Holiday Greetings from the NLM Director!

I consider myself an upbeat person and am most upbeat during the winter holiday season. I’ve always been drawn to this time of year – it’s cold, often snowy, and brings many traditions I love, including spiritual customs, family gatherings, fabulous food, and gift-giving. It also brings about an annual pause in the lives of many people, and an opportunity to celebrate the many holiday observances that take place across various cultures in the world.

This year I’m struck by the importance of light as a symbol across many religions and cultures, such as the Festival of Lights celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs known as Diwali; the Jewish Festival of Lights known as Hanukkah, or Chanukah; the Christian tradition of Christmas; or the celebration of African and African American culture, known as Kwanzaa.

Light is almost a universal symbol.

Light represents hope, transcendence over darkness, and knowledge. We experience light through lamps, candles, in the flames of a fire, through the brilliance of the sun, and the twinkles of color that appear on holiday decorations. In some religious traditions, light represents spiritual power or guidance. In common parlance, light reflects joy and invites engagement. Light stands in a positive contrast to the short days and long nights of winter experienced in the Northern Hemisphere, where I’ve spent most of my life.

Light also serves as an indication of illumination – the increased clarity, insight and awareness about situations and ideas. NLM serves as an illuminating force in the world – bringing knowledge to bear to increase enlightenment and awareness about complex biomedical situations and ideas. I’ll bet you haven’t often connected the idea of holiday lights and NLM resources — bear with me — it really works!

Information alone – unread and unused – is not enough, just as the benefits of light are limited when the light is obstructed or not in view. This idea holds true for NLM resources too.  

As a leader in biomedical and health data science research and the world’s largest biomedical library, NLM’s research and information services are most valuable when they are readily available to those who need it. Thanks to our NLM team, we continue to be able to provide free and unencumbered access to information to people from around the world.

Individuals perceive light through a complex physiological and psychological process and their reaction to light builds on history and prior experiences. When NLM users discover new articles or preprints through our search process and read them, they do so against the backdrop of their own life experiences and knowledge – adding even more value to research, both new and old! Finally, one of the greatest things I love about light is that it can be experienced and perceived by many without being diminished. So too for our NLM resources that serve many without ever being exhausted!

This year, I am observing and celebrating the Christmas holiday and want to share the light of this holiday season with all of you, and particularly with my son, who is far away from me in Seattle. This season, many of us will be connecting with loved ones near and far through the light of a computer screen!

Certainly, the challenges of 2020 have made it ever so much more important to enjoy the spark that friends and family near and far provide. Please share your special views on light with each other and with the readers of this blog.

Happy holidays from ours to yours!