NATIONAL NETWORK OF LIBRARIES OF MEDICINE
MIDCONTINENTAL REGION
YEAR 2 (2007-2008) OBJECTIVES
NETWORK OBJECTIVES
Library Advocacy
- Design and implement a study on the impact of library provided information in health related institutions in the MCR
- Encourage and support collaborations between hospital library staff and institutional administrators to enhance the library’s ability to contribute to hospital programs and priorities
- Provide educational materials for hospital librarians for the marketing and promotion of the hospital library
- Identify, recommend, develop, and distribute library advocacy materials for use by hospital librarians in the MCR
- Provide consultation for Network members in project planning and evaluation
- Provide consultation for Network members as they prepare project proposals; review funding sources, feasibility of project, support required, and potential partnerships
Assessment and Evaluation
- Provide training for Network members in project planning and evaluation
- Establish and work with a Regional Advisory Board to ensure input and representation of Network members, health professionals, and consumers throughout the region
- Collaborate with the OERC as we employ logic models for annual planning; collect data about activities conducted and relationship to planned activities; review progress toward achieving goals and outcomes in logic model; modify activities to ensure that goals and outcomes are addressed
- Collaborate with the OERC as we use various tools to collect and analyze data to understand the impact of the RML on the region
- Conduct or participate in needs assessments or surveys of users and non-users of NLM and NN/LM products and services
- Use various tools, including the Network Data Inventory, focus groups, class evaluations, and informal discussions to obtain feedback about NLM products and services
- Assess the needs of health sciences libraries to support programs to improve the transfer of health care and biomedical information within their institutions and through their participation in the Network
- Use various tools to collect and post information about user information needs, preferences, and activities; and recommend ways of improving access to health information
Education
- Provide classes to improve access to health information
- Increase and promote online tutorials and distance education opportunities to Network members, Affiliate members, public librarians, school librarians, and public health professionals for PubMed and MedlinePlus
- Develop and promote PubMed, MedlinePlus, and specialized NLM database standardized presentation modules to be posted on the MCR web site and the NTCC Educational Clearinghouse Database
- Include materials related to finding and evaluating information resources in all classes taught
- Provide access to electronic books on education, library management, technology, and advocacy
- Facilitate inclusion of informatics in public health program curricula
- Produce fact sheets, articles, brochures, FAQs, etc. to keep librarians, health professionals, and consumers up-to-date about services provided by the RML as well as topics and issues of current interest in the provision of health information
- Make National Training Center Clearinghouse training available from our Resource Libraries
Network Membership
- Work with Network members to assure information access for health care professionals in the region
- Recruit new Network members and Affiliate members from eligible libraries in the region
- Actively involve Network members in NN/LM infrastructure and outreach programs, including obtaining feedback on regional and NLM programs on a periodic basis
- Test new features of NLM services
- Develop a reference continuity service among Network members to provide uninterrupted access to reference services at the hospital library level
- Publish and distribute an electronic newsletter to communicate important information about regional and national programs, policies, and procedures to current participants in the region
- Support and promote electronic document delivery in the region
- Encourage and facilitate full participation by member libraries in DOCLINE which includes entering profile information about their libraries and keeping both profile and holdings information up-to-date
- Work with the DOCLINE team on DOCLINE system enhancement testing and implementation
- Monitor member statistics on DOCLINE and work with those libraries whose fill rates are below standard
- Create a marketing plan for EFTS including: identifying Network members who are not EFTS members, promoting EFTS benefits, and encouraging enrollment
- Investigate mandatory EFTS participation as a requirement for full Network membership
- Promote Loansome Doc
- Facilitate regional e-license agreements
- Expand licensing project beyond MCR
Technology
- Establish a PIG (Personal Interface to the Access Grid) at each Resource Library and incorporate Access Grid sites in RML events
- Develop and maintain a regional web site as an integral component of the NN/LM web site
- Improve the MCR web site to meet the needs of our members based on the ongoing usability evaluations and redesign efforts of the Usability Evaluation Redesign team
- Participate in the nnlm.gov branding process by implementing the guidelines for the new NN/LM logo.
- Participate in testing and using other methods of communication, such as videoconferencing and computer conferencing
- Review the adequacy of the Internet connections of Network members on an annual basis, reporting the results to the region and to NLM, and assisting the “under connected” in upgrading and maintaining their connections
- Identify, evaluate, and monitor the best authoritative sources for new technology information
- Investigate and showcase information technologies and policies affecting their use on a regular basis
- Participate in the NN/LM Web Developer’s group through IRC and annual meetings
- Hold classes focused on the use of information technology to improve access to biomedical information and on policy issues affecting production, distribution, and access to biomedical information
- Hold regular meetings with Technology working group
- Work with NLM to arrive at a practical definition of and scope for “historical and unique materials related to the health sciences”
- Collaborate with NLM and the other regions in the development of a national plan to identify historical and unique collections
OUTREACH OBJECTIVES
State Outreach
- Foster opportunities for Network members to collaborate with community based organizations as part of their outreach effort by developing lessons learned resources for Network members
- Identify projects that can serve as program models and extend the models via regional programs throughout the region
- Keep abreast of NLM-funded project developments
- Provide oversight of RML funded projects
- Focus on local/state public health departments with particular emphasis on Internet access and collaborations with other organizations/institutions that work with public health personnel
- Develop a rural information outreach model
- Maintain state web pages for public, consumer, and community health resources
- Seek opportunities for program presentations at all assigned national meetings
- Enlist the assistance of Network members in exhibiting and presenting at national, state and regional meetings
Consumer Health
- Develop, implement, and evaluate outreach programs to increase the public’s awareness of, and access to, high quality electronic health information
- Develop programs to promote MedlinePlus and other NLM Resources to all health professionals as a resource for them and their patients
- Document the effectiveness of a working group
- Coordinate the development of MedlinePlus Go Local projects in the region
Community Outreach
- Develop programs that focus on reaching minorities, senior citizens, and low income populations
- Increase awareness of the Network, especially among community-based organizations by assisting in the development of working relationships between Network members and grass roots, regional and national CBOs within the RML that include health information as a part of their mission/priority
- Foster opportunities for the training of staff at community-based organizations
- Enlist the assistance of hospital libraries and other network members to focus on one or two inner-city institutions per year which shall include identifying what the RML can do to improve or enhance the institution's access to biomedical information and developing and implementing a program that responds to identified needs
- Enlist the assistance of hospital libraries and other Network members to focus on institutions whose objective is to train minority health practitioners or those who serve minority populations, to develop specific linkages so that their health professionals and students have full benefit of the resources of the Network
- Promote our consultation service: review of proposal, feasibility of project, letters of support
- Investigate hosting a Regional CBO symposium in MCR
