We have contacted academic centers, hospitals, public libraries and other groups in the Oklahoma City and surrounding areas.  Thus far, we have received the following updates on the NN/LM SCR listerv and/or via direct contact:

• University of Oklahoma Bird Health Sciences Library: All Bird Library staff are safe
• Amy Picard, Norman Regional Hospital: Library staff is safe.  The Moore Medical Center, which was damaged by the tornado, is a sister hospital to Norman Regional Health System.  The Norman Regional Hospital campus was used briefly overnight as a discharge station until the number of patients outgrew the space and they relocated to the education center.  They initially chose the library because they felt it was a good, quiet location where privacy could be afforded.  But as the numbers grew, they needed more space.
• Oklahoma Department of Libraries: Susan McVey, state librarian, reported that she is unaware of any loss of life among public library staff, a couple of staff members’ homes are damaged.  None of the public library buildings in the immediate vicinity of the tornado were affected even though one of them was only a block away from the path.  Several  Pioneer Library System branches may have damages.
• Dan Chandler, Integris Baptist: Library staff is safe.
• Danell Ingle, VA Medical Center: Library staff is safe.

We will continue to revise this blog post as we hear from more Network members.  The comments field on this post is open so feel free to post an update on your status.

The NN/LM SCR Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery page has disaster information and recovery resources.

The video below was created by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, South Center Region (NN/LM SCR) to demonstrate how public libraries and first responders can work together to ensure community well-being and safety before and after a disaster or emergency.

The NN/LM SCR is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2013/2014 Electronic Consumer Health Outreach Award.

Name of Institution:  School of Information, University of Texas at Austin
Title of Project: Improving Low SES Older Adults’ Ability to Evaluate the Quality of Online Health Information
Project Director: Yan Zhang

Name of Institution: Louisiana Health Sciences Center Library – Shreveport, Shreveport LA
Title of Project: Do I Need to Worry? Mental and Developmental Checklists for Parents – Development and Education Program
Project Director: Julia Esparza

The NN/LM SCR is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2013-2014 Express Outreach Award:

Institution:  Arkansas Cancer Coalition, Little Rock AR
Project Title: Ensuring informed decision making among medically underserved rural cancer patients via collaboration, education, and technology
Project Director: Gail Lowery

Institution: Easter Seals Arkansas, Little Rock AR
Project Title: Health-Able: Integrated Health Information Literacy for Families of Individuals with Disabilities
Project Director: Linda Rogers

Institution: Mercy Hospital, Fort Smith AR
Project Title: Mercy Home Health: Healthcare Information for Home Health Patients and Outreach Services for the Fort Smith Asian Community
Project Director: Pat Morris

Institution: Southeast Louisiana Area Health Education Center, Slidell LA
Project Title: 2013-14 SEL-AHEC Community Outreach
Project Director: Helen Caruso

Institution: University of Oklahoma – Tulsa, Schusterman Library
Project Title: Operation School Nurse: Health Information Outreach to School Nurses in Tulsa County
Project Director: April Schweikhard

Institution: Face to Face Enrichment Center, Gonzales LA
Project Title: Project Connections Baton Rouge: Your Link to Health Resource Information
Project Director: Gabrielle Johnson

Institution: Texas Woman’s University, Dallas TX
Project Title: Educational Service Learning Model for Developing a Consumer-Centered Health Literacy Toolkit
Project Director: Shelly Burns

Institution: University of New Mexico Health Science Library and Informatics Center, Albuquerque NM
Project Title: I Heard it on the Radio
Project Director: Gale Hannigan

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is pleased to announce for the third year the solicitation of proposals from organizations and libraries to design and conduct projects that will improve disaster medicine and public health information access for health professionals, first responders, and others (paid or volunteer) that play a role in health-related disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

Projects must involve two or more of the following information access categories:

• Information needs assessment;
• Roles in providing disaster health information;
• Practices and methods in information sharing;
• Skills development;
• Information retrieval;
• Resource development; and/or
• Document access.

Emphasis is on providing information or access to health and medical information in a way useful to all-hazards preparedness, response and recovery workers, and increasing the awareness and utilization of high-quality, all-hazards, and emergency topics. The purpose is also to promote new and creative collaborations on disaster health information needs among and to the mutual benefit of librarians, information specialists, or informationists and the disaster workforce.

Eligible projects will be based on a partnership or collaboration that includes at least one library or information center and at least one non-library organization that has disaster-related responsibilities.

Awards are offered for a minium of $15,000 to a maximum of $30,000 for a one-year project.

Information about previous years’ projects: 2011 projects and 2012 projects.

Proposals are due to NLM on June 20, 2013 by 2 pm ET.

Features:

A Bang to the Brain: What We Know About Concussions – Concussions are a type of mild brain injury, but they need to be taken seriously. Learn to recognize the causes and symptoms of concussion, and take steps to prevent head injuries.

On Sound Footing: The Health of Your Feet – Your feet are pretty small, considering they have to support the entire height and weight of your body. But they can cause big problems. So take steps to keep your feet healthy!

Health Capsules:

• Ex-Smokers Gain Health Benefits Despite Added Pounds
• Allergies and Complementary Medicine
• Featured Website: NIH BRAIN Initiative

Congratulations to Leta Dannelley, from CHRISTUS Spohn Health System, Corpus Christi TX,  recipient of the NN/LM SCR Hospital Library Promotion Award!

Project Title: The Health Sciences Library – A Hidden Treasure Revealed

This project will increase awareness of the Health Sciences Library at CHRISTUS Spohn Health System through a promotional campaign of library services. This campaign will include the creation of a video for new physician, resident, medical student and new associate orientation; designing a library web page to connect patrons with library resources via the intranet; and taking the “show on the road” to six hospitals.

Read about previous years’ funded projects.

Congratulations to the 2013 /2014 NN/LM SCR Professional Development Awardees:

Awardee: Carolyn Bridgewater
Institution: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – New Orleans
Conference: American Public Health Association 141st Annual Meeting and Exposition

Awardee: Stephanie Cheramie
Institution: Lafourche Public Library, Thibodaux LA
Conference: American Library Association Annual Conference and Exhibition

Awardee: Lisa Huang
Institution: Collin College, Denton TX
Conference: First Science Boot Camp for Libraries in the West

Awardee: Joanne Romano
Institution: The TMC Library, Houston TX
Conference: First Science Boot Camp for Libraries in the West

• Researching and Reducing the Health Burden of Stroke
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Managing Allergies
• Spotlight on NIH Research: What Do Fats Do in the Body?

Featuring reliable up-to-date health information and the latest news from NIH-supported research, NIH MedlinePlus magazine is available free of charge. Get an email alert or free print subscription.

Greetings all! My name is Naomi Gonzales and I am so delighted to be the newest member of the fabulous NN/LM South Central Region team as the Public Health Coordinator. I graduated in spring of 2012 with my MLS from the University of North Texas (UNT) but I’ve always had a passion for outreach and literacy. I’ve been working with the public (in all kinds of settings) since 2006 and quickly learned to love the rollercoaster ride that is creating lasting connections with community members.

For the past year, I worked as an Instructional Technologies Librarian at the Texas Medical Center Library and before that I worked with engineering and library science students at UNT, providing a variety of reference and instructional services in the library.  I’m a member of the ALA Rainbow Book List committee and (true to my librarian nature) in my spare time will enthusiastically devour books in any form—including the audiobooks that often accompany me to the gym. Although reading will always be my first love, I also have more active pastimes such as yoga and the occasional attempt at being crafty. I look forward to working with and learning from such a great community of people!