The NLM Mezzanine . . . A Space and a Place

When we launched this blog over six years ago, we selected the title NLM Musings from the Mezzanine to reflect that the thoughts and ideas originated in this beautiful place, situated on the upper story of the National Library of Medicine building on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. I reflected on this inspirational place … Continue reading The NLM Mezzanine . . . A Space and a Place

Endings and Beginnings

two figures building a snow person made from the letters N, L, and M

I LOVE this time of year…. I love the cold weather (I am a snow baby at heart!); I love the holiday season and the connections with my past and present; I love the sense that as one year ends, a new one comes along—and we don’t have to do anything to make this happen! … Continue reading Endings and Beginnings

How an Interagency Smart and Connected Health Program Uses Big Data to Support Personal Health

Guest post by Yanli Wang, PhD, Program Officer, Division of Extramural Programs, National Library of Medicine. Solving complex biomedical or public health problems demands interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers who are ready to address important biomedical issues. To meet this demand, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) joined in 2013 … Continue reading How an Interagency Smart and Connected Health Program Uses Big Data to Support Personal Health

How Looking Back Leads Us Forward: A Musings Year in Review

When NLM wrapped up 2021 last December, we took a moment and considered what our future might bring. What would a hybrid work environment look like? How would we UNITE to show our commitment to health equity? Where are we in regard to our building renovations? And how would we continue to innovate NLM products … Continue reading How Looking Back Leads Us Forward: A Musings Year in Review

Anticipating a Future We Never Anticipated

During the summer of 2017, my first summer as Director of the National Library of Medicine, Joyce Backus—our then-NLM Associate Director for Library Operations (ADLO)—approached me with a wild idea: “How about we engage an architectural firm to guide renovations of our library space?” Joyce was a forward-thinking ADLO and had already done much to … Continue reading Anticipating a Future We Never Anticipated

Do You Play Word Games?

cell phone screen with word game: trust, serve, align, blast, health

There is an astoundingly popular word game in which the player gets six tries to guess the word of the day, which has been pre-drawn from a list of five-letter words. The only skills one needs are the ability to recognize the alphabet and basic English-language spelling ability. My sisters and I play every day … Continue reading Do You Play Word Games?

Giving Thanks Where Thanks is Due

One of the great joys of being the Director of the National Library of Medicine is the many opportunities for me to express gratitude. In the past, I have given thanks to NLM staff who are veterans (2021), for progress during my tenure (2020), and to our amazing NLM staff members (2019). This year, I … Continue reading Giving Thanks Where Thanks is Due

The Intangible Rewards of Engaging with Research Data

Guest post by Amanda K. Rinehart, MS, MLIS, Life Sciences Librarian and Associate Professor for the Department of Research and Education, University Libraries, at the Ohio State University. Ms. Rinehart will deliver the 2022 Joseph Leiter NLM/Medical Library Association (MLA) Lecture, "Data Communities: Room for Everyone, Roles for Librarians," on December 6, 2022. As I … Continue reading The Intangible Rewards of Engaging with Research Data

The More AMIA Changes, the More It Stays the Same . . .

Right at this very moment, the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 2022 Annual Symposium is underway in Washington, D.C., and we encourage you to visit NLM @ AMIA 2022 for updates on NLM's products and programs. Now this may sound quite familiar to those of you who have attended AMIA annual symposiums in Washington, D.C., … Continue reading The More AMIA Changes, the More It Stays the Same . . .

From Our Community to Yours, Happy Healthful Halloween!

Guest post by Jeffrey S. Reznick, PhD, Chief of the History of Medicine Division (HMD) at the National Library of Medicine (NLM). I have always associated Halloween with community and health. My family and I appreciate the holiday for the way it brings together our neighborhood of individuals and families with diverse backgrounds, creativity, and … Continue reading From Our Community to Yours, Happy Healthful Halloween!