The New York Medical College conference entitled, “Health Literacy: Tools for Improving Health Communications,” was held on May 30, 2007 with 194 attendees from a wide array of community or health-related advocacy organizations, hospitals, local health departments, public libraries, and/or academic institutions.

The conference was co-sponsored by the New York Medical College (NYMC) Health Sciences Library (HSL) and School of Public Health (SPH) along with the Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association (NorMet). It was jointly funded by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) and the New York State Department of Health. The conference goal was to provide health professionals and hospital staff with an educational opportunity to develop awareness of health literacy issues and improve communication skills with individuals throughout the Hudson Valley Region of New York. In fact, the relevant issues and communication skills needed are basic to all health professionals. NN/LM network members, regional health professionals, and individuals from community agencies were encouraged to attend.

The keynote speakers were widely acknowledged experts on health literacy issues: Rima E. Rudd, MSPH, ScD, Harvard School of Public Health and Shelby Dunster, Associate Director, Department of Standards, The Joint Commission. Rima Rudd has served on the Institute of Medicine’s expert panel on health literacy. Shelby Dunster is responsible for developing and promoting the new cultural and health literacy standards for The Joint Commission. The complete program and agenda are available on the web site: http://library.nymc.edu/PHInformatics/index.cfm.

One outcome was the creation of a health literacy tool kit, which was soon followed by a virtual version. The conference tool kit, with new links added as needed, is available at: http://library.nymc.edu/PHInformatics/hltoolkit.cfm. When the so-called “dancing nurses” video shown by one of the speakers was requested more than 14 times, the link was immediately added to the site: http://www.ahrq.gov/QuestionsAreTheAnswer//. As of July 19, over 1,000 hits have been made to the conference web pages.

All NN/LM members, and others, are encouraged to make use of the conference tool kit. Feedback is welcome and should be sent to Diana Cunningham (Diana_cunningham@nymc.edu). The conference planners are working to continue the dynamic collaborations begun with this event. View photos at: http://library.nymc.edu/PHInformatics/images/hlcphotos/index.htm

NYMC Health Literacy Conference Participants (left to right): Frank Baker, Penny Liberatos, Diana Cunningham, Amy Ansehl, Padmini Murthy, Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi. Not pictured: Shelby Dunster, Rima Rudd, and Sarah Kowalski

Library users will have the opportunity to print free copies of such public domain classics as “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain, “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and “Songs of Innocence” by William Blake, as well as appropriately themed in-copyright titles as Chris Anderson’s “The Long Tail” and Jason Epstein’s own “Book Business.” The public domain titles were provided by the Open Content Alliance (“OCA”), a non-profit organization with a database of over 200,000 titles. The OCA and ODB are working closely to offer this digital content free of charge to libraries across the country. Both organizations have received partial funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The Espresso Book Machine will be available to the public at SIBL through August, and will operate Monday- Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The New York Public Library’s Science, Industry and Business Library is located at 188 Madison Avenue (at 34th Street).

Read more on the Press Release Newswire

(Left to right: C.Ferber, Library Assistant; T.Bardyn, Librarian; C.Janick, Social Worker; and D.Elleman, Social Worker, promoting the Winter 2007 issue of NIH MedlinePlus at Bellevue Hospital Center on April 26, 2007 in the Bellevue Hospital Center Atrium in New York City)

On April 22, 2007, in observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the staff of the Bellevue Medical Library joined the New York State Attorney General and the Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims for the 22nd Annual Crime Victims’ Candlelight Vigil. For over twenty years, this event has brought together hundreds of survivors, service providers, law enforcement practitioners, first responders and families of survivors.The Vigil pays tribute to all victims of homicide, assault, abuse, stalking, rape, trafficking, torture, DWI and the World Trade Center attacks.

Bellevue Library’s exhibit, STIR—Survivors of Trauma Information and Resources, presents an information empowerment experience to survivors and their families and connects them to support services available through the local, regional, and federal healthcare system.

Bellevue Library works closely with the Crime Victims Program at Bellevue Hospital Center to provide coordinated and comprehensive medical and supportive social services in New York City. Together, social workers and librarians provided demonstrations of appropriate, Internet-based information resources, including MedlinePlus, National Women’s Health Information Center and NOAH.

(Front Row, left to right: Lia Sabbagh, Patti May, Robin Siegel, Jenny Pierce, and Erica Moncrief;  Back Row, left to right:  Michelle Brewer, Jeannine Creazzo, Robb Mackes, and Jan Skica)

The Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey (HSLANJ) sponsored a table display at the Organization of Nursing Executives of New Jersey (ONE/NJ) Research Day held on June 22, 2007. This was possible thanks to an exhibit grant awarded to HSLANJ from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region. The conference highlighted the results of the statewide Readiness of New Jersey Nurses for Evidence-Based Practice survey. This survey was done to replicate the study conducted by Dr. Diane Pravikoff, who was the keynote speaker that day, and reported on in the September, 2005 issue of the American Journal of Nursing. Health Sciences Librarians were dismayed to read the results of the survey. We discovered that many nurses either did not know there was a library in their hospital or did know and thought it was only available for physician use. HSLANJ considered this conference to be a perfect opportunity to speak with nurses regarding what is available to them through NNLM/MAR, the National Library of Medicine and their own hospital libraries and librarians.

More than 100 members of ONE/NJ attended the conference and stopped by our table display. HSLANJ members Michelle Brewer, Jeannine Creazzo, Robb Mackes, Patti May, Erica Moncrief, Jenny Pierce, Lia Sabbagh, Robin Siegel and Jan Skica staffed the table, answered questions and gave out bookmarks with contact information stickers attached so that the attendees would know how to reach the librarian at their institution. Laptop computers were used to demonstrate the various databases that are available to New Jersey’s hospital libraries via the National Library of Medicine, HSLANJ’s Group Purchasing program and the New Jersey State Library.

Additional handouts included Fact Sheets created by HSLANJ members describing the evidence-based nursing resources available for demonstration at the booth. These included CINAHL, Joanna Briggs Institute, Mosby’s Nursing Consult, EBSCO’s Nursing and Allied Health Collection and Biomedical Reference Collection, National Guideline Clearinghouse and The Cochrane Library

In addition, the HSLANJ exhibitors participated in the Research Day ‘breakout sessions,’ that were part of the conference. The nine health sciences librarians each worked with one breakout group of nurse executives. Together, we created working documents for use by ONE/NJ that developed strategies for improvement in New Jersey of evidence-based nursing research and practice in the hospital setting, and for the improvement of nurses’ knowledge of, access and use of hospital library services and evidence-based information resources.

The entire day gave us a wonderful opportunity to interact with nursing executives from around the state. It was gratifying to hear so many of them express how much they appreciate all the work their hospital librarians do for them. We hope that HSLANJ can be involved in the ONE/NJ Research Day again next year, on an even bigger scale.

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM), for the Middle Atlantic Region (MAR), is pleased to announce that the Health Sciences Library of New York Medical College received an Outreach Conference Award for the conference, Health Literacy: Tools for Improving Health Communications.

The conference, Health Literacy: Tools for Improving Health Communications, will be held May 30^th at New York Medical College. The conference, co-sponsored by New York Medical College’s Health Sciences Library, School of Public Health and the Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association (NorMet), features sessions on the interaction of health literacy from an individual and system point of view; the implementation of the Joint Commission Requirements related to the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate health care and as a guest speaker includes Sabrina Kurtz-Ross, MEd, the MLA Health Information Literacy Research Project Coordinator and Adjunct Clinical Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine.

Registration is $10, with a May 25, 2007 registration deadline.

The Conference will be held at New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY.

Congratulations to Robin Siegel! The Asbury Park Press wrote a great story on Robin and her work at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold Township in New Jersey in its April 12, 2007 issue. You can read the story.

New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine has issued a proclamation making April 15 - 21, 2007 Health Sciences Library Week. In his proclamation he states,

“Whereas, the Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey is celebrating its 35th Anniversary; and

Whereas, the Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey, composed of health sciences librarians and information specialists, acts as a unified voice and a cohesive force in promoting education, resource sharing and networking to its members, and

Whereas, New Jersey health sciences librarians and information specialists provide physicians, nurses and other health-related practitioners with the vital, accurate and current information they require in order to furnish the highest quality and cost-effective healthcare for all New Jerseyans;

now, therefore, I, Jon S. Corzine, Governor of the State of New Jersey, do hereby proclaim

April 15 through 21, 2007 as Health Sciences Library Week

in New Jersey, and recommend and commend the members of this organization for the oustanding services they provide in helping deliver health care information to the residents of the Garden State.

Congratulations to New Jersey Health Sciences librarians and to the Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey for its 35th anniversary!

On March 5, 2007 the NN/LM MAR issued a questionnaire to a random selection of network member libraries. This questionnaire is one part of MAR’s needs assessment of network library members.

With this questionnaire, NN/LM MAR hopes to develop a better understanding of:

1. Libraries’ needs to sustain and improve services.
2. Activities or future plans libraries have for outreach to consumers and health professionals.

The NN/LM MAR will use this information in developing a regional strategic plan for Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. This plan will outline programs and services to support the work of network members in the region for the next five years.

If you or your library received this questionnaire, please be sure to complete the questionnaireand submit it promptly. For those libraries that did not receive the questionnaire but are interested in completing it, please contact Sue Hunter, Planning and Evaluation Coordinator for NN/LM MAR, hunter@library.med.nyu.edu, 212.263.4179.The NN/LM MAR will continue to solicit member feedback throughout the contract period.

The following sites in the Middle Atlantic Region will offer the MLA web cast this Wednesday, March 7. If you find yourself outside the region on March 7, check MLA’s web site for other web cast hosting sites throughout the country:

http://www.mlanet.org/education/distance_ed/marketing/states07.html

If you cannot attend the web cast, the RML will purchase copies of the DVD for individual viewing at later dates. CE credit is awarded for viewing the DVD.

New Jersey:
Robert T Mackes
New Jersey Hospital Association, Princeton, NJ
Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey
C/O Union Hospital Medical Library
1000 Galloping Hill Rd
Union, NJ 07083-7951
Phone: 908.851.7234
Fax: 908.851.5850

New York:
Arpita Bose
NYU School of Medicine
Ehrman Medical Library
550 First Ave
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212.263.4185
Fax: 212.263.4258

Christopher Tosh
Albany Medical College
Capital District Library Council
28 Essex Street
Albany, NY 12206
Phone: 518.438.2500
Fax: 518.438.2872

Min Liu
South Huntington Public Library
Long Island Library Resources Council
Melville Library Building
Suite E5310
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3399
Phone: 631.632.6659
Fax: 631.632.6662

Amy Lyons
University at Buffalo
Health Sciences Library
Abbott Hall
3435 Main St., Bldg #28
Buffalo, NY 14214
Phone: 716.829.3900 x131
Fax: 716.829.2211

Deborah Emerson
Rochester Regional Library Council
390 Packett’s Landing
Fairport, NY 14450
Phone: 585.223.7570

Pennsylvania:
Dan Kipnis
Thomas Jefferson University
1020 Walnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215.503.2825
Fax: 215.923.3203

Kathleen Mazurek
Reading Hospital and Medical Center
PO Box 16052
Reading, PA 19612-6052
Phone: 610.988.8418
Fax: 610.988.9775

Claire Huntington
Geisinger Health System
100 North Academy Ave
Danville, PA 17822-2101
Phone: 570.271.6288
Fax: 570.271.5738

Rosemarie Taylor
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital
Wyoming Valley Health Care System
Hospital Library
575 N River St
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18764
Phone: 570.552.1175
Fax: 570.552.1183

The Middle Atlantic Region (MAR) of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) announces the availability of awards that support access to health information for libraries, consumers, health professionals and in particular those reaching underserved populations; enhance the capacity of libraries to share resources, strengthen network member librarians’ skills in the use of NLM databases; and increase the visibility of the NN/LM and NLM products and services.

Awards are for full network members for technology, library improvement, and outreach.

Deadline for applications for all awards is March 30, 2007.

MicroAwards

For Full Network members to enhance their services as well as promote NLM products and services; and provide seed money for ongoing or one-time projects through the purchase of displays, brochures, presentations, materials, equipment, supplies, or presentation of small programs.

Technology Improvement Awards

For Full Network members to expand their access to health information, enhance services, and provide seed funding for one-time technology projects, or to bring technology to a library or community that has previously not had access to NLM products and services.

For more information, or to apply for an award go to: http://nnlm.gov/mar/funding/