The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announced the release of the first version of a free online toolkit aimed at standardizing measurements of research subjects’ physical characteristics and environmental exposures.

The tools will give researchers more power to compare data from multiple studies, accelerating efforts to understand the complex genetic and environmental factors that cause cancer, heart disease, depression and other common diseases. The toolkit, which is available at https://www.phenxtoolkit.org/, is the first product of the Consensus Measures for Phenotypes and eXposures (PhenX) initiative. Read the complete TNIH News Release is online at: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/apr2009/nhgri-20.htm [scb]

On Wednesday, April 22 at 1:00 MT, 2:00 CT for one hour - presented by Jim Honour. Tune in to see multiple different resources for drug information. Class includes hands-on exercises!

This online training is FREE, and requires no registration. All you need is a computer with Internet access and a phone. You’ll sign in as a guest, enter your phone number when prompted and the system will call you! Access it by going to: https://webmeeting.nih.gov/mcr

The series is targeted for the fourth Wednesday each month. And our May offering will be on May 27th, covering the Hazardous Substances Data Bank, Haz-Map, and WISER.

You might be interested in the upcoming College of DuPage offering, April 16 - Soaring to Excellence: an Ounce of Prevention:Health Reference Basics. It will be held on Apr. 16, from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. MT, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CT. See: http://www.dupagepress.com/library-learning-network/soaring-to-excellence-2009/ounce-of-prevention/

Free in Colorado through the Biographical Center for Research: http://www.bcr.org/training/partners/teleconferences/index.html

Free in Missouri, from Missouri State Government at: http://www.sos.mo.gov/library/development/workshop/nolimitslearning/default.asp

Free in Nebraska, see Nebraska Library Commission at: http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/ and search on the Training Calendar by using DuPage.

Free in Utah, see University of Utah, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library: http://library.med.utah.edu/

If you’re curious about knowledge management, here are some readings that will give you an overview.

Common Knowledge: How Companies Thrive by Sharing What They Know
Nancy M. Dixon (book excerpt) (Harvard Business School Press) http://www.acm.org/ubiquity/book/n_dixon_1.html

Knowledge Management in the NHS: positioning the healthcare librarian at the knowledge intersection
Carole Keeling, Sian Lambert (2000). Health Libraries Review. 17(3), 136-143. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/120100549/PDFSTART

The Future of the Future: Rise of the Knowledge Librarian
Art Murray, Ken Wheaton KM world. Feb 2, 2009
http://www.kmworld.com/Articles/Column/Future-of-the-Future/The-future-of-the-future-Rise-of-the-knowledge-librarian–52362.aspx

(bbj)

Two great topics:

1) National Library of Medicine - Highlighting Library and Archival information in the MidContinental Region
We’ll be featuring a panel of four people representing different library/archival collections in our region: Dawn McInnis - University of Kansas - Clendening History of Medicine Library, Marysue Schaffer - Becker Library at Washington University, Emily Epstein - University of Colorado, John Schleicher - University of Nebraska - McGoogan Library of Medicine

2) Library Advocay Update and major programs going on in the region - Barb Jones

Join us Wednesday,March 18 at 10:00 MT, 11:00 CT at https://webmeeting.nih.gov/mcrupdate. All you’ll need is your Internet connection and your phone. Sign in as a guest with your first and last names. (mm)

This week - Wednesday, February 25 - for one hour - 1:00 MT, 2:00 CT- take a class on MedlinePlus and the Household Products Database, presented by Barb Jones, as part of the Spotlight! on National Library of Medicine Resources.

This online training is FREE, and requires no registration. All you need is a computer with Internet access and a phone. All classes can be accessed by going to https://webmeeting.nih.gov/mcr. You’ll sign in as a guest, enter your phone number when prompted and the system will call you!

The series is targeted for the fourth Wednesday each month. Upcoming dates and topics include: March 25 - Educational Resources for Kids, and April 22 - Drug Resources. We hope to “see” you there!

Kansas Govenor Kathleen Sebilius will sign and issue a proclamation on January 23, 2009 announcing the unveiling Go Local Kansas. Go Local Kansas, an integral part of MedlinePlus.gov, will be up and running on January 29, 2009. The URL referenced in the Govenor’s proclamation will go live on January 29, 2009.

Go Local Kansas is funded by the MidContinental Region of the National Network of the Libraries of Medicine.

The proclamation reads:

Go Local Kansas Day Proclamation

Whereas empowering Kansans to make informed health care decisions is essential to improving the health of our citizens;

Whereas improving access to health care has been identified as a top health priority for our state in Healthy Kansans 2010;

Whereas knowing how to locate health services in the community is essential to preventing disease and staying healthy;

Whereas an important step to assure all Kansans have equal access to health care is knowing where to find information in the community;

Whereas Go Local Kansas is a new health resource connecting Kansans with health resources in their communities;

Whereas Go Local Kansas provides access to reliable health information for Kansans;

Whereas Go Local Kansas will be available on January 29th, 2009;

I hereby proclaim January 29th, 2009 to be Go Local Kansas Day. I encourage Kansans to visit Go Local Kansas (www.golocalkansas.org) today and every day in 2009 to locate health resources in their community.

[rb]

The MCR and NLM will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2009 in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

NLM will also be closed on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 for the Presidential Inauguration.

NLM and MCR offices will be closed Thursday, January 1, 2009 for New Year’s holiday. We wish you all the best in 2009!

Christmas Holiday:

NLM will be closed December 25 and 26. MCR offices will be closed December 24, 25, and 26.

New Year’s Holiday:

NLM and MCR will be closed January 1.

We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!