The NIH Public Access Policy was signed into law at the end of 2007. This new law grew out of a 2005 NIH request that researchers submit final versions of their published manuscripts to PubMed Central. As of April 7, submitting manuscripts to PubMed Central is no longer a request; now it is a requirement. The goal was and is to extend public access to publicly funded research literature.

Complying with the policy is a three-step process. When submitting articles for publication, principal investigators on NIH-funded research projects are required to:

1. Address copyright issues by making sure journal publication agreements allow for submission to NIH.
2. Submit articles to PubMed Central using the NIH Manuscript Submission System.
3. Cite PubMed Central identification numbers for articles referenced in NIH grant applications, proposals, and progress reports (required beginning May 25).

Even if NIH-funded researchers are not among your library’s primary clientele, it is important for you to be aware of how much and what types of literature will eventually be made public as a result of this policy. Developments in scholarly publishing and open access have critical implications for all types of libraries.

MLA’s November 2007 webcast “Scholarly Publishing and Open Access: Straight Talk” provides an excellent overview of the key issues and controversies. The DVD and participant manual are now available in the Lending Library for NN/LM PNR network members. To borrow either or both, please send e-mail to nnlm@u.washington.edu.

Additional Resources:

Web guides from the University of Washington and Oregon Health & Science University
SPARC brochure – Information for Authors
History of Dragonfly updates on this topic - http://nnlm.gov/pnr/dragonfly/?s=public+access+policy

April 7, 2008 will be an important day for scholarly communication. All NIH-funded research articles accepted for publication on or after April 7 must be deposited in PubMed Central, the National Library of Medicine’s free archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature.

This and other changes to the NIH Public Access Policy will significantly expand public access to publicly funded research. Librarians at universities and other research organizations have an important role to play in facilitating institutional compliance with the new rules.

The Association of Research Libraries has developed a Guide for Research Universities to aid understanding of how the policy changes will be implemented. This resource includes guidance for negotiating author/publisher agreements and submitting manuscripts to PubMed Central. The Institutional Responses section outlines appropriate roles for investigators, research administrators, legal counsel, and librarians. The Resources section lists examples of several universities’ approaches to communication about the policy.

The NN/LM offers many resources you can use when showing healthcare professionals or the public how to access good health information. Recently some of the brochures have been revised. Below is information on how to access three updated resources. By the way, a new feature: you can customize many of the trifold brochures by adding your organization’s information in the space provided on the back! Be sure and go to http://nnlm.gov/training/pamphlets.html to see all of the pamphlets and brochures available. (more…)

On October 4, 2007 Microsoft announced a new consumer health product - HealthVault - a freely available personal health record that consumers can access on the web. The new resource also includes an Internet search tailored for health queries. Microsoft has partnered with other health agencies and organizations to contribute to the project. They are hoping that patients will coordinate with their health care providers to add individual health information to their records at www.healthvault.com Where do librarians fit into this project? It’s hard to determine from the information currently available.

To read the entire New York Times article see: Microsoft Rolls Out Personal Health Records by Steve Lohr, published October 4, 2007.

In addition to the many librarians on the National Library of Medicine staff, NLM relies heavily on the work of medical librarians associated with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, made up of more than 5,800 member organizations. In recognition of National Medical Librarians Month, October 2007, NLM’s Web site is currently featuring links to some great representative projects recently carried out by network members around the country. (more…)

Health Literacy Month, celebrated each October, is a time when health literacy advocates around the world promote the importance of understandable health information. Started by Helen Osborne in 1999, this month is a time for all health literacy advocates to let the world know why health literacy matters. There is no right or wrong way to participate. (more…)