Associate Fellowship Program - 2nd Year

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) seeks proposals from institutions offering to host a Second Year Associate Fellow for the period September 1, 2009 through August 31, 2010. Proposals are due by February 6, 2009.


BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Associate Fellowship program is a postgraduate training program for promising health sciences librarians. Fellows spend the first year at the National Library of Medicine, learning about its programs and services and conducting research projects.

The optional Second Year Program allows Associate Fellows to supplement their year at NLM, through an opportunity to observe and practice the organizational, professional, and interpersonal skills that librarians need to successfully integrate information services into health care service, education, and research.

The Host Institution must demonstrate that information services are integrated into the basic functions of the institution and that librarians are full participants in the multidisciplinary teams carrying out these activities. Second-year Fellows will participate in activities appropriate to their interests and the needs of the Host Institution.

The Second Year Fellowship will be for a 12-month period beginning September 1, 2009. There are currently five first year Associate Fellows eligible for a second year placement.

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) administers the Associate Fellowship Program through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Library of Medicine.


PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The primary purpose of this educational experience is to prepare new librarians for future leadership roles in health science libraries in the United States. Fellows will develop skills and gain experience by working on teams of librarians, administrators, health professionals, system developers, and/or educators in a multi-disciplinary environment within the Host Institution.

The following are requirements of the program and must be addressed in the proposal narrative:

1. Integrated Model:

The institution must show evidence that information services are integrated into basic functions of the institution. A description of the integrating approach used should include institutional resources such as personnel, titles, organizational charts, and educational and computational resources. Librarians must be full participants in multi-disciplinary teams carrying out some activities. A formal IAIMS (Integrated Advanced Information Management System) project involving the Library is not essential.

2. Preceptor:

There must be a designated Preceptor to be responsible for the Fellowship year and serve as a liaison to both NLM and ORISE. Evidence should be provided to show that the Preceptor is qualified to lead an educational fellowship for an early career medical librarian and has sufficient time to do so. The Preceptor must hold an appropriate position within the organization to be able to mentor the Fellow for future leadership roles. A CV for the Preceptor should be submitted which highlights relevant qualifications and describes the specific role the Preceptor will play in the Fellow's experience and the time allocated to this role.

3. Experience for the Fellow:

The Fellow will contribute to the Host Institution's mission by participating in developing and implementing information services that are integrated with the Institution's clinical, public health, research and/or educational programs. Examples of such experiences might range from the integration of informatics into the curriculum to participating in the design and implementation of healthcare information systems.

The description of the major types of experiences that will be provided for the Fellow should include examples of experiences, objectives of the experiences, the level of participation that the Fellow might expect to have, how the Fellow's performance will be monitored and evaluated, and anticipated outcomes from the experience. The description should also include the potential applicability of the experience gained to other institutions and work settings.

The description of experiences should also address any learning opportunities outside the library setting, such as academic courses, C.E. or other classes, and attendance at professional conferences.

4. Environment:

There must be evidence that the Associate Fellow will work closely with people from a variety of disciplines in a multi-disciplinary environment and that the proposed Fellowship Program has strong support from the institution as a whole and the specific units involved. Evidence could include examples of successful past similar experiences and letters of support.

5. Resources:

The institution must have facilities and other resources to support the proposed Fellowship Program. A description of any opportunities for the Fellow to take formal courses, the anticipated computational support for the Fellow, as well as other types of supplies and workspace that will be provided during the year is to be included.


PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE AND FUNDING

The period of performance shall be September 1, 2009 through August 31, 2010.

The stipend for the Associate Fellow ($48,108 in 2008) will be funded by NLM and paid directly to the Fellow by ORISE. The Fellow will receive a supplement specifically allocated for health insurance, which the Fellow is required to obtain.

In addition, the Fellow will receive an additional allocation for travel and expenses related to the Fellow's travel to the NLM Associates Second Year Colloquium and the Fellow's attendance at the Medical Library Association's annual meeting.

The Fellow's Host Institution will receive an institutional allowance that will be managed by the Preceptor in coordination with the NLM Associate Fellowship Coordinator. The allowance may not exceed $7,000 and is provided to cover expenses associated with offering the experiences for the Fellowship and for the Preceptor's travel to NLM for the NLM Associates Second Year Colloquium. The proposed budget items are subject to negotiation. Institutional indirect costs must be waived. The Associate Fellow will not be an employee of the Host Institution, and ORISE is handling the administration of the monthly Associate Fellow stipend payments. The institutional allowance provided by the program is to be used solely for direct costs associated with hosting the NLM Associate Fellow and providing the Fellowship experiences.


DELIVERABLES AND REPORTING REQUIRMENTS

Activities: The host institution's Preceptor will coordinate all activities of the Associate Fellow with the NLM Associate Fellowship Program Coordinator. The Associate, in consultation with the Preceptor and Program Coordinator, will prepare goals for the year. A written statement of specific goals for the year is to be provided to NLM and ORISE by September 30th of the fellowship year.

Quarterly Report: At the end of each quarter, the Preceptor will send a short narrative description of the activities during the quarter and the activities planned for the next quarter period to the NLM Associate Fellowship Program Coordinator via electronic mail.

Annual Report and NLM Evaluation: All Fellows and Host Preceptors will participate in a colloquium reporting on the experience at NLM during the summer of 2010, usually in June. This sharing of experiences will help NLM, the host institutions, and the Associate Fellows evaluate the effectiveness of the program and identify possible improvements.

Any written project reports or summaries resulting from the experience should be submitted to both NLM and ORISE.

Any resulting publications should acknowledge the support of the host institution, NLM and ORISE.


INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO INSTITUTIONS

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

Proposals are being accepted from institutions wishing to host an NLM Associate Fellow for the period September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2010.

The deadline for proposals from institutions is February 6, 2009. Interviews at potential host institutions will take place in April and May. It is anticipated that decisions about placements will be made by May 29, 2009.

An initial technical review of all institutional proposals will be conducted. Acceptable proposals will be submitted to the current First Year Fellows for review. The First Year Fellows will select the host institution(s) in which they have an interest. Telephone and personal interviews will follow. NLM will pay for one onsite interview per Fellow. The Fellow or institution must fund expenses incurred for any additional onsite interviews.

There is no obligation by a potential Host Institution to make an offer or by an Associate Fellow to accept an offer. A Host Site with more than one promising applicant may make an offer to another applicant if the first one declines. If there is agreement on a Fellowship by both the Institution and the Fellow, the National Library of Medicine, through ORISE, will make the final assignment.

B. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING THE TECHNICAL PORTION OF THE PROPOSAL

Proposals will be accepted from academic health science centers, hospital research facilities, corporations, or other organizations able to provide a Fellowship experience that meets the requirements in the Statement of Work. A plan is to be submitted indicating how each aspect of the Statement of Work would be accomplished. Include as much detail as necessary to fully explain the proposed Fellowship. The proposal should reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work being undertaken and must include information on how the project would be organized, staffed, and managed. Five (5) copies of the proposal should be submitted.

Every proposal must include:

1. Cover sheet:

Include date of submission, location where the Fellowship will take place, the name, address, telephone and FAX numbers of the submitting organization. Include contact information, including email addresses for specific contact personnel.

2. Statement of work:

Describe the Fellowship and include at least the following information:

a. State the overall goals and objectives of the Fellowship
b. Describe the integrated model found at the institution, including the role of the library
c. Describe project opportunities and other experiences that can be made available to the Fellow
d. Describe the learning opportunities, including any opportunities for the Fellow to take or audit formal courses or attend professional conferences, that can be made available to the Fellow
e. Describe the specific opportunities for fostering the Fellow's leadership skills and abilities
f. Describe plans for monitoring the progress of the Fellowship during the year and evaluating the success of the Fellowship.

3. Personnel:

a. Provide the name, CV, and qualifications for the person designated to be the Preceptor, as well as a statement about the time available to serve as Preceptor.
b. Give the title and describe the experience and qualifications of the personnel who are members of the multi-disciplinary team.

4. Organization's Experience:

Submit a summary of your Organizational Experience. Organizational Experience is defined as the accomplishment of work, either past or on going, which is comparable or related to the effort required by this Program.

5. Facilities:

Describe currently available facilities and resources to support the program and the Fellow's workspace, and what may need to be provided in the future.

6. Budget:

Submit a detailed breakdown of estimated use of the institution's allowance of $7000. No personnel costs are allowed.

C. SELECTION CRITERIA:

1. GENERAL:

Selection criteria include technical expertise, costs, facilities, personnel, and resources. The selection of an institution as a potential Host Institution does not insure a Fellowship. Awards are dependent on an Associate Fellow accepting the appointment.

2. MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA:

a. The Host Institution must show evidence that information services are integrated into some basic functions of the institution and that librarians working at the institution are full participants in multi-disciplinary teams.
b. Host Institution must be in the United States or Canada.
c. Institutional Allowances must not exceed $7,000.

3. TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA:

The following technical evaluation criteria will be used to review the technical portion of the proposal. The criteria below are listed in the order of relative importance with weights assigned for evaluation purposes.

Criterion A Technical Approach
Weight = 45 points

The proposal will be rated according to the extent that the proposed Fellowship offers the Fellow an experience that contributes to the development of operational, professional, and interpersonal skills considered appropriate preparation for future leaders in health science librarianship. Elements outlined in the Statement of Work should be addressed in sufficient detail to show an understanding of the requirements of this type of educational experience.

The Fellowship must provide experience working on teams in a multidisciplinary environment focused on the integration of information services into the basic functions of the institution. Consideration will also be given to the range of professional experience the Fellow will gain, opportunities to be involved with innovative approaches, applicability of the experience to other institutions and work settings, and opportunities for additional learning through courses and conferences.

Criterion B
Organization and Personnel
Weight = 35 points

A description of the organization making the proposal must be included. It should identify the type of organization (academic health science center, hospital research facility, corporation, or other) and past experience of the organization and its personnel in providing similar educational Fellowships. A list must be included of the proposed personnel who will manage the experiences. There should be evidence that the proposed Fellowship has strong support from the institution as a whole and the specific units involved.

A detailed description of the background, qualifications and time available of the designated Preceptor must be included. An organizational chart of the Host Institution and the titles of those who will be on the multidisciplinary team are to be included.

Criterion C Facilities and Resources
Weight=20 points

Applicants should provide a description of the anticipated computational support for the Fellow, types of supplies and other resources, and workspace that will be provided during the year.

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS: 100


NOTE: Institutions currently hosting a 2nd Year Fellow are not eligible to host a 2nd year fellow in 2009-2010. A one year waiting period between Fellows is now required.


SEND 5 COPIES OF ALL PROPOSALS TO:

Ms. Barbara Dorsey, Project Manager
Science and Engineering Education
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
P.O. Box 117
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0117

Overnight shipping address:

Ms. Barbara Dorsey, Project Manager
Science and Engineering Education
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
1299 Bethel Valley Road
Building SC-200
Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Phone: (865)576-9975
Fax: (865)574-2846
E-Mail: barbara.dorsey@orau.org


SEND ALL QUESTIONS TO:

Kathel Dunn, Program Coordinator
Associate Fellows Program
Bldg 38 Room 2N-05
National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894
Phone: (301)435-4083
Fax: (301)480-2370
E-mail: dunnk@mail.nih.gov

Last reviewed: 02 April 2009
Last updated: 02 April 2009
First published: 01 January 1999
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanence Not Guaranteed