LinkOut® for Libraries Training and Educational Resources Web Site

On May 13, 2010, NLM® released a new distance education Web site called LinkOut for Libraries Training and Educational Resources. This Web site includes Quick Tours about how to use the Library Submission Utility and other tools that are used by libraries that participate in LinkOut. The LinkOut for Libraries Training and Educational Resources page replaces the Training and Promotion section of the NCBI LinkOut for Libraries homepage.

By Elizabeth Frost
MEDLARS Management Section

May 27, 2010 [posted]

What a difference new computers can make!  The staff of the Health Sciences Library at Saint Barnabas Medical Center was pleased to receive a Technology Improvement Award at the end of 2009 to replace our old, slow and prone-to-break-down computers which are heavily used by attending physicians, hospital staff and students, and patients and families.

St. Barnabas Computer Lab Before Receiving Our New Computers

Over the past few years, we had spent a lot of staff time troubleshooting problems with our old computers. They were slow to download pdfs and to open websites with a lot of graphics. They often simply froze up and needed to be rebooted. Several of them made strange noises.  At least once a week, but sometimes more often, we called for IT assistance.  At the end of 2009 several of the computers had permanent “not working” signs on them.

When the new computers purchased with NNLM-MAR Technology Improvement Award funds were purchased and installed this spring, it was an immediate success.  Our library users were delighted, and told us so.  We were pleased to no longer have to spend time troubleshooting problems on failing computers.  This freed us up to get to our other work done and saved everyone a lot of frustration.

After receiving our new computers!

We are very grateful to have received this reward and it is definitely helping us to fulfill our library’s mission.  We have attached “before and after” photos.

Patricia Reusing
Margaret Eng
Health Sciences Library
Saint Barnabas Medical Center
Livingston, NJ

From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ):

HHS National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy Released Today

The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy contains seven goals, each with specific strategies for different sectors of the health system, such as payers, the media, government agencies, and health care professionals, to improve health literacy. These goals emphasize the importance of creating health and safety information that is accurate, accessible, and actionable.

“Health literacy is needed to make health reform a reality,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “Without health information that makes sense to them, people can’t access cost effective, safe, and high quality health services. But, HHS can’t do it alone,” she added. “We need payers and providers of health care services to communicate clearly and make the necessary changes to improve their communication with consumers, patients, and beneficiaries. Today’s plan is only the beginning of a long-term process with our many partners in all sectors that we hope will result in a society that encourages people to live longer, healthier lives.”

The Action Plan, a summary of the Action Plan, and an HHS press release on the Action Plan can be accessed at: http://www.health.gov/communication/HLActionPlan

Find AHRQ tools and information that can be used in implementing the Action Plan at: http://www.ahrq.gov/browse/hlitix.htm

From the press release:

FDA Announces Collaboration with Drugs.com

Goal is to expand online distribution of Agency’s consumer health information 

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it will collaborate with the Web site Drugs.com to expand access to the FDA’s consumer health information…” (Read more)

See the web site at http://www.drugs.com/fda-consumer/

Both the Middle Atlantic Region (MAR) and the NLM offices will be closed on Monday, May 31 in observance of Memorial Day.

MedlinePlus and MedlinePlus en español will debut a new design in summer 2010.

To get a sneak preview at what’s coming, please go to http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/preview/overview.html  for a quick tour.  There is a feedback form on the bottom of every page. Your comments are welcome.

MedlinePlus recently announced two new features: Anatomy Videos and Patient Handouts. The videos are available in English and Spanish. Some of the handouts are also available in Spanish. Please note that not every health topic includes patient handouts yet.

 From the What’s New section of the  Medline Plus web site:

In the May 14 issue of the NIH Guide, 2 announcements of newly-issued NLM grant programs

 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-LM-10-001.html

• NLM Information Resource Grants to Reduce Health Disparities (G08)
  (RFA-LM-10-001)
  National Library of Medicine
  Application Receipt Date(s): July 14, 2010

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) solicits resource grant applications for projects that will bring useful, usable health information to health disparity populations and the health care providers who care for those populations. Access to useful, usable, understandable health information is an important factor during health decisions. Proposed projects should exploit the capabilities of computer and information technology and health sciences libraries to bring health-related information to consumers and their health care providers. Preference will be given to applications that show strong involvement of health science libraries. Preference will also be given to applications submitted by or that involve minority-serving institutions.

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-195.html

•  NLM Independent Career Development Award for Biomedical Informatics (K22)
  (PAR-10-195)
  National Library of Medicine
  Application Receipt Date(s): Multiple dates, see announcement.

The purpose of the NLM Independent Career Development Award for Biomedical Informatics (K22) program is to facilitate the transition of investigators from the mentored to the independent stage of their careers by providing “protected time” for newly independent investigators to develop and receive support for their initial research programs. The award applies to biomedical informaticians who are pursuing research in clinical informatics, public health informatics or translational informatics. Preference will be given to candidates who received their informatics training at one of NLM’s university-based training programs in biomedical informatics. 

Valerie Florance, Ph.D.
Director, NLM Extramural Programs
Rockledge 1, Suite 301
6705 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892
phone: 301.496-4621 fax: 301.402.2952
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep   NLM/NIH/DHHS 

Posted on behalf of Angela Ruffin, Head, NN/LM NNO

From the May-June NLM Technical Bulletin: 

In February 2010, NLM® released a new e-mail subscription service that allows users to sign up for updates on MedlinePlus news, special features, and health topics in both English and Spanish. Through the new service, users can customize their e-mail updates by signing up for the specific MedlinePlus topics that matter most to them. The new service replaces the former daily and weekly MedlinePlus e-mail announcement lists and greatly expands the subscription offerings available to users.

Users can subscribe to any or all of the over 800 topics on MedlinePlus and over 770 topics on MedlinePlus en español…. (Read more)

The National Training Center and Clearinghouse (NTCC), in conjunction with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Middle Atlantic Region (NN/LM MAR) and the Western New York Library Resources Council,  is offering two FREE hands-on classes at the Western New York Library Resources Council offices in Buffalo, NY!

The following two classes will be taught by the staff of the NTCC at the WNYLRC in Buffalo, NY:

PubMed®  (7.5 MLA CE Hours)

Thursday August 12, 2010

 NLM Gateway and ClinicalTrials.gov  (3.5 MLA CE Hours)

Friday, August 13, 2010

All the training sessions are FREE and intended for health sciences library staff, public librarians, health professionals, and anyone interested in using these free National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases. 

TO REGISTER for either or both of these classes, or to look for other class locations, simply click on this registration form link   http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/classes/schedule.html