Bibby Library serves the dental community at the University of Rochester and the Eastman Dental Center. The library implemented Web 2.0 technologies to reach out to patrons.  These tools allow us to create and deliver customized information packages to our patrons.

Our Web 2.0 adventure began when we were seeking a novel way to highlight recent news in dentistry.  Previously, we linked a headline from our home page to a separate web page for each story.  However, maintaining these pages was cumbersome and we found that once a story was archived, it received few hits.

As a solution, the Bibby Library News and Tips blog was developed.  We use the Wordpress platform and display a widget on our website to highlight recent postings.  Fresh stories are added weekly and tagged with suitable terms. The blog features the latest news in dentistry as well as library services and resources. Information to be shared is gathered from a variety of sources using Google Reader, listservs, and newsletters. We offer e-mail and RSS subscriptions to the blog.

This initiative proved very successful; the blog generates as many as 200 hits per day.  Wordpress software provides statistics that include the number of hits, terms used to bring users to the blog, the most popular posts, and frequent jumping off links.  An analysis of this data reveals where our patrons’ interests lie, allowing us to expand those areas and tag items appropriately.

Few of our patrons are interested in using RSS readers.  Therefore, we focus on promoting e-mail subscriptions to the blog, which are managed through Feedburner.  Every few weeks we send an e-mail to our patrons, with links to the newest blog posts. Hits increase substantially following this effort.  We receive favorable comments from our patrons, indicating that the information is useful and relevant.

Web 2.0 tools also allow us to package information for specific users and user needs. Using Delicious, a social bookmarking platform, dental related websites are saved and tagged with appropriate terms.  A page on the Bibby website provides links to each Delicious category.  Thus, a pediatric dental resident might choose the pediatric dentistry category to find resources of interest.  RSS feeds and e-mail subscriptions are available so that users can be notified when new sites are added. In addition, we’ve added widgets to our blog and website so the most recently tagged sites are exhibited.  Data indicates that users are jumping off both our blog and website to these featured resources.

Another way in which we customize services is by using PubMed RSS feeds for specific topics.  For example, a search in PubMed for systematic reviews on tooth whitening is converted to an RSS feed.  The RSS feed is then saved and tagged in our Delicious account.  This makes the search results available to anyone who selects the tooth whitening category.

Library presence in Blackboard courses is another way we reach out to users.  For example, links to the Bibby website and “Ask a Librarian” are inserted in course menus.  In addition, RSS feeds to PubMed searches on course related topics are included in the course menu or schedule.  Statistics tracking is enabled for these features and indicates that the resources are being used.

Recently we began experimenting with Facebook and are pleased to see our fan base growing.  Our page is easy to maintain because most of the content is composed of RSS feeds from our blog and Delicious account.  To lure fans to our page we occasionally send news using the share feature.  Statistics indicate an increase in visitors after these efforts.

Employing Web 2.0 tools to serve our virtual and physical patrons is proving quite successful.  Most platforms provide statistics, allowing us to evaluate what works, what does not work, and what our patrons are looking for. With a broader perspective on our patrons and their needs, we are effectively delivering the latest services and information. Incorporating these tools into our own professional development activities will help to keep the momentum going.

Elizabeth Kettel
Librarian, Bibby Library at the Eastman Dental Center

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Kathleen Bur Oliver, MSLS, MPH, as Associate Director of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region.  Most recently Kate’s career focus has been in strategic leadership and planning initiatives. She has been an investigator on many funded projects and is particularly interested in information access for public health professionals. Kate is scheduled to start in her new role as Associate Director on May 11^th.

In her most recent position, Kate was Associate Director for Information Services Research, Development, and Communication at the Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University, where she held a faculty appointment in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine’s Division of Health Sciences Informatics. In 2007- 2008, Kate completed a Research Library Leadership Fellowship (RLLF), a program sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Prior to her current position she directed education programming for the Welch advanced technology group and the development of the Welch liaison services program.

Before coming to Hopkins in 1998, Kate managed a number of small scientific and medical libraries including those of NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratory, American College of Cardiology, and AMA Washington Office. She has served as a reference librarian and search analyst at the NIH Library, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association, and UCLA’s Biomedical Library. Kate was a project director for Georgetown University’s Public Services Laboratory in the conduct of a literature review of a 20th-century cost of illness study, and developed science Web resource pages for the public radio documentary group, Soundprint. Kate holds a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on health policy, planning and evaluation from Johns Hopkins University and, has an MLS from Columbia University. Please join me in welcoming Kate to the NYU Health Sciences Libraries.

As you join me in welcoming Kate to our Region, please also join me in a round of applause and appreciation for Arpita Bose who has worked with you so graciously as Interim Associate Director for the past eight months, while she continued her responsibilities as MAR Outreach Coordinator.

Karen Brewer, Ph.D.
Director, Middle Atlantic Region

The Penn Libraries announce the appointment of Barbara Cavanaugh to the position of Associate Director for the Health Sciences Libraries and Director of the Biomedical Library, effective April 1. Her responsibilities include leadership of the Biomedical Library and oversight of the operations of the Dental and Veterinary School Libraries. She will play a key role in re-imagining Biomedical Library spaces and services in support of the joint renovation planning efforts between the Penn Libraries and the School of Medicine.

Ms. Cavanaugh has more than 25 years of medical library experience. She began her career at Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Library, Historic Library, and Archives. She also ran the School of Nursing and Medical Staff Libraries at Roxborough Memorial Hospital. Ms. Cavanaugh came to Penn in 1993 as the Health Sciences Libraries Liaison.

In 2001, Ms. Cavanaugh was promoted to head of Veterinary Libraries. In 2003 she was a recipient of the Veterinary Medical Student Government’s Commendation Award for Excellence in Teaching. As head of the Veterinary Libraries, she played a pivotal role in the planning and development of the School’s new, cutting-edge facility, the Steven W. Atwood Library & Information Commons, in the School’s new Vernon & Shirley Hill Pavilion.

“We are delighted to have Barbara in this major leadership role. Her experience with the Atwood Library will be invaluable as we re-envision the facilities and redefine the services offered by Penn’s Health Sciences Libraries in response to the Medical School’s planned renovations,” said Carton Rogers, Vice Provost and Director of Libraries.

Ms. Cavanaugh is a member of the Medical Library Association, and is currently involved in a project funded by the Elsevier Foundation to support the information, healthcare, and medical education needs of Penn programs in Botswana. She has a BA from Temple University and an MS in Library and Information Science from Drexel University.

The Community Health Library of Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA was awarded a grant from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine to establish an Assistive Technology Computer Workstation.  The Community Health Library provides consumer health information to patients, family members and the general public in a variety of formats.  All services are provided free of charge.

The Assistive Technology Workstation features a variety of tools to enable patients and the general public with low/no vision and fine motor disabilities to independently access health information either online or via print materials in the library.  The workstation computer includes a large screen monitor, Zoomtext magnifier/reader software, Braille keyboard, large size alternative keyboard, Plustek Reader and Big track trackball.  The workstation table features adjustable table surfaces for the comfort of each indivual user.

From November 2008- February 2009 the workstation has been used by two visually impaired patients.  I’m disappointed with the usage statistics.  The workstation has received considerable internal and external promotion.  Promotion via an organization the size of Geisinger Medical Center and the region takes time and with additional time usage will increase.

External and internal promotional initiatives were launched.  The Community Health librarian coordinated five clinical staff orientation sessions with the partner departments of Ophthalmology and Geisinger HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital.  Promotion continues with presentations planned for a variety of clinician, patient and external groups.

The successful implementation and installation of the workstation enables the Community Health Library in the long-term to provide a fulls cope of services and access to the target population.  Without this grant, the library did not have the ability to provide equal access to the library resources. I consider this a success and the usage will follow given time and continued promotion.

Patricia Ulmer- Geisinger Medical Center, Community Health Library.  Danville, PA.

James Boyle, a professor of law and co-founder of the Centre for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke University and author of The Public Domain: enclosing the commons of the mind, has given a public lecture on how intellectual property and public domain interacts with areas of human development such as scientific research and free speech.  Princeton’s UChannel has put his lecture up in a freely available podcast.

Go to the UChannel page to listen.

Network Services Coordinator
National Network of Libraries of Medicine Middle Atlantic Region

NYU Health Sciences Libraries seeks to fill the position of Network Services Coordinator for the Middle Atlantic Region (MAR) of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. The mission of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) is to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public health by providing all U.S. health professionals with equal access to biomedical information and improving the public’s access to information to enable them to make informed decisions about their health. The Middle Atlantic Region (MAR) office serves NN/LM members in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Overall Responsibilities

The Network Services Coordinator plans and organizes resource sharing and network programs in consultation with the MAR Resource Sharing Committee. Manages the DOCLINE program of the Region, offering training and consultation. Ensures compliance with all NLM requirements for members using DOCLINE and LinkOut.

Reports to RML Associate Director.

Specific Responsibilities

1. Administers the DOCLINE and LinkOut programs of the NN/LM for the Region ensuring accuracy of the member information in the directory. Sees that membership certificates are distributed in a timely manner;
2. Staffs the MAR Resource Sharing Committee and encourages their participation in the development of region-wide resource sharing efforts;
3. Trains all RML staff on the fundamentals of DOCLINE and interlibrary loan, so they can answer basic questions from members;
4. Works five hours per month in a network member’s Document Delivery or interlibrary loan department;
5. Develops training programs using Adobe Connect, online tutorials and simple printed instructions for training staff in a variety of libraries on use of the DOCLINE and LinkOut systems; provides individual or group consultation on use of DOCLINE and LinkOut if needed;
6. Encourages use of EFTS and helps problem solve with librarians who cannot use it, due to technical or administrative problems;
7. Is training point of contact with other RMLs and the National Library of Medicine’s staff to be expert on current and upcoming system changes or technology developments in areas affecting resource sharing. Attends monthly teleconferences and provides regular feedback to NLM on problems or concerns of MAR members in regard to resource sharing;
8. Organizes user testing of new technologies and systems for NLM if requested;
9. Participates in all RML staff activities including exhibits, state liaison efforts, network member questions, implementation of region-wide programs including but not limited to Emergency Preparedness and Historical Collections and in offering training;
10. Develops and manage the NN/LM MAR RML Consultants program;
11. Develops a program to recruit new members, including a recruitment kit;
12. Oversees the annual contact process to ensure that the appropriate information is gathered and compiled;
13. Develops and implements a region-wide member recruitment program for public libraries;
14. Other related duties as required.

Skills and Requirements

MLS and at least 5 years experience in health sciences libraries. Knowledge of DOCLINE, LinkOut and related technology and cataloging issues preferred. Excellent communications, project management and team skills.

Salary begins at $60,000, with the NYU Medical Center benefits package. S/he is considered an employee of the New York University School of Medicine, which is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Information on the Middle Atlantic Region of the NN/LM is at http://nnlm.gov/mar/.

Applicants should send their resume and a letter of application to:

Ms. Terry Serra
NYU Health Sciences Libraries
NYU Langone Medical Center
550 First Avenue
New York, NY  10016
Fax: (212) 263-6534
jobs@library.med.nyu.edu
http://library.med.nyu.edu

Increasingly health sciences librarians are finding a need to move outside the library to provide small group instruction.  Technology facilitates the process and in 2009 the cost of outfitting the mobile classroom has been reduced significantly.  In a hospital setting providing instruction in the patient care setting ensures that your customers, hospital staff and physicians, are familiar with the extensive array of online medical resources that you work hard to create and for which you dedicate a considerable amount of funds.  By bringing instruction to the point of need there is a greater likelihood that hospital staff will learn how to use the library’s online resources and will actually use the tools.

GETTING STARTED

If your hospital is wired to the Internet the first and most important step has been completed.  If the hospital is not yet wired this is an essential component to tackle and the best way to begin the process is to get to know the head of information technology (IT) at your institution.  However, let’s assume that the hospital is fully hardwired.

Wireless Connectivity:

The next step would be to investigate installation of wireless Internet access.  At Kaleida Health in Buffalo, New York, the four hospital libraries (Buffalo General Hospital, Millard Fillmore Gates Circle, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, and Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo) were among the first departments to provide wireless access to the Internet.  We achieved this milestone with a grant from MAR in 2005.  We partnered with the health system’s IT department who supported the additional related costs because they wanted to test the use of wireless Internet connectivity and saw the libraries as a good test bed.  Having wireless access in the library gave the staff the ability to move around the library to provide instruction, one-on-one, to library users at their individual laptop computers.  Since 2005 wireless access to the Internet has been installed in many areas of our hospitals. The expanded wireless access provides an opportunity to move instructional activities from the library to other areas of the hospital.

RESOURCES FOR THE MOBILE CLASSROOM

In late 2008 we received a new laptop computer, a gift from a hospital physician.  A second grant from MAR in 2008 was used to purchase a Digital Light Processing (DLP) projector. The laptop computer coupled with the DLP projector were the resources needed to roll-out our mobile classroom.  Because we wanted a full compliment of hospital software programs on the laptop the cost was approximately $1,000, which is a bit higher than standard retail cost.  We sought funds from MAR to cover the cost of the DLP projector and a replacement bulb, which came to just under $1,000.  Thus with $2,000 the Kaleida Health Library’s mobile classroom became a reality.

Using the Mobile Classroom

We have used the mobile classroom to train undergraduate college students serving as interns in an area public school to use MedlinePlus to access authoritative, understandable, reliable health information.  The interns are working with elementary school teachers in a train the trainer model to instruct the teachers how to use MedlinePlus and other NLM and NIH health information resources to teach school children about living a healthy lifestyle.  Many of the students are refugees from third world countries such as Somalia and Myanamar.  This project is a follow-up to the Somali-Bantu health education project completed in late 2008.

Currently planning is underway to offer an in-service health information training program for Buffalo city public school nurses.  The training session is planned for early May.  Many Buffalo City school nurses are Kaleida Health employees and we have a commitment to ensure that the nurses have access to the full spectrum of library services and resources as staff located in one of our hospitals.  Thus, we are working with the lead school nurse for Kaleida Health and the Director of Health Services for Buffalo City schools to offer the in-service program.  The program’s focus will include use of MedlinePlus to educate students about healthy lifestyle issues such as nutrition, infections, immunizations, safety and the like.  We will use both the DLP projector and the laptop to instruct the school nurses, thus taking full advantage of our mobile classroom.  We hope that this will be the first in a series of training programs for the school nurses.

By using the mobile classroom we will bring knowledge and information to an important new group of library users.  Without the technological resources described above this training program would not have become a reality.  It is our expectation that by introducing the school nurses to the myriad of resources available via MedlinePlus, and services available from Kaleida Health Libraries that the nurses will be empowered to use both more effectively and more frequently.  We also hope that the school nurses will view the libraries as a resource available to support their professional information needs.

Diane G. Schwartz, MLS, AHIP, FMLA
Director of Libraries
Kaleida Health
100 High Street
Buffalo, NY 14203

Email:  Dschwartz@kaleidahealth.org
Website:  http://library.kaleidahealth.org

The intention of the new Evaluation webpage on the MAR web site is two-fold. The page provides information on the evaluation activities conducted by the MAR staff to benefit members (http://nnlm.gov/mar/evaluation/ ). Secondly, the Evaluation page presents tools and resources to help guide network members through the evaluation process (http://nnlm.gov/mar/evaluation/evaluationtools.html ).

If you have comments or suggestions for improvements or new additions to the Evaluation page, please let me know. Are you considering evaluating your library services? If you need assistance in developing an evaluation plan, please contact Sue Hunter: sue.hunter@med.nyu.edu .

Request for Proposals for State Action concerning Healthy People 2020

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, in collaboration with the Regional Health Administrators, is pleased to announce a request for proposals for the State Action:  Evaluating the Healthy People 2020 Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Agenda project.  Funded by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, this project is being administered by John Snow, Incorporated (JSI).

This evaluation project will fund state, territorial, and tribal governments to conduct innovative and participatory strategic planning activities, with an emphasis on multi-sector collaboration, using the Healthy People 2020 framework and population health improvement concepts (i.e., Healthy People 2020 mission and overarching goals; social, physical, and environmental determinants of health; and health equity).  Up to 12 projects, taking place between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010, will be funded at a maximum award of $37,000 each.

Eligible applicants that can apply for this funding opportunity are listed below:

• State and territorial health departments (this includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the National Government of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau).
• Federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal organizations, tribal epidemiology centers, and urban Indian organizations.

This evaluation program is intended to enhance existing or planned state, territorial, and tribal activities to develop a Healthy People plan based on the national Healthy People 2020 framework and objectives.  The project will evaluate ways these eligible entities apply the Healthy People 2020 framework to their planning activities.  Examples of possible activities include:

• Facilitated meetings for multi-sectoral decision makers to engender buy-in and support
• Technical assistance in identifying measures around social determinants of health
• Development of products and information media regarding Healthy People 2020 activities
• Web-based applications to support Healthy People 2020 plans

The application deadline is Monday, April 27, 2009.

For more details and to download the request for proposal forms please visit www.healthypeople.gov/stateaction.  For questions, please contact Ann Loeffler at JSI at 1.800.839.0934 or email her at state_action@jsi.com.

The Medical Library at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center (Utica, NY) supports a Family Residency Program, medical and other students, 325 physicians, nurses and hospital staff and several medical clinics.  Our affiliated College of Nursing and School of Radiography, (who have their own separate library), also has students and faculty that rotate through the hospital that use the Medical Library for research and information as well.

The Technology grant allowed the library to purchase three new computers with software (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) that will allow better access to the library’s electronic resources via the Medical Library’s Intranet page and access to the Library’s electronic resources.  Two of the computers were placed on the computer study carrels adding to the 4 originally there.  One was placed on my assistant’s desk because of her desk’s proximity to the copier and phone.  Since the assistant is part-time, the computer reverts to public access when she is not there.  This computer location has become very popular.  Residents really like to sit there and work on presentations since it has near it a phone and a copier.  The assistant has the added benefit of a new computer to use for ILL’s, Circulation, and other tasks.

The Technology Grant has alleviated the waiting times and response has been positive.  The residents and students use all of the computers heavily for Grand Rounds, Journal Club, daily information research for rounds and other educational activities.  The PowerPoint and Word, Excel software has been very useful.

Having an adequate number of computers which provide access to electronic Library information sources aligns with St. Elizabeth’s mission statement:  St Elizabeth’s Medical Center community, inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi and faithful to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, is committed to excellence in healthcare and education.  We pledge to do this with compassion and respect for the dignity of all.

Halyna Liszczynskyj.  St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Medical Library.  Utica, NY