowing about GIS applications will assist librarians in teaching faculty and students how GIS data is advantageous in solving health-related problems. Linking a patient’s health status to specific geospatial factors (e.g., where patients live, work and play) can become yet another set of explicit, visible information that health care professionals use in making decisions about the care of individual patients.7.

This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. N01-LM-6-3505.

1. 2007 ESRI Health GIS Conference, 2. Retrieved October 12, 2007 from
http://www.esri.com/events/health/docs/2007_healthgis_agenda.pdf
2. Ib. at 28.
3. Ib. at 21.
4. Ib. at 27.
5. Ib. at 28.
6. NN/LM, SCR Educational Needs Questionnaire Results. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from
http://nnlm.gov/scr/training/class_question_results.html
7. Davenhall, B. (2007, March 3). Spatial Medicine to Better Health. Geospatial Today. Retrieved October 16, 2007, from
http://www.esri.com/library/reprints/pdfs/geospatial-today-health.pdf: 2007-03-03: 1705kb