A joint MLA-NLM Task Force was commissioned to assess opportunities for integration of live and virtual information assistance into electronic personal health records products. The work of the Task Force has progressed on two fronts: identification and examination of PHR tools and development of ways to better integrate PHRs and the library community. (more…)

With the hurricane season’s dynamic reminder of nature’s power comes an explosion of information on hurricanes.  The Specialized Information Services (SIS) branch of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) has added a new section on Hurricanes to their Environmental Health and Toxicology section.  Visit: Hurricanes: Links to Health Information Including Toxicology and Environmental Health at http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/hurricane.html

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Anna Ercoli Schnitzer
InfoPoint Librarian
Health Sciences Libraries
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

The four-day Ann Arbor Art Fair in its 49th year, came to a close on Saturday evening, July 19, 2008, and this year for the first time the University of Michigan Library was part of the action. Although Booth #12 in the Non-Profit section of this huge fair was originally reserved and rented by the Health Sciences Libraries, we opened our tent flaps to affiliated library volunteers from the Science, Graduate, Undergraduate and Business libraries as well. It was an extra pleasure to have a cross-section of library collaboration, and we needed all the help we could get, since we had to provide staffing for a total of 45 hours. (more…)

There were two community service projects funded by the GMR held during the MLA ‘08 Conference in Chicago. I had the opportunity to participate in one of them - the Rush University Free Health Fair: Spring into Health and Fitness. I was between jobs at the time, so I was representing Ohio University Health Sciences Library and the GMR. After staffing numerous health fair booths in the past, this was still a new and exciting experience.

The event started quite early and it was nice to get coffee and dough nuts to start the day! There were a large number of volunteers from various organizations, and we all worked diligently helping the participants to make the best out of this health fair. It was impressive to see some of the MLA award winners staffing the tables. I had the opportunity to work with Vijay Pawal; Cunningham Fellow from India and Sarah McCord who was honored with Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award. The medical librarians at the Rush Medical Center did a great job making sure all the MLA volunteers were doing fine. (more…)

The Outreach Express Award entitled Only Connect….to the Community was funded by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region (NN/LM GMR). This award allowed the Medical Library Association’s (MLA) National Planning Committee ‘08 to provide the first annual community service events. The two community service events held in Chicago, Illinois, allowed medical librarians to put words such as advocacy and visibility into action by creating partnerships with public librarians and volunteering in the neediest community, North Lawndale on the west side of Chicago. (more…)

Anna Ercoli Schnitzer
InfoPoint Librarian
Health Sciences Libraries
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

On the afternoon of June 26, 2008, a small party of University of Michigan Health Sciences Libraries’ staff members (Kate MacDougall, Chrysta Meadowbrooke, Anne Perorazio, and Anna Ercoli Schnitzer) set out by AATA #4 bus to present a workshop at the Washtenaw Country Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, located on the other side of Ann Arbor. Although at first it seemed as if the class would be limited to two select individuals, others continued to arrive until there were 10 class members with various physical disabilities-all eager to learn about MedlinePlus® and its contents. Anne recorded the entire presentation, and Chrysta did the driving with mouse and keyboard. A big screen permitted text large enough for almost all to see, but Anna promised to talk through the topics for the few who might have difficulty reading even text of this size. (more…)

As of today May 7, 2008, MedlinePlus® has a multilingual feature, providing access to high quality health information in languages other than English and Spanish. This new service benefits people who prefer to read consumer health information in their native language. It also helps the information professionals and health care providers who serve them. Over the years, many of you have requested this enhancement. Your suggestions helped the MedlinePlus team to develop this important service. (more…)

Anna Ercoli Schnitzer
InfoPoint Librarian
Health Sciences Libraries
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

Health Fair for Michigan’s Uninsured Children

On April 29, 2008, the Washtenaw County (Michigan) Department of Health and Human Services highlighted the need for health insurance for all children by holding a free Children’s Health and Enrollment Fair at the Towner Health and Human Services Complex in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The University of Michigan Health Sciences Libraries were represented along with Blue Care Network; Engage Project (volunteering for clinical studies at the University of Michigan Health System); Women, Infants and Children (WIC); and various relevant nutrition and parenting groups. (more…)

Anna Ercoli Schnitzer
InfoPoint Librarian
Health Sciences Libraries
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

In early November of 2007, two University of Michigan Health Sciences Libraries staff members visited Estabrook Elementary School in Ypsilanti, Michigan, to present a class of 26 5th-grade students with a PowerPoint presentation on Good Health Sites and some age-appropriate handouts.

Essentially two major government sites were shown from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), HHS for Kids (http://www.hhs.gov/kids/) and healthfinder.gov kids (http://www.healthfinder.gov/kids/). The class members were very excited, and many questions were asked about which websites were good ones and which ones were not. (more…)

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: (more…)