NLM Musings from the Mezzanine
Innovations in Health Information from the National Library of Medicine
Today is the Christian Feast of Saint Patrick, one of Ireland’s patron saints who lived during the fifth century. Celebrated today around the world as St. Patrick’s Day, this observance has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture and is a day of fun and family for those who are Irish or wish they were! … Continue reading Learning from my Irish Heritage
Like most of the world, staff at NLM has been engaging with others through various technologies – video conferencing, virtual daily work huddles, and conference-inspired meetings that require screen sharing, virtual breakout rooms, chat features and instant messaging. I’ve gone from a 30-minute commute, including a short walk and a metro ride, to a 3-minute … Continue reading 10 Tips After 10 Months of Video Calls
Last month, I had the pleasure of hosting a fireside chat with Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at NIH and our nation’s top infectious disease expert. This event took place as part of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 2020 Virtual Annual Symposium and was … Continue reading Building Bridges Throughout My Career
When you grow up in a family of 10 kids, like I did, your birthday is a very special day. My mom and dad made sure that it was always a celebration, with breakfast pancakes, a picnic lunch in the park, and favorite foods for dinner. It’s a day that’s just yours. By now, I’ve … Continue reading It’s My Birthday: An Ode to Aging and to Lifespan Research
This week we celebrate Memorial Day, a federal holiday to honor our veterans and remember the men and women of the U.S. military who gave their lives in the service of our country. Originally known as Decoration Day, this was a day for Americans to commemorate the memory of departed soldiers by adorning their graves … Continue reading Decoration Day, Pandemics, and the National Library of Medicine
Didn’t you used to be a nurse? I get this question more often than you might expect—and frankly, a little more often than I would expect. I am a nurse who presently serves as the director of the National Library of Medicine. I’m the first nurse to direct the Library but not the first licensed … Continue reading Didn’t you used to be a nurse?
What is it like to be feted for a lifetime of work? I never imagined I’d have the chance to answer that question, but I found out early last month when I received the Morris L. Collen Award from the American College of Medical Informatics at the annual AMIA meeting in San Francisco. The accompanying … Continue reading With Gratitude
At this point in my life, two years into my role at the National Library of Medicine, I greet Labor Day with a bit of nostalgia. I was an academic for 30 years, and spent most of the 25 years prior to that as a student, doing the school thing from kindergarten through grad school. … Continue reading When September Doesn’t Mean Back to School
Tomorrow, August 15, marks my two-year anniversary as director of the National Library of Medicine. Last year I acknowledged the occasion by reflecting on Bob Dylan’s famous line (appropriately, for a library, from the tune "My Back Pages"), "Ah, but I was so much older then…I’m younger than that now." This year I’m inspired more … Continue reading Happy anniversary to me!
Ahhh, summer! Life at NIH and NLM doesn't really slow down this time of year—in fact, with all the interns and visiting scholars on campus, it can seem even busier, more frenetic than normal—but the long days and warm weather still bring with them a welcome ease. They also usher in vacation season for many, … Continue reading A Vacation’s Gifts Are More Than Souvenirs