NLM Musings from the Mezzanine
Innovations in Health Information from the National Library of Medicine
Guest post by Patricia Flatley Brennan, Director, NLM; Dianne Babski, Associate Director for Library Operations, NLM; and Amanda J. Wilson, Chief of the Office of Engagement and Training, NLM. Welcome to NLM @ MLA ’21 vConference! This year, for the Medical Library Association (MLA) virtual meeting, we organized NLM’s activities around three themes: Reflect on … Continue reading Reflect, Reimagine, Reenergize TOGETHER
Guest post by M. Nichelle Midón, Project Scientist, Office of Engagement and Training, National Library of Medicine. Earlier this year, NLM Director Dr. Patricia Flatley Brennan shared insights about how we, at NLM, support individual and organizational health literacy. As the world’s largest biomedical library, NLM provides physical and digital access to trusted, quality health … Continue reading What Health Literacy Outreach Looks Like at NLM
Guest post by Doug Joubert, head of User Services and the National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology, National Library of Medicine. NLM has a strong record of involving its stakeholders in the strategic decisions that drive the products we develop and the services we offer. As the world’s largest biomedical … Continue reading A 21st-Century Approach to Health Services Research: NLM Moves Forward with You in Mind
Guest post by Mike Huerta, PhD, director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives and associate director of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. “A Platform for Biomedical Discovery and Data-Powered Health,” NLM’s current 10-year strategic plan, envisions three goals with a 2027 horizon: Accelerate discovery and advance health through data-driven research. Reach … Continue reading NLM Strategic Opportunities and Challenges: We Want to Hear from You!
I’ve just “returned” from the Medical Library Association (MLA) ’20 Conference Live Action Week held August 10–14. After much deliberation and rescheduling, this meeting, like so many others, was reimagined in a virtual format using video, text and chats, and online presentations to connect attendees. Returned is a funny term because, of course, I didn’t … Continue reading Glad to Meet You Virtually: Reflections on the MLA Conference
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
I’ve been reflecting on how communications has transformed our lives, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic radically changed our ability to interact with others. Before NLM’s physical workspace shifted to maximum telework, I was walking to work when I passed a strange sight — the last vestiges of pay phones on the National Institutes of Health … Continue reading A New Era of Health Communications
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
Guest post by NLM’s Jennifer Gilbert, Technical Services Division, Christie Moffatt, History of Medicine Division, and Doron Shalvi, Office of Computer and Communication Systems. NLM’s widely appreciated online historical resource, Profiles in Science, makes available to researchers, educators, and members of the public the archival collections of prominent scientists, physicians, and other individuals who have … Continue reading Profiles in Science: Exploring Stories of Scientific Discovery
As the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030 prepares its new statement for Healthy People 2030, NLM has been asked to review and comment on the definition of health literacy. This request has provided a good opportunity for me to consider how NLM facilitates health literacy — but … Continue reading Individual and Organizational Health Literacy: A Key to the Future of Health