Library Space and Its Impact Conference Award

Announcement

At the 2003 National Library of Medicine - Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) symposium, “Library as Place: Building and Revitalizing Health Sciences Libraries in the Digital Age,” asked questions of what the role of the library in the 21st century would be; the roles of computers and books; and what these new and newly reconfigured library spaces would look like.

The symposium found that the library of the future would change from, “static bricks and mortar transforming into fluid, light-filled spaces wired for both physical and virtual learning, and flexible, collaborative problem solving superseding isolated, monastic-style study.”

Five years since that symposium, the pace of change has accelerated:

* Many, if not most, academic health sciences libraries’ conversion to e-only journals has largely taken place;
* Print journal volumes are going into storage or are being discarded;
* Library space is being identified for other institutional needs;
* Library leaders are identifying new roles for librarians, while discarding or adjusting traditional roles and services

NN/LM MAR seeks to hold a conference on the transformational change of library space and its impact on librarians and library services.

Requests for Letters of Interest
The NN/LM MAR is accepting letters of interest for a one-day conference award on: Transformational Change of Library Space and Its Impact on Librarians and Library Services from NN/LM MAR full members. The applications will address the issue of library and librarian identity in light of changing or reduced physical space. The conference should also
address the following issues:

* Models or best practices in libraries’ reduction of a print collection;
* Models or best practices in libraries’ reduction of space and/or re-purposing of existing space
* Emerging roles and identities of librarians in the changing physical environment
* Models or best practices of adjusting traditional library roles and services
* Offer models or best practices across all of the issues that are applicable to hospital libraries and librarians

Purpose
The purpose of the Transforming Space Conference Award is to allow full members to host conferences on models or best practices in libraries’ reduction of space and/or re-purposing of existing space as well as identify emerging roles for librarians in the changing environment. This conference is part of the NN/LM MAR Strategic Plan 2008-2009. The conference should be
held at a level to attract attendees from a wide geographic area within the Middle Atlantic region (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania).

Audience
The audience is both academic health sciences librarians and hospital librarians. The conference should be broad enough in scope to address issues and suggest best practices that could apply to both types of libraries.

Application Process
Applicants should email or fax a 2-3 page proposal letter. The proposal letter should include:

* Applicant’s name, contact information
* Name and contact information of any partners
* Approach to conference themes
* Proposed agenda
* Names of speakers
* Facility capacity
* Draft budget

Letters of interest will be reviewed by the NN/LM MAR Executive Committee. Reviewers may contact the applicant with questions or comments for clarification and revision of the proposal letter. The merits of each application will be carefully evaluated, based on responsiveness to the call for applications.

The Executive Committee will select a proposal letter for submission of a complete proposal. Upon receipt of a complete proposal, and final review by the Executive Committee, the applicant will receive the conference award.

Awards must be applied to hold a conference scheduled within twelve months of the award date.

Email letters of interest to: rml@library.med.nyu.edu

Evaluation Criteria
CONFERENCE THEME
Ability to imaginatively address conference themes and propose models and suggest best practices for academic health sciences librarians and hospital librarians.

35 points
CONFERENCE PLAN
Ability of applicant to host a conference, including facilities, a/v, technology and geographic location within the region.

35 points
EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS OF STAFF
Experience and qualifications of key personnel, including names of potential partners
30 points

Total Possible Points: 100

Cost Proposal Instructions
Total expenses must not exceed $15,000.

Allowable expenses include:

* Speaker fees and honoraria
* Travel
* Publicity
* Space rental
* Electricity
* Telephone lines/data lines
* Audiovisual costs
* Printing/reproduction/duplication
* Equipment rental

Non-allowable expenses include:

* Indirect costs
* Personnel costs
* Food
* Furniture

Deadline for submission of letters of interest: April 15, 2008

If you have questions or require assistance contact Kathel Dunn, Associate Director, at 1-800-338-7657, 212-263-4197, or rml@library.med.nyu.edu . Awards will be announced on the MAR discussion list, MARL; as well as the MAR newsletter, the MARquee.

The goal of the Outreach Evaluation Workshop Series is to develop the ability of those who conduct health information outreach projects to gather and use evaluation data for program improvement and decision-making.

These workshops are hosted by NN/LM MAR and taught by Susan Barnes and Cindy Olney of the Outreach Evaluation Resource Center, NN/LM Pacific Northwest, University of Washington. Attendance at previous workshops is not a prerequisite.

Data Collection for Health Information Outreach, 8:00-12:00, April 15/08
In this workshop, participants will learn to apply good principles of data collection to assure that data - both qualitative and quantitative - will be useful in making project decisions. The emphasis will be on efficient methods that can keep data collection at a manageable level.

Data Analysis for Health Information Outreach, 1:00-5:00, April 15/08
Participants will learn basic methods for compiling and analyzing qualitative and quantitative evaluation data to maximize their usefulness in project improvement and decision-making.

Class date: Tuesday, April, 15, 2008
Class times: Data Collection for Health Information Outreach: 8:00-12:00; Data Analysis for Health Information Outreach: 1:00-5:00
Location: New York University, Frederick L. Ehrman Medical Library, 550 First Ave., New York
Registration: Register for either or both classes by sending an email to rml@library.med.nyu.edu

Registration is free. Class break refreshments and lunch are included for attendees. The classes are limited to 25 registrants. Please register by March, 28, 2008.

The NN/LM MAR Promotional Items order page has been updated!  

Check out the changes at http://nnlm.gov/mar/outreach/materials.html

The images are new and new items are available –

Health Hotlines Spiral-Bound Directory
Compilation of organizations with toll-free telephone numbers, derived from DIRLINE,  NLM’s online Directory of Information Resources
Size: 4 ½” x 8 ½”

Information Rx Store Postcard
Marketing tool for Information Rx, intended for physicians to refer patients to MedlinePlus
Size: 4” x 6” Limited quantities

MedlinePlus En Español Materials
Bilingual items for MedlinePlus en Español featuring Don Francisco, popular host of television show Sábado Gigante
Size: 2 ¾” x 8 ½” bookmark
Limited quantities available: 2” x 3 ½” business card and 8 ½” x 11” poster

NLM Classification Poster
Classification scheme for the arrangement of library materials in medicine and related sciences
Size: 18” x 24” Limit one per order

NLM Information Business Card
Convenient list of NLM consumer web sites plus customer service contact information
Size: 2 ¼” x 3 ½”

NLM Post-It Notes
Size: 3” x 4”, 50 sheets

Put in your order now to request more items that promote the NLM resources you rely on!

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region (NN/LM MAR) is pleased to announce the awarding of MicroAwards to the following network members:

Dorothy Schwartz
Health Sciences Library, New York Methodist Hospital
Project: Sharper Image Presentations (purchase of Photoshop)

Julia Stuart
Health Education Library, New York Hospital Queens
Project: Personalized mouse pads

John Ganly
Science, Industry and Business Library, The New York Public Library
Project: The Suitcase Exhibit: the Lives They Left Behind (for speaker expenses)

Mary Jo Russell
VBMC Medical Library, Vassar Brothers Medical Center
Project: Online Resources Promotional Kit for Physicians &
Online Resources Promotional Kit for Professionals (two awards)

Twila Snead
St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital Medical Library, Newburgh, NY
Project: Promotional materials for physicians who use technology regularly &
Promotional materials for physicians who do not use technology regularly (two awards)

The MicroAwards are small (micro) awards of up to $500 awarded to network members to enhance their services and provide seed money for ongoing or one-time projects through the purchase of displays, brochures, presentations, materials, refreshments, equipment, supplies, or presentation of small programs.

MicroAwards are currently available and will be awarded until funds are depleted. MicroAward applications are reviewed in-house by RML staff, with notification of award given 10 days from receipt of a complete application.

Apply online at: http://nnlm.gov/mar/funding/microawards.html Questions? Call or email Arpita Bose at 1.800.338.7657 or bose@library.med.nyu.edu

Of interest to public libraries:

The American Library Association is pleased to announce that it is working with WGBH Boston on the upcoming national outreach campaign for the film The Truth About Cancer, which will air on PBS April 16th at 9 p.m. (check local listings). The 90-minute documentary film, followed by a 30-minute expert panel, hosted by news journalist and cancer survivor Linda Ellerbee will be the launching pad for events and projects across the country focused on creating community conversations around cancer survivorship.

ALA and WGBH encourage libraries to reach out to their local PBS stations to collaborate with them on events surrounding this film. In addition, WGBH encourages libraries to reach out to its national outreach partners on this project including the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, Lance Armstrong Foundation, YMCA of the USA and the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups. These collaborations will provide an excellent opportunity for libraries to develop new—or strengthen existing—community partnerships, while offering a valuable service to their communities.

To assist in these outreach efforts, WGBH will offer extensive online resources, including downloadable handouts, which will be available on www.pbs.org/takeonestep <http://www.pbs.org/takeonestep> starting in March 2008. In addition, a limited number of free Outreach Toolkits including two event posters and a DVD Screener that will include 30 minutes of the film and the full expert panel to libraries that request them. WGBH asks that libraries not hold public screenings using the DVD screener until one week prior to the premiere broadcast.

To order the Outreach Toolkit, please go to:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/takeonestep/request.html

Materials are limited and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

This collaborative project with WGBH is administered by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of ALA. Contact Barbara Macikas, RUSA, bmacikas@ala.org <mailto:bmacikas@ala.org> or 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4395.

The National Library of Medicine has released the NLM Drug Information Portal http://druginfo.nlm.nih.gov . This resource provides the public, healthcare professionals, and researchers with a gateway to current and accurate drug information from the National Library of Medicine and to other key government agencies.

The Drug Information Portal offers a varied selection of resources and focused topics in medicine and drug-related information, with links to individual resources with drug information and summaries tailored to various audiences. General drug categories from MeSH are also included in the Drug Portal records.

More than 15,000 drugs are available for searching. The search interface requires only a drug name; a spellchecker is provided. Information buttons and balloon pop-ups guide the user by providing helpful hints or a description of the resource and links to the source website.

Search results include links to related drug information in MedlinePlus®, AIDSinfo®, Medline/PubMed®, LactMed, HSDB®, Dietary Supplements Labels Database, TOXLINE®, DailyMed®, ClinicalTrials.gov, PubChem, NIAID Anti-HIV/OI Database, ChemIDplus®, Drugs@FDA, DEA, and USA.gov .

On November 30^th at the John Ammon Center for Medical Education – Christiana Hospital, the Academy hosted a well-attended meeting to kick-off the first-ever strategic planning process for medical libraries in Delaware. Funded by the Delaware Division of Libraries, the Academy will play a key role in the development of the plan. Himmel & Associates, consultants, is conducting the six month hospital library analysis and the firm has a history in assisting with other State Library efforts in recent years. According to PJ Grier, an Academy director, “this is a first, for such collaboration with the State Library”.

Annie Norman – Director & State Librarian, Delaware Division of Libraries

The meeting focused on opening remarks by Annie Norman, State Librarian. Annie’s goal is to improve all multi-type library services, so that they set the standards for the nation. She said the State will use the outcomes from the plan as a foundation for important agenda-setting with the next State administration. Additionally, the outcomes will be blended with current results contained in the State Library’s overall environmental plan, which comprises public, academic and special libraries.

Next, there was brief discussion and consensus around the currently “perceived” sustainability levels of the four areas on medical librarianship: hospital-based clinical information delivery (60%), consumer health information delivery (50%), public health information delivery (10%) and virtual resources. In closing, the consultant conducted a highly participatory SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis and the results can be found at the following link: http://www.libraryconsultant.com/DelawareMedicalSWOT.htm.

Seated from left: Christine Chastian-Warheit – Director, Medical Libraries, Christiana Care; Meg Ward – Librarian, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Linda Leonard – Consumer Health Librarian, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Patty Hartmannsgruber – Consumer Health Librarian, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Nadine Pieniaszek, Librarian – Bayhealth; Rosemary Figorito – Librarian, St Francis Hospital.

Standing from left: PJ Grier – Director, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Susanne Ingle – Librarian, Delaware Division of Substance Abuse & Mental Health; Susan LaValley – Consumer Health Librarian, Delaware Academy of Medicine; Lynne Joshi – Librarian, AI duPont Hospital; Eileen Vaughn – Librarian, Beebe School of Nursing; Jean Winstead – Librarian, Beebe Medical Center; Robb Mackes – Electronic Resources Librarian - Delaware Academy of Medicine

People attending represented a broad spectrum of constituent organizations. The meeting also offered a rare opportunity to bring together all hospital and consumer health information professionals; they are pictured above.

Immediate next steps will involve the formation of a small steering committee, benchmarking, and extensive outreach to user communities and other stakeholders. The consultant is expected to have the Strategic Plan completed by July 2008.

The February issue of NIH News in Health, the monthly newsletter bringing you practical health news and tips based on the latest NIH research, is now online at http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/. In this issue:

Preventing Cancer: Learn How to Lower Your Risk
If you think there’s nothing you can do to prevent cancer, you’d be wrong. Learn about the steps you can take to reduce your cancer risk.
full story

Soothing the Sting of Shingles: When a Childhood Virus Comes Back to Bite You
Even when chickenpox is gone, the virus that causes it stays with you for life, hidden and inactive in your nerve cells. As you get older, the virus may make a second, unwelcome appearance and cause a painful disease called shingles.
full story

Health Capsules:

· Brain Injuries and PTSD Risk

· Sealing Out Tooth Decay

· Featured Web Site: My Family Health Portrait

You can also click here to download a PDF version for printing.

Join your colleagues on March 5 as NN/LM MAR hosts Medical Library Association’s fall webcast, “Web 2.0 Principles and Best Practices: Discovering the Participatory Web.” More information about the webcast is available here: http://www.mlanet.org/education/distance_ed/web2.0/index.html

Take advantage of this national continuing education event. Share ideas with your colleagues about current topics, learn techniques from MLA member experts, and earn MLA CE contact hours.

Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Time: 2:00 pm-4:00 pm

Location: Smilow 1^st Floor Conference Room B, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY

*NOTE: You are invited to join us in person in New York City for the webcast. We cannot offer free remote access to the webcast from your own library.*

RSVP to rml@library.med.nyu.edu. You will be sent a confirmation e-mail with directions to the site by Friday, February 29. There is no charge for this event.

The RML has also purchased a DVD for loan after the webcast.

We look forward to having you join us!