The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Division of Specialized Information Services (SIS) has released a refreshed home page today.  The new design includes a banner with rotating images highlighting SIS resources.  All functions will remain the same.  The Division of Specialized Information Services produces information resources on a range of topics covering toxicology, environmental health, HIV/AIDS, drug and consumer product information, and disaster/emergency preparedness and response.

Visit the newly-designed web site here:  http://sis.nlm.nih.gov

Did you know the National Library of Medicine Training Center (NTC) now offers free distance learning classes that are completely online? Details about 5 PubMed for Librarians classes in January with registration links are below, and be sure to check out NTC’s website at http://nnlm.gov/ntc for a variety of posts related to adult learning and teaching.

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In order to keep pace with the continuing advances in web technology, PubMed Central (PMC) has launched PubReader, an alternative web presentation that offers another, more reader-friendly view of the articles in the PMC archive. Designed particularly for enhancing the readability of PMC journal articles on tablet and other small screen devices, PubReader can also be used on desktops and laptops and from multiple web browsers.

If an article retrieved by a PubMed search is available from PubMed Central, it will appear in PubReader format. In PubMed Central searches, PubReader will be one of the viewing options.

The display is multi-column, and it’s easy to flip back and forth between pages. A tool called the Figure Strip enables access to all figures in the article, regardless of where which page the reader is on. Read more about PubReader and give it a try: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/about/pubreader/

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has released “Discovering the Connection: Your Environment, Your Health,” an after-school science club curriculum for middle school students.  The curriculum combines research on the Tox Town Web site - http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/ – with hands-on experiments and communication and with social action activities.  The objective is to introduce middle school students to environmental health issues in their everyday life, emphasizing the relevance of science to informed citizenship.  The curriculum contains six units; each introduces one environmental health topic and includes three to four 50-60 minute lessons. (more…)

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Specialized Information Services has released “Especially for Toxicologists” - http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/especiallytoxicologists.html - a guide to NLM resources on environmental health, toxicology, and chemical information for toxicologists.

Also, a new Enviro-Health Links page, “Laboratory Safety” - http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/labsafety.html - offers links to information for clinical, academic and school laboratories, including resources for handling chemical laboratory safety, biological laboratory safety, and nano material safety.  Also included are links to regulations and policy, hazard analysis, MSDS, waste management, and pre-formulated TOXNET and PubMed searches.

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This coming week, many families across the country will gather to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.  While family traditions often center traditional turkey dinners and watching football games, consider starting a new tradition to collect and document your family’s health history.  The U.S. Surgeon General has declared Thanksgiving to be National Family History Day, encouraging Americans to share a meal and the family health history.  This information can help your doctor decide which tests and screenings are recommended to help you know your health risks.  Because family members share genes, behaviors, lifestyles, and environments, they may share a common risk for developing certain health problems.  Family history can be especially valuable in helping a doctor make a diagnosis if a child shows signs of a particular disease or disorder. (more…)