Happy New Year! The NN/LM MidContinental Region’s 2009 Breezing Along with the RML series resumes with presenters Jean Shipman, Director, and Claire Hamasu, Associate Director. Jean Shipman will review the Medical Library Association/NLM Health Information Literacy Research Project results, now that this two-year project has ended. She will share how this project has helped to educate health care providers about the key role medical librarians can play with improving their institution’s health literacy efforts. Claire Hamasu will recount what happened during the NN/LM site visit including the report from the site visit team that summarized strengths and recommendations for the RML. If you want to preview the team’s report, it’s available at http://nnlm.gov/mcr/evaluation/nnlm_sitevisit.html

• Date: January 21, 2009
• Time: 10 MT, 11 CT
• Location: https://webmeeting.nih.gov/mcrupdate/
• All you need is an Internet connection and a phone!

For more information on Adobe Connect, our web conferencing system, go to: http://nnlm.gov/mcr/services/updates/updates.html Breezing Along with the RML is held the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Mark your calendar. /ch

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released an updated and improved version of the Surgeon General’s Internet-based family health history tool. This new tool makes it easier for consumers to assemble and share family health history information.  It can also help practitioners make better use of health history information so they can provide more informed and personalized care for their patients. For more information please visit the following URL: https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/fhh-web/home.action [scb]

Kansas Govenor Kathleen Sebilius will sign and issue a proclamation on January 23, 2009 announcing the unveiling Go Local Kansas.  Go Local Kansas, an integral part of MedlinePlus.gov, will be up and running on January 29, 2009.  The URL referenced in the Govenor’s proclamation will go live on January 29, 2009.

Go Local Kansas is funded by the MidContinental Region of the National Network of the Libraries of Medicine.

The proclamation reads:

Go Local Kansas Day Proclamation

Whereas empowering Kansans to make informed health care decisions is essential to improving the health of our citizens;  

Whereas improving access to health care has been identified as a top health priority for our state in Healthy Kansans 2010; 

Whereas knowing how to locate health services in the community is essential to preventing disease and staying healthy; 
 
Whereas an important step to assure all Kansans have equal access to health care is knowing where to find information in the community;  

Whereas Go Local Kansas is a new health resource connecting Kansans with health resources in their communities;  

Whereas Go Local Kansas provides access to reliable health information for Kansans; 

Whereas Go Local Kansas will be available on January 29th, 2009; 
 
I hereby proclaim January 29th, 2009 to be Go Local Kansas Day. I encourage Kansans to visit Go Local Kansas (www.golocalkansas.org) today and every day in 2009 to locate health resources in their community.

[rb]

The American Library Association (ALA) Public Information Office announced the release of “Increasing Relevance, Relationships and Results: Principles & Practices for Effective Multicultural Communication—Library Edition,” http://tinyurl.com/7xdtvo written by the Metropolitan Group, a leading strategic communication and resource development agency specializing in work with libraries.

The article defines eight principles and practices for effective multicultural communication, and highlights the important, integrated role multicultural communication plays in creating social change. Read more at http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2009/january2009/piomulticulturalcomm.cfm [scb]

Planning for the health and safety of those attending mass gatherings is an enormous challenge for local officials. Mass gatherings are defined as those attracting more than 1,000 participants and include events like the Olympics, Super Bowl, religious services conducted by the Pope, state funerals, and presidential inaugurations. Public health concerns range from ensuring adequate drinking water, food safety, first aid, and toilet facilities to planning for the extremes of possible major accidents, dangerous weather and even terrorist threats.

 The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has compiled a Web page of links to information on the public health aspects of planning for all kinds of mass gatherings, http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/massgatherings.html. These resources include a search of PubMed for medical journal article citations as well as documents from government and other sources. Topics include preparedness for large numbers of casualties and management of disease outbreaks. For more information on the Disaster Information Management Research Center at NLM, please visit http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/. [scb

WebJunction is pleased to host the third cookbook from TechSoup’s MaintainIT Project, Planning for Success. This free online resource brings together the most current ideas and best practices for planning, building, and managing your library’s computer technology. Librarians from around the country have contributed their experience and knowledge on over 50 topics ranging from security solutions and strategic maintenance practices to community building experiences. http://www.webjunction.org/maintainit-cookbooks/articles/content/34716950 [posted on WebJunction Newsletter - January 2009 Crossroads] scb

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine MidContinental Region is sponsoring a workshop on Knowledge Management. Participants of this workshop must include a team consisting of a hospital librarian and a professional from another department in the same institution. The goal of the workshop is for each team to explore the potential of knowledge management in the hospital setting, and to develop and implement a program in each respective institution.

In addition to the April 16-17, 2009 workshop, there are required readings, two required online pre-workshop sessions and post-workshop communication sessions. These pre-workshop sessions will be held on March 9 and April 7 on Adobe Connect. The post-workshop sessions will be scheduled at a later date.

Cost of the workshop is $35: this includes one lunch and all break refreshments. This workshop is open to participants nation-wide; however preference will be given to members of the MidContinental Region. The first 2 teams of MidContinental Region network members accepted for the workshop will have their travel expenses paid. Those 2 teams will be responsible to attend all sessions and either present their project within 18 months of the session or publish their work in a MidContinental Region publication.

To apply for this workshop, go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=mU0l95vzMYPHKD8L1WY87A_3d_3d and complete the application form. Deadline for submission of applications is January 19, 2009. (bbj)

It’s a new series of classes presented by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, MidContinental Region! We’re focusing on the “spotlight” aspect - choosing limited databases on which to focus, and practice time with exercises in each monthly session. The first is “Update on PubMed” - presented by Rebecca Brown on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009 for one hour - 1:00 MT, 2:00 CT.

This online training is FREE, and requires no registration. All you need is a computer with Internet access and a phone. All classes can be accessed by going to https://webmeeting. nih.gov/mcrupdate. The series is targeted for the fourth Wednesday each month. Upcoming dates and topics include: Feb. 25 -MedlinePlus and the Household Products Database., March 25 - Educational Resources for Kids, and April 22 - Drug Resources. We hope to “see” you there!

The MCR and NLM will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2009 in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

NLM will also be closed on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 for the Presidential Inauguration.