Since April, 2009, NLM’s Journal Donation System has provided a mechanism for DOCLINE libraries to determine whether NLM needs any volumes of print journals for which they have entered holdings information, resulting in donations of an estimated 6,000 volumes since the beginning of the journal donation program, to fill in items missing from NLM’s collection. Earlier this year, NLM launched Version 2 of the system, which now allows any library to register and to offer any title, including titles not owned by NLM. In using the journal donation system, click on “Help” at any time for detailed instructions. For additional assistance, contact NLM at (301) 496-0081 or NLMJournalDonation@mail.nlm.nih.gov.  NLM will pay shipping via FedEx for the needed volumes. To donate pre-1871 journal volumes, visit the NLM History of Medicine Division website. The Version 2 enhancements should make it easier for any library to donate material to NLM!

Researchers, as well as health care providers and consumers, can now see the ingredients listed on the labels of about 17,000 dietary supplements by looking them up on a website! The Dietary Supplement Label Database is a joint project of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

The Dietary Supplement Label Database provides product information in one place that can be searched and organized as desired. By law, any product labeled as a dietary supplement must carry a Supplement Facts panel that list its contents and other added ingredients (such as fillers, binders, and flavorings). The Dietary Supplement Label Database includes this information and much more; such as directions for use, health-related claims, and any cautions listed on the label. The Dietary Supplement Label Database offers these features:

• Quick Search: Search for any ingredient or specific text on a label.
• Search for Dietary Ingredients: An alphabetical list of ingredients is also provided.
• Search for Specific Products: An alphabetical list of products is also provided.
• Browse Contact Information: Search by supplement manufacturer or distributor.
• Advanced Search: Provides options for expanding a search by using a combination of search options, including dietary ingredient, product/brand name, health-related claims, and label statements.

For consumers, the ODS app, My Dietary Supplements (MyDS), is available to keep track of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other products taken, and has science-based, reliable information on dietary supplements.

The former Dietary Supplements Labels Database, based on DeLima Associates Dietary Supplements On-Line Database (DSOL), will be retired before the end of June, 2013, and replaced by the new ODS/NLM Dietary Supplement Label Database. More information about the Dietary Supplement Label Database is available from a recent NIH News Release or from the MLA 2013 Offline with NLM Sunrise Seminar: NLM Specialized Information Services Update.

The National Library of Medicine’s Specialized Information Services (SIS) Division has announced a listserv for Outreach to Specific Populations, NLM_OSP-L. This list provides health information professionals, librarians, advocates, health care professionals, students, and others with an opportunity to share information and discuss outreach to specific populations through quality information, capacity building and community engagement. This discussion forum will enable participants to stay informed about health information resources, services, and programs tailored to specific populations as well as connect with colleagues in the field, and benefit from discussions that address best practices, challenges, and gaps associated with health information outreach to specific populations.

Information distributed through the OSP Listserv (NLM_OSP-L) may include:

• Health information outreach programs and services tailored to specific populations (i.e. Students/Educators, Health Professionals, Minorities, Women, Seniors, etc.)
• Information resources addressing health topics ranging from HIV/AIDS and Environmental Health to Emergency and Disaster Preparedness
• Announcements of funding opportunities
• National, state and/or local meetings and conferences
• Information and technological resources for and about specific populations
• Training opportunities
• Best practices, trends, and new ideas
• Publications, articles, and research findings related to health information outreach

Feel free to let others know about the OSP listserv, and to share its messages!

The Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) has announced the 2013-2014 opportunity for the leadership program jointly sponsored by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and AAHSL, with an application deadline of August 1, 2013. The NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program is focused on preparing emerging leaders for the position of library director in academic health sciences libraries. Fellows will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in a variety of learning settings, including exposure to leadership in another environment. They will be paired with mentors who are academic health sciences library directors. In addition to the individual relationship with their mentors, fellows benefit from working collaboratively with other fellows and mentors. Experienced program faculty and mentors will provide content and facilitation for the cohort. The program takes advantage of flexible scheduling and an online learning community to minimize disruption to professional and personal schedules. The sponsors will provide financial support for a small cohort of fellows and will underwrite travel and meeting expenses. Fifty-five fellows have participated in the program in the first eleven classes. To date, twenty-two fellows have been appointed to director positions.

The one-year program design is multi-faceted, involving three in-person leadership institutes; attendance at an Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) annual meeting; a yearlong fellow/mentor relationship; webinars and discussions on issues related to library leadership; and two weeks of site visit to the mentor’s home library. Candidates for fellow should have a strong interest in pursuing a directorship in academic health sciences libraries, as well as significant management experience. Applications are welcomed from professionals working in academic health sciences libraries, hospital libraries, or other library-related settings. Applications from qualified minority candidates are encouraged. Details about the program design, schedule, and application process are available in the program brochure.

The Offline with NLM “Sunrise Seminar” was held at the Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association in Boston, MA, on May 6, 2013. The session was chaired by David Gillikin, Bibliographic Services Division. The meeting brought attendees up-to-date on some of the Library online systems as well as future plans.

Links to the following PowerPoint presentations are included in the NLM Technical Bulletin:

• PubMed Tips and Tricks – Margaret McGhee, MEDLARS Management Section, Bibliographic Services Division
• NLM Specialized Information Service Update – Janice Kelly, Division of Specialized Information Services
• NLM Digital Programs – Loren Frant, Public Services Division
• NLM’s Plan to Expand Collection Space – Martha Fishel, Public Services Division

Questions from the audience were taken at the end of the session. The questions and answers have been reprinted in the same article.

CNA, in partnership with the National Emergency Management Association, funded the development and nationwide distribution of a 56-question survey to state, county, and local emergency management and response agencies, conducted from August 3 to September 12, 2012, to better understand their current views on the use of social media technology for emergency management. The key results from that survey have recently been published in the 84-page report, Social Media in the Emergency Management Field: 2012 Survey Results. Over 500 individuals submitted responses, representing 426 departments and agencies.

On June 4, 2013, U.S. Congresswoman Susan Brooks (R-IN), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, mentioned some of the survey results during her opening statement at a hearing entitled Emergency MGMT 2.0: How #SocialMedia & New Tech are Transforming Preparedness, Response, & Recovery #Disasters #Part1 #Privatesector. CNA is located in Alexandria, VA, and has nearly 70 years of experience researching and analyzing the complex scientific, operational, and policy challenges that are facing the public sector and public decision makers.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced the launch of MentalHealth.gov as an online resource for people looking for information about mental health. This website provides information about the signs of mental illness, how individuals can seek help, and how communities can host conversations about mental health. The website also features videos from a number of individuals sharing their stories about mental illness, recovery, and hope.

Also, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will release a Toolkit for Community Conversations About Mental Health, to support communities interested in holding discussions about mental health using consistent information and approaches. The Toolkit has three parts: an “Information Brief,” a “Discussion Guide” and an “Organizing Guide.” These components will help communities and individuals start a conversation about mental health, and help identify innovative and creative actions to meet the mental health needs of the nation. Currently, the “Information Brief” section is available for printing and downloading. The other two sections will be available soon.

These resources make it possible to work collaboratively to provide youth and adults accurate information about the prevention and treatment of mental health conditions, coupled with open spaces to tell their stories, ask for help, share their successes, and support one another. These conversations also serve as a venue to highlight the importance of recovery, support those in recovery, and offer opportunities for everyone to see that recovery is possible.

The National Library of Medicine has initiated an outreach effort to the Latino community for the federal Web site on AIDS, infoSIDA, a free, online Spanish-language resource for HIV/AIDS information regarding treatment, prevention, and research findings. It is a service of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and includes authoritative content from the following HHS agencies; the National Institutes of Health, including NLM; the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This Spanish-language Web site is designed to provide health information resources to the Latino community in an easy-to-use format, utilizing culturally appropriate and relevant language.

Today in America, according to the CDC, approximately one in 50 Latinos will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. The rate of new HIV infections among Latino men is almost three times that of white men (39.9 vs. 15.9 per 100,000), and the rate among Latinas is more than four times that of white women (11.8 vs. 2.6 per 100,000). In 2009, Hispanics/Latinos represented 16% of the U.S. population, but accounted for 20% of new HIV infections. Statistics like these and a need to reach vulnerable populations were a driving force in NLM’s recognition of the need to speak directly to Latinos on the issue of HIV/AIDS, in a culturally relevant manner.

NLM will be promoting the infoSIDA Web site through a multi-platform media outreach effort that includes two new radio public service announcements that will air on Spanish media outlets nationwide. In addition, Ms. Fedora Braverman, a librarian with the NLM Public Services Division, will take part in a June 1st broadcast of “Bienvenidos a América,” discussing infoSIDA and other Spanish-language consumer resources from NLM. Bienvenidos a América (BAA) is a weekly call-in radio show focused on providing Spanish preferred Latinos with information and resources specific to immigration issues. Since this program’s audience is a key component in determining the success of this campaign, NLM will utilize this program, which airs on 111 Spanish radio stations nationwide. In addition to being on the air, the NLM specific segment on BAA will be streamed and made available online. The online resources of infoSIDA will also be publicized and made available via NLM’s social media outlets. Twitter users are invited to follow or join the conversation by using the hash tag #infoSIDA2013.

We are entering a critical time in health care in the United States. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) changes the American health care system in many ways. Of major importance is the fact that it expands access to health insurance for millions of Americans. But do Americans understand the changes that are coming? Do they understand their options for health insurance or how to choose the insurance plan that best meets their needs? And will they know how to use that insurance plan once they have it? Many people don’t have this understanding, and they have a hard time getting reliable information when they try to learn more.

Six participants in the Collaborative on Health Literacy and Access, Health Care Coverage, and Care of the IOM Roundtable on Health Literacy have prepared a discussion paper that presents basic information that can be used to help people understand their health insurance options. The 14-page paper, Helping Consumers Understand and Use
Health Insurance in 2014, is a resource for those who will be helping consumers make important decisions; including patient navigators, community organizations, employers, media, educators, and any individual or organization working to improve understanding of options for health insurance.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has announced the solicitation of proposals for the 2013 HIV/AIDS Community Information Outreach Projects (Solicitation No. NIHLM2013704 B), 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. Awards are offered for up to $40,000. Quotations are due to NLM on Thursday, July 18, 2013!

The solicitation for the 2013 HIV/AIDS Community Information Outreach Projects is posted on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site. Small Businesses can apply to a specific set-aside (NIHLM2013704 A). The Federal Business Opportunities Web site will also list all notices, updates, and modifications to the Solicitation.

Projects must involve one or more of the following information access categories: information retrieval; skills development, resource development; and/or equipment acquisition. Emphasis will be placed upon the following types of organizations or arrangements for developing these programs: community-based organizations (CBOs) or patient advocacy groups currently providing HIV/AIDS-related services to the affected community; public libraries serving communities in the provision of HIV/AIDS-related information and resources; health departments or other local, municipal, or state agencies working to improve public health; faith-based organizations currently providing HIV/AIDS-related services; and/or multi-type consortia of the above-listed organizations that may be in existence or formed specifically for this project.

The NLM primary point of contact for the solicitation is Keturah D. Busey, Business Opportunity Specialist, and the secondary point of contact is Robin D. Hope, Contracting Officer.