It’s been more than two months since NLM’s physical workspace radically shifted to maximum telework. More importantly, it’s been six months since the world first heard of the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.
So much has happened: millions of people infected worldwide, and many more millions affected by changes in employment, schooling, routines, and contact with family and friends. We collectively mourn with the loved ones of the more than 100,000 individuals who have died from COVID-19 in the United States and over 350,000 worldwide who have died.
As NLM Director, my feelings have vacillated from being overwhelmed by the challenges NLM faces in supporting NIH and society by fulfilling the need for data and information access to being exhilarated by NLM’s ability to swiftly meet those challenges. Some days I’m numbed by the 24-hour news stream about COVID-19; on others, I’m energized by reports of the search for new treatments and vaccines and the work of selfless health care providers.
Despite it all, I find that I am able to recommit my intellect and my efforts to help NLM and NIH stay on course.
The challenges that NLM faces most frequently arise from our goal to help scientists, clinicians, and professionals quickly access COVID-19 information and resources. We are working faster, with new partners, and drawing on the long-standing goodwill that we’ve cultivated with colleagues across NIH and throughout government. Partnerships and agreements are foundational to extending the reach of NLM resources and minimizing unnecessary duplicative efforts. We can’t do this alone.
We’re also facing challenges brought on by the novelty of extended remote working, which lacks the typical cues that enrich interactions and the spontaneous hallway encounters that solidify goodwill in work groups. We have had to quickly develop innovative strategies to manage new challenges, such as how to streamline the deposit of viral sequences to GenBank or fulfill interlibrary loan requests when we can’t get to our stacks.
Our challenges are not solely related to the pandemic, though, and we are still focused on keeping NLM’s other work moving forward. We’re in budget-planning season, so we continue to have conversations about how to best use taxpayer-supported funds to accomplish NLM’s mission.
Even though we’re not physically in the NLM work space, we are moving forward with modernizing the NLM building (Building 38), examining schedules and funding plans and working with architects and the NIH Office of Research Facilities. And we continue to conduct and support research, acquire and index the literature, and devise new ways to bring information to those who need it.
What helps me do this? I draw strength from the amazing leadership team that guides NLM. This group of 10 women and men meet daily for 15 minutes to exchange ideas, develop new strategies, and monitor the needs of our staff as they work — at a distance — to keep NLM resources available globally, 24 hours a day. I am supported by NIH leadership — the 26 other Institute and Center directors and senior directors — and join with them to best position NIH as the most powerful research engine in the world to better understand the novel coronavirus and the clinical pathway of COVID-19 to accelerate the discovery of new vaccines and to make new therapeutics available.
And I am inspired by the range of services NLM offers the world. It’s hard not to be proud of such a great organization and its good work. Our National Network of Libraries of Medicine is helping local communities get specialized information about COVID-19 into the hands of the people who need it. Our extramural and intramural researchers have turned their talents to developing new ways to monitor the course of the epidemic and to understanding the fundamental biology of the virus.
At our NLM Town Hall meetings, brown bag discussions, and divisional meetings, I get to hear from Library staff. I learn about the strategies they use to maintain work-life balance, their tips for productive teleworking, and their favorite comfort foods. Engaging with staff helps center me in my role as NLM Director and gives me insight into how to best support them. More importantly, it helps sustain my commitment during times of challenge.
What helps sustain your commitment during these challenging times?
Very nicely elaborated by you mam. You have done such an awesome awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic. As well as you have been providing the library service with the latest emerging issues towards to medical community not only for the U S countries but for the entire world. We are also learning lots of things from your writings and outstanding advice during this time.
Thank you for the feedback, Hira. I am proud of the NLM team and to share our hard work with you. It is gratifying to know our research and offerings make an impact well beyond the walls of the library, the local DC area, or even the borders of the US.
Many years ago there was an episode on ER where the ER staff did a Medline search (it was that long ago!) to find the answer to their problem. As an indexer I hope that my indexing of covid articles my be of a little help somewhere and that even if I’m not using my degree in biology to do research at least I am using it to contribute in some small way to fighting Covid-19. It keeps me working.
Thank you, Melissa. Your hard work is certainly playing a role in research and studies being conducted to identify ways to combat COVID-19.