If you want to keep up with news coming out of the National Institutes of Health, this excel file will help you. On it you will find a list of NIH communication tools and a description of the publication and what kind of information it provides. http://nnlm.gov/mcr/resources/community/docs/NIH_Communication_links.xls

If you contribute to your institution’s web site or manipulate images for other projects, you might want to try the online version of Photoshop. While the software version is cost prohibitive, Photoshop Express is free. Photoshop Express is completely web-based so you can use it with any type of computer, operating system and browser.
https://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html

From: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2008-03-27-free-photoshop-express_N.htm
[rb]

Both books available online at no charge from the NNLM MidContinental Region NetLibrary collection. No user name or password required if you enter through the NNLM MCR portal at: http://nnlm.gov/mcr/education/netlibrary.html.

April 11, 2008: Trends, Fads or Folly: Spotting the Library Trends That Really Matter

Free in Nebraska, see Nebraska Library Commission at: http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/scripts/training/eventshow.asp?ProgID=8389
Free in Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, see: Biographical Center for Research
http://www.bcr.org/training/partners/teleconferences/index.html
College of DuPage http://www.dupagepress.com/library-learning-network/soaring-to-excellence-2008/

Next College of DuPage online conference:
May 9, 2008: Tools of Engagement: Attracting and Engaging Library Users
(All teleconferences are from 11:00-12:30 CT, 10:00-11:30 MT)

Susan Roberts, MCR Technology Associate, will teach an online class entitled, “Basic Image Editing: an Overview.” The class will be taught online using Adobe Connect; all you need to participate is an Internet connection, a Web browser, and a telephone for the audio. The class will be held Monday, April 7th, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. MT; to sign up, contact Susan at sroberts@lib.med.utah.edu or 801-581-3031. Participants will receive an overview of how to optimize images in Web pages as well as other electronic documents and presentations. This overview includes information about: image file formats; inexpensive and easy-to-use software options; resizing and optimizing the appearance (color, contrast, and sharpness) of images in a Web page (or other e-document); what you need to know about pixels, bitmaps, bit-depth, and image display and output resolution for Web pages as well as other types of electronic documents; special tricks for working with electronic images including: fixing red eye in portraits. Participants will also be provided with a list of image editing tools and resources so that you can learn more on your own. [SD]

The National Library of Medicine is pleased to announce a new web resource for its Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC). The aim of the DIMRC web site is to provide access to quality disaster health information to the nation at all stages of preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery. The initial phase of this web site focuses on NLM and NLM-supported resources and activities. The web site will expand to include other sources of authoritative disaster health information. http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc.html

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has a long history of providing health information during times of disaster. Recognizing the potential for the use of libraries as major untapped resources in preparing for disasters, and responding to the current increased need for disaster health information, the Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) has been created to aid the nation’s disaster management efforts. DIMRC is tasked with the effective collection, organization, and dissemination of health information for natural, accidental, or deliberate disasters. DIMRC is committed to providing this essential information as part of the Federal effort to help prepare, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the adverse health effects of disasters in conjunction with Federal, State, local government, private organizations, and local communities.

To accomplish this, DIMRC will focus its efforts on providing disaster health information resources and informatics research that will be directly beneficial for public health officials, healthcare providers, special populations, and the public. [scb]

Susan Roberts, MCR Technology Associate, will offer an online class entitled, “Basic Design Principles for Visual Communication.” The class will use Adobe Connect; all you need to participate is an Internet connection, a Web browser, and a telephone for the audio. The class will be held Monday, March 31st, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. MT; to sign up, e-mail Susan at sroberts@lib.med.utah.edu or 801-581-3031.

You’ll learn how you can improve your visual communication skills in order to create presentation materials (such as slide presentations, newsletters, posters and web pages) that are visually well-organized and thus more effective. You’ll be introduced to some basic graphic design concepts and principles that you can apply immediately to the design projects you are working on. You’ll also be provided with a list of tools and resources so that you can learn more on your own. [SD]

The NLM Division of Specialized Information Services, Office of Outreach and Special Populations, has partnered with the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) to create a Web resource providing scientists and consumers with the latest information on significant topics in women’s health research. The information comes from scientific journals and other peer-reviewed sources. The purpose of this page is to present topics pertaining to women’s health collected by National Library of Medicine information products to support the mission of the Office of Research on Women’s Health to promote research in the field. http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/outreach/womenshealthtopicsnlm.html /ch

WISER 4.0 is now available! You may download it from the WISER web site http://wiser.nlm.nih.gov/, or access the on-line version http://webwiser.nlm.nih.gov/getHomeData.do. This new version introduces a biological substance list to augment the existing chemical and radioisotope lists. Highlights of this version include:

* Substance data for the six “Category A” biological agents (see the list http://wiser.nlm.nih.gov/substances.html)
* WMD Response Guidebook pages are included into the substance data where appropriate
* A new tool for general browsing of the guide pages of the WMD Response Guidebook (except for Palm OS)
* A new Radiation Unit Conversion tool
* WISER can now automatically check for updates
* Incorporation of the latest NLM Hazardous Substance Data Bank updates
* And many more miscellaneous application and data enhancements
[scb]

Beginning April 8, 2008, the MCRML will be offering a free online class on using Routing Tables in DOCLINE.

This 60 minute online class will provide an in-depth look into DOCLINE Routing Tables.

Participants will learn about using their Borrowing Preferences, explanation of copyright compliance, editing Routing Tables, M/A/N Map, setting up Lending Options, and more!

The live class is taught the second Tuesday of each month starting at 10am (Mountain Time). This class is for beginning and intermediate level DOCLINE users but all DOCLINE users are welcome to attend!

Click for more information