October is National Medical Librarians Month. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is highlighting five NN/LM SCR funded outreach projects on the NLM National Medical Librarians Month 2008 web page.

• Informing the Health and Future of K-12 Students (Institution: University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center Library, San Antonio TX)
• The Next Step: Finding Cancer Information with MedlinePlus (Institution: Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge LA)
• Partners for Children’s Health (Institution: Laredo Public Library, Laredo TX)
• Promotoras and Libraries: Advancing Online Health Information in San Antonio Underserved Communities (Institution: San Antonio Public Library, San Antonio TX)
• Turning Evidence Into Practice: A Pilot Project (Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health Library, Houston TX)

To read descriptions of these projects, go to: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/lo/profiles08/scr.html

To read a list of featured projects by region, see: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/lo/profiles08/

On September 16, 2008, the NN/LM SCR will offer two free classes from the NN/LM Outreach Evaluation Resource Center (http://nnlm.gov/evaluation/) at the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library.

8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Answering the Right Questions: Data Collection for Health Information Outreach (4 hours)

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. Topics will include using evaluation questions to focus data collection; conducting short, to-the-point interviews to collect outcome data; using a “contact sheet” to organize interview notes and communicate findings with other team members; using participatory methods to get information from a large number of community members; using standard “counts” (attendance rates; drop-out rates) as evaluation data; and designing and administering short questionnaires.

By the end of the project, participants will be able to:

• Use end-of-session and session-follow-up questionnaires effectively
• Design short questionnaires and interview guides that can be used to collect very targeted feedback
• Design participatory methods to collect qualitative data from a larger group of individuals
• Identify existing information (e.g., attendance) collected for other reporting purposes that can be used for evaluation

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Finding Information in Numbers and Words: Data Analysis for Health Information Outreach (4 hours)

Participants will learn basic methods for compiling and analyzing qualitative and quantitative evaluation data to maximize their usefulness in project improvement and decision-making.

Discussion, presentations, and exercises will cover compiling and analyzing evaluation data. For quantitative data, participants will learn to use descriptive statistics and graphs to make sense of their data. For qualitative methods, participants will learn to organize and code text-based data, then analyze it. Topics will include analyzing qualitative data (e.g., developing and using codes, summarizing, interpreting); compiling and graphing descriptive statistics; and exploring the validity of evaluation findings.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Code text-based (qualitative) data, summarize findings, and use the findings to make improvements or decisions about health outreach programs
• Graph quantitative data to develop visual pictures of findings
• Summarize numerical (quantitative) data using frequencies, percentages, means, medians, and modes
• Interpret findings and use them to make improvements and decisions about health outreach programs

To register for either of these classes: http://nnlm.gov/scr/training/

Please contact Karen Vargas at 713-799-7880 or karen.vargas@exch.library.tmc.edu for more information.

Ruicha “Re” Mishra has re-joined the NN/LM SCR office as the Health Professionals Outreach Coordinator. She will be responsible for coordinating our outreach efforts to health professionals as well as coordinating document delivery for the Region.

Re worked as the Education-Communications Coordinator at the NN/LM SCR from 1998 – 2005. In this role, she created numerous classes including “TOXNET: Toxicology & Environmental Information.” She taught a considerable number of classes throughout the region and exhibited at conferences of health professionals, consumers and librarians. She also secured Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) accreditation for three classes that can be offered by other RMLs. This process took considerable work and diligence.

After her tenure with the NN/LM SCR, Re worked for the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) as the Health Information Specialist II. Her responsibilities included teaching classes on National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases and exhibiting on behalf of NLM at national exhibits throughout the country.

Re brings to the NN/LM SCR years of experience as a medical librarian in a variety of roles from outreach to document delivery.

Please join me in welcoming Re Mishra to the NN/LM SCR! Her email is ruicha.mishra@exch.library.tmc.edu

The Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce, http://phpartners.org, has released two new topic pages: Nutrition and Workforce Development.

The Nutrition topic page includes links to government, professional and research organizations that focus on nutrition issues; grants and funding opportunities; legislation and health policy issues related to nutrition; published literature and research reports; and nutrition promotion, education and information resources.

The Workforce Development page provides links on public health workforce development activities and resources including education and training opportunities; legislative action; professional meetings, summits, councils, and conferences; new workers development programs; tools and resources on public health workforce issues; and workforce projects and research reports.

To keep up-to-date on new PHPartners resources, sign up for the weekly email update or subscribe to the PHPartners RSS feed.

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, South Central Region (NN/LM SCR) announces a new web page for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery: http://nnlm.gov/scr/services/prepare.html.

This web page highlights the NN/LM Emergency Preparedness & Response Toolkit, an emergency preparedness resource for libraries. Also included are links to emergency preparedness and recovery resources from the federal government; libraries, schools, and medical associations; community-based organizations; and animal health organizations.

Libraries for the Future (LFF) announces an expansion of Fit for Life (FFL), a national program to help public libraries promote lifelong health and wellness through locally-created programs. A central component of FFL will be its organization around five pillars of brain health that have emerged from the latest scientific research: diet, physical exercise, intellectual challenge, mental stimulation through new experiences, and socialization.

A grant from the MetLife Foundation has allowed LFF to offer training and grants of $10,000 to $25,000 to 15 urban library systems. Fit for Life will extend grant awards to 15 urban library networks. Each participating library will be required to submit a proposal in collaboration with at least five community organizations, to expand possibilities for community outreach and activities. FFL libraries will be charged with launching community-wide public awareness campaigns to promote the importance of fitness and nutrition, offering health programming for individuals of all ages, distributing free health publications, and recording accomplishments related to all of the above.

For the application, click here: http://www.fitforlifelibraries.org/RFP.html

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) announces the solicitation of quotations from organizations and libraries to design and conduct projects that will improve access to HIV/AIDS related health information for patients, the affected community, and their caregivers.

Standard Awards are offered for up to $60,000;  Express Awards are offered for up to $10,000.

(more…)

April 7 - 13 is National Public Health Week. This year’s theme is Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance. The public health community will be focusing on the effects climate change has on the health of the population. Each day highlights a particular solution and issue related to this theme:

• Monday: Be Prepared
• Tuesday: Travel Differently
• Wednesday: Eat Differently
• Thursday: Green Your Work
• Friday: Green Your Home

For more information, see the National Public Health Week website at http://www.nphw.org/nphw08/default.htm

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) released a new search engine for MedlinePlus Go Local, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/golocal/, using the Vivisimo search software. By popular demand, search results now include health information from MedlinePlus, as well as the health services in MedlinePlus Go Local.

A look through the MedlinePlus Go Local search logs shows that many users are looking for health information as well as services. Examples include drug names such as Provigil and Cialis, disorders such as GERD and TMJ, and services such as dentists that take Medicaid and where to get a flu shot. In addition to adding health information from MedlinePlus, the new search results also feature improved relevance rankings, links to maps and directions, bold-face search words in context, and an integrated spell checker that suggests alternative search terms and spelling corrections.

Since 1998 the Diversity and Outreach Fair (http://www.ala.org/divfair) has taken place at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference. Last year there were 563 attendees and it is expected that this number will continue to grow. Each participant is given a table and space to display and share innovative services with attendees. If you would like space of your own, go to http://www.ala.org/divfair. The deadline for entry forms is April 11, 2008.