Congratulations to our two awardees!

Institution: Hospital for Special Surgery- Kim Barrett Memorial Library, New York, NY

Project Manager: Timothy Roberts, MLS, AHIP

Project Title: Senior Access to Health Information

Project Summary: Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) strives to be branded as the most trusted educator of patients, the public, and health professions.  To ensure excellence, the Education Division at HSS fosters learning environments that will provide professional and community education programs. The Senior Access to Health Information Program (SAHIP) is a program designed through the partnership of the HSS Kim Barrett Memorial Library (KBML) and the HSS Greenberg Academy for Successful Aging  (GASA) with two primary objectives: to integrate health information resources from National Library of Medicine (NLM) into the existing GASA community outreach and health education curriculum; and implement a series of computer training programs, age and information appropriate, for seniors that address computer literacy and accessing health information from NLM, the National Institutes for Health (NIH) and other credible health information sources.

Award Amount: $10,000

Institution: New York University Health Sciences Libraries, New York, NY

Project Manager: Francesca Gany, MD, MS

Project Title: HEALP : Health Education on Access through Libraries and Peers; A Pilot Project

Project Summary: All immigrants have a right to medical treatment in New York, and many low-income immigrants can enroll in public health insurance coverage, regardless of their immigration status. HEALP will create a partnership between the NYU Health Sciences Libraries, the NYU Center for Immigrant Health and the New York City School system to equip the school librarian with the knowledge and skills to teach health care system access to student peer educators, and to provide students with formal and informal opportunities to discuss health issues with adults and peers in an atmosphere of mutual respect and factual discussion. The HEALP goal is to enhance student health literacy by training librarians and student peer educators on how to appropriately access health care information in general, and information on health system utilization in particular. The school librarian will be the focal point for health knowledge and information and will work closely with the NYU Health Science Libraries, the NYU Center for Immigrant Health, and school administrators and guidance counselors to supervise a group of student peer educators to enable effective information dissemination.

Award Amount: $9,964

The purpose of the NN/LM MAR Outreach Training awards is for Full and Affiliate Network members to train and promote awareness of the products and services of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and NN/LM: http://nnlm.gov/mar/funding/outreachtraining.html

The conference “Transformational Change in Health Sciences Libraries: Space, Collections, Roles” took place April 2, 2009 at the Penn State Hershey Conference Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  Seventy attendees from eight states (Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC) participated in the successful conference.

Pat Thibodeau presented the keynote address focusing on changes in health sciences libraries in general, changes at Duke Medical Center Library, and implications for librarian roles and the need to transform skill sets: “Transformational Change in Health Sciences Libraries: Inventing our Future.”

Two panel discussions with Question and Answer format addressed the conference themes.  Four panelists, two hospital librarians and two academic librarians, responded to questions.    The moderator, Mike Heyd, directed the panel discussion.  The themes discussed were:

• Models or best practices in libraries’ reduction of print collection
• Models and best practices in libraries’ reduction of space and/or
  re-purposing of existing space
• Emerging roles and identities of librarians in the changing physical environment
• Models or best practices of adjusting traditional library roles
  and services

Two breakout sessions, each following the panel discussions, were held.  Each table was given time at the end of the breakout session to wrap up and share insights from the discussions.

The closing presentation was given by architect Julie Polletta, who has experience renovating and repurposing library space.  Ms. Polletta addressed the practical aspects of repurposing library space for alternative uses and the implications of the competing agendas of various stakeholders on outcome.

A Website with information from the conference will be hosted by the NN/LM MAR.  The site will contain photographs, PowerPoint slides, podcasts and streaming video of the keynote address and closing presentation.  Major discussion points that emerged from the break-out sessions will be identified.  A narrative will describe outcomes.

Janet Zimmerman, Medical Library Director, Beaumont Hospitals, Michigan, praised the relevance of the conference, “I preferred coming to this conference rather than attending the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting 2009 because of the timeliness of the topic: Library Space and its Impact.”

Valerie Lynn, George T. Harrell Health Schiences library. Hershey, PA

The original deadline of May 15, 2009 for applications for MAR’s Technology Immersion Award has been extended to May 29, 2009.

Since the original deadline fell within the dates of MLA’s annual meeting, MAR thought it would be best to give any library wishing to apply for the award a little extra time since many librarians will be away.  Now you’ve got two more weeks to get those applications in! Good luck!

The mission of Projecto Salud was to provide St. Francis Hospital’s clinic, the Center of Hope, access to viable health information.  The goal was to improve healthcare by focusing on health literacy, as well as, improving patient services.  The Technology Innovation Award from the National Library of Medicine Middle States supported this goal.

The Center of Hope is a community outreach facility located in Newark Delaware.  The clinic serves the poor and underserved people in the area.  It is a large Family Practice office whose patient population is approximately seventy percent Hispanic.

A combination of teaching skills and new technology was utilized to improve access to health resources.  The clinic’s staff was educated on the resources from the National Library of Medicine (including the Doctors!).  English and Spanish low literacy materials were explored and selected for patient education.

Learning how to search and evaluate the NLM resources was a considerable accomplishment for the staff.  Initially basic computer skills were reviewed and then they learned how to search MedlinePlus quite efficiently.  By the end of the training the staff could organize their findings using folders and files.

The new computers and printers replaced the old and unreliable equipment.  Overall, the upgraded technology improved the office efficiency at the Center of Hope.  Patient education was further enhanced with the new printers.

A series of patient education workshops were offered at the clinic.  A bilingual librarian ran these workshops which were well received.

Collectively the staff at the Center of Hope acquired many new skills which made them more comfortable serving their patients.  There is new sense of confidence and determination amongst the staff.  Coupled with the new technology the clinic is moving forward in a positive direction.

Rosemary Figorito - St. Francis Medical Center.  Wilmington, Delaware.

HIV/AIDS Community Information Outreach Projects 2009 (NLM-09-078/SES)

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is pleased to announce 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.

Projects must involve  one or more of the following information access categories:

• Information retrieval
• Skills development
• State-of-the-art resources
• Resource development
• Document Access.

Emphasis is placed upon the following types of organizations or arrangements for developing these programs:

• Community-based organizations (CBOs) or patient advocacy groups currently providing HIV/AIDS related serves to the affected community
• Public libraries serving communities in the provision of HIV/AIDS-related information and resources
• Health departments or other local, municipal, or state agencies working to improve public health
• Faith-based organizations currently providing HIV/AIDS-related services
• Multi-type consortia of the above-listed organizations that may be in existence or formed specifically for this project.

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

Quotations are due to NLM on Monday, June 1, 2009.

The solicitation for the 2009 HIV/AIDS Community Information Outreach Projects is posted at http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/hiv/2009aidsrfq.html .

Primary Point of Contact:

Shari E. Shor, Contract Specialist

shorse(at)mail.nlm.nih.gov

Phone: 3014354388

Fax: 301-402-0642

Secondary Point of Contact:

Robin D. Hope-Williams, Contracting Officer

rhwilli(at)mail.nih.gov

Phone: 301-435-4379

Fax: 301-402-8169

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.

Mellon Grants CLIR $4.3 Million for Year Two of Hidden Collections Program

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded CLIR $4,303,000 to support a second year of its Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives program. The program was created in 2008, with Mellon funding, to identify and catalog special collections and archives of high scholarly value that are difficult or impossible to locate through finding aids. See news release at  http://www.clir.org/news/pressrelease/09hiddenpr4.html

CLIR will issue a request for proposals by the end of April and will announce decisions in fall 2009. A standing review panel, formed in 2008, will evaluate proposals and select award recipients.

More information about the award program is available at http://www.clir.org/hiddencollections/index.html.

Council on Library and Information Resources

1752 N Street NW, Suite 800

Washington, DC 20036, USA

Phone: 202.939.4750

www.clir.org

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine is a private institution offering Master of Science programs in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (acupuncture and Chinese herbalism) and Bachelor programs in Oriental Bodywork and Western Massage.

The funds so generously granted were used to purchase educational materials for the ever expanding Pacific College Library. Purchased were a laptop and a projector, which have benefited the Library in many ways.  The library staff is now better able to conduct presentations on acupuncture and massage research, and on-line searching of medical databases and web sites for students and faculty. In addition, the laptop serves as a training tool for teaching health information and computer literacy, and as an extra computer for the Library.

In the future, PCOM will purchase additional needed literary materials relating to Chinese acupuncture, Herbology, Oriental medicine, Tui Na, and other health related subjects.

The grant from the National Networks of Libraries is proven to be a valuable resource for the students and faculty of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. It has funded library research courses and expanded the availability of computer access.

With great appreciation and gratitude, PCOM would like to thank the National Network of Libraries of Medicine for their services and donation.

Svetlana Oziransky- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.  New York, NY

MAR is pleased to announce a call for applications for a new technology award!  The Technology Immersion award is a cost reimbursement award for up to $25,000.  Full network members are encouraged to apply with their ideas for a technologically transformative approach to library services.  The winning project will also produce a report reproducing their project in enough detail for other libraries to follow and create their own.

Read the full award description and requirements.

Deadline for applications is May 15^th, 2009

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.