NLM Funds 12 AIDS Community Information Outreach Projects in September 2008 in the 15th Round of the Program

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) funded 12 AIDS Community Information Outreach Projects in September 2008 in the 15th round of the program. NLM has continued its HIV/AIDS- related outreach efforts to community-based organizations, patient advocacy groups, faith-based organizations, departments of health, and libraries. This program provides support to design local programs for improving information access for HIV/AIDS patients and the affected community as well as their caregivers. Emphasis is on providing information or access in a way meaningful to the target community. Projects involve one or more of the following information access categories: information retrieval, skills development, Internet access, resource development, and document access.

Standard Awards - Up to $60,000

Alliance Library System
"AIDS Information and Outreach in the Virtual World of Second Life”
East Peoria, IL
The Alliance Library System (ALS) is a regional multi-type consortium with 260 public, academic, school, corporate and medical libraries in central Illinois. The ALS will collaborate with other health agencies in the virtual world of Second Life to create a community library/resource center for people of all ages who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as their family and friends, health professionals, and librarians. The virtual world will contain tutorials, news feeds, links to current awareness searches in PubMeds, links to NLM resources about HIV/AIDS, AIDS.gov, and other resources. There will also be narratives about the experiences that come with having, or knowing someone with HIV/AIDS.

Alliance Library System (ALS): http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com/

California State University, Long Beach Foundation c/o National Council of La Raza Long Beach Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation and Leadership Training
“Salud es Cultura: ¡Protégete! Project (Health is Culture: Protect Yourself!)”
Long Beach, CA
The goal of the “Salud es Cultura: ¡Protégete!” HIV/AIDS prevention education project is to provide training and HIV/AIDS education and training materials for community health workers (promotores de salud) from over 25 community based organizations utilizing a tested culturally and linguistically appropriate HIV/AIDS intervention curriculum developed for the Latino community. Through the implementation of this project, the Center aims to: 1) Disseminate “Salud es Cultura: ¡Protégete!” Project Toolkits to CBOs seeking to develop new, or augment existing HIV/AIDS education programs targeting Latinos; 2) Conduct regional trainings; and 3) Develop and maintain an interactive resource web-page to facilitate request and downloading of Salud es Cultura: ¡Protégete! Project materials as well as links to other HIV/AIDS-related National Library of Medicine resources.

NCLR/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation & Leadership: http://www.csulb.edu/centers/latinohealth/home.html

Ruth Lilly Medical Library/Indiana University School of Medicine
“Improving HIV/AIDS Health Information Use and Access for HIV/AIDS Health Care Professionals, Patients, Affected Communities, and General Public in Indiana”
Indianapolis, IN
The goal of the SHINE (Statewide HIV/AIDS Information Network) Project is to improve HIV/AIDS health information use and access for HIV/AIDS health care professionals, patients and the affected communities. Previously funded by NLM in 2007, the project continuation will use the SHINE website to explore Web 2.0 technologies (podcasts, RSS feeds, blogs, etc) to deliver information, training sessions on information access and retrieval, and to enhance document access. The project will continue to increase the awareness and utilization of the National Library of Medicine online health and medical resources, as well as SHINE project resources, to the HIV/AIDS community through exhibits and presentations.

Statewide HIV/AIDS Information Network (SHINE): http://library.medicine.iu.edu/SHINE

Magnolia Coastlands Area Health Education Center (MCAHEC)
“Southeast Georgia AIDS Information Link (SEaGAIL)”
Statesboro, GA
SEaGAIL serves rural, medically underserved southeast Georgia, and the project aims to improve access to HIV/AIDS related information by libraries, health professionals, community-based organization staff and persons affected by HIV/AIDS through improved access to electronic and print resources and training. The project will provide links from the SEaGAIL website to Georgia Public Information Network for Electronic Services (PINES), PubMed, and MedlinePlus and will also train librarians, health professionals, and others on accessing electronic HIV/AIDS information. In addition, MCAHEC will expand the collection of existing web-based tutorials in English and Spanish to train HIV/AIDS affected consumers and others on retrieval of HIV/AIDS information through the SEaGAIL website and the National Library of Medicine online resources.

SEaGAIL (Southeast Georgia AIDS Info Link): http://seagail.org

Maricopa Integrated Health System
“Maricopa Integrated Health System 2008 AIDS Community Information Outreach Project”
Phoenix, AZ
The Maricopa Integrated Health System has provided care for HIV-infected and affected people since 1989. In 2007 the System received an NLM AIDS Community Information Outreach Express Award, which funded the development of educational materials. As a continuation project, the System will provide HIV-infected women and youth, particularly monolingual Spanish speakers, with skills in using the Internet and accessing HIV/AIDS information resources from the National Library of Medicine and other reputable resources. Classes will be offered in both English and Spanish on internet use and accessing HIV/AIDS health information resources. In collaboration with medical Spanish interpreters and the MIHS Educational and Organizational Development Department, the audiovisual computer-based internet tutorial and HIV Care Planner resource (developed under the 2007 NLM Express Award) will be translated and utilized during training classes. After successfully completing the course, each of the clients will have a chance to receive a donated, refurbished computer to maintain their interest and skills obtained from participation in the class.

Maricopa Integrated Health System: http://www.mihs.org/

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine
“San Diego HIV/AIDS Health Information Literacy Service”
San Diego, CA
The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine has partnered with the San Diego Public Library, The Center, San Diego County LGBT community based organization, the Third Avenue Charitable Organization of Lutheran Church of San Diego, the PCOM Clinical Education Department and its community off-site clinics to develop the San Diego HIV/AIDS Health Information Literacy Service. The San Diego HIV/AIDS Health Information Literacy service is an outreach program to teach both health professionals and people and the community how to use the National Library of Medicine’s databases to find HIV/AIDS and related health information. The program is specifically targeted towards those who are infected, affected or at risk for HIV/AIDS, health professionals, clinical interns, public health, librarians, and staff and users of community and faith based organizations that provide services to HIV/AIDS patients and their families. This program will bridge the information gap for a public of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and the professionals that serve the afflicted by providing authoritative information resources.

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine: http://pacificcollege.edu/library/health_databases.htm

Philadelphia FIGHT/The AIDS Library
“Developing HIV Leaders in the Philadelphia Shelters”
Philadelphia, PA
The AIDS Library is developing a network of HIV Coordinators in the Philadelphia Shelter System. The Developing HIV Leaders in the Philadelphia Shelters program was put in place to train the coordinators in essential life-saving HIV prevention and treatment information and locating print and online resources for shelter staff and residents. The AIDS Library seeks to address the needs of those who have unstable housing by developing the capacity of the shelters staff to recognize the risks of shelter residents and the needs of those diagnosed with HIV. The program is being developed for 30 shelters in the Philadelphia area.

Philadelphia FIGHT: http://fight.org

The Regents of the University of New Mexico
“AIDS InfoNet”
Albuquerque, NM
The AIDS InfoNet is an on-line information resource which provides people with fact sheets on information related to HIV/AIDS. The information provided on the fact sheets is written in non-technical language, and is also offered in both English and Spanish. The website is regularly updated with new information pertaining to the HIV/AIDS community. All of the information on the site is free of charge to individuals, as well as other organizations. The Website also includes over 750 links to other websites which can help users with research on HIV/AIDS.

AIDS InfoNet: http://aidsinfonet.org/

The Wall Las Memorias, Inc.
“The Wall Las Memorial Project – Pláticas (Community Discussion) Project”
Los Angeles, CA
Project Pláticas is a community-based project which has relationships with faith-based organizations and a wide variety of Latino populations in the greater Los Angeles community. The project is designed to teach people to access accurate information from the National Library of Medicine and other reputable resources. The Wall Las Memorias, Inc. will conduct training sessions for all to be able to find and access all available HIV/AIDS information and resources that can be of use to the target populations. This effort will also include country-wide training of HIV/AIDS providers on cultural sensitivity in the delivery of HIV health and mental health services. Project Pláticas will also provide print versions of the most relevant HIV/AIDS information and develop specific educational resources that specifically meet the needs of the clients of The Wall Las Memorias, Inc. and its surrounding community.

The Wall Las Memorias: http://thewalllasmemorias.org/

Express Awards - Up to $10,000

Queens Borough Public Library
“Queens Borough Public Library HealthLink HIV/AIDS Outreach Information Project”
Jamaica, NY
The Queens Borough Public Library has a successful HealthLink project which focuses on access to information on Cancer Trials and new innovations in the fight against cancer. The library wants to replicate the elements of the Cancer Trials HealthLink and tailor for the HIV/AIDS community. The new HIV/AIDS HealthLink will include links to HIV/AIDS resources, opportunities to purchase books relevant to the HIV/AIDS community, factsheets, and brochures. The project will also provide training for librarians, advocates, direct service providers and community residents. The trainings will teach the clients to access information regarding available resources and pertinent literature at their local public library.

Queens Borough Public Library: http://queenslibrary.org/

AID Atlanta, Inc.
“Technological Upgrade of the AID Atlanta Client Resource Room”
Atlanta, GA
AID Atlanta, Inc. is updating the technological resources of their Client Resource Room. With the update of this equipment, AID Atlanta will be able to continue to provide the community with one-on-one and group trainings regarding computer literacy and how to access HIV/AIDS information resources and services on the internet.

AID Atlanta: http://aidatlanta.org/

University of Maryland, Health Sciences and Human Services Library
“Improving Access to HIV/AIDS Health Information to Baltimore Youth through the STAR TRACK Program”
Baltimore, MD
The goal of the STAR TRACK program is to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS by educating youth between the ages of 12 and 24 in the Baltimore area regarding HIV/AIDS prevention and the use of HIV/AIDS information resources and services in the community. STAR TRACK will also develop culturally appropriate brochures and increase the awareness and utilization of online resources such as MedlinePlus.gov, AIDSinfo.gov, and Maryland Health Go-Local (through MedlinePlus.gov).

University of Maryland, Health Sciences and Human Services Library: http://www.hshsl.umaryland.edu/