NLM Musings from the Mezzanine
Innovations in Health Information from the Director of the National Library of Medicine
One thing I’ve learned as a federal employee is that nothing at work ever happens all alone. As I look to retirement from NIH and federal service at the end of this month, I invite you to look backward at what we have accomplished together and look forward to the next journey for NLM!
This summer the United States is experiencing an unprecedented heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees for days on end across the country. When health challenges emerge, people often turn to libraries as sources of information and support. NLM is proud of its resources that link people to the trusted health information they need.
Recently, Meryl and I visited in person with the trainees at Gallaudet University, where we were challenged to consider how language affects terminology and knowledge formalization, especially when engaging with the Deaf community.
I have been taking some time recently to talk with the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Leadership Team about the values that guide what we do at NLM and the way they influence our work.
Right now, I am reading The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. One quote that struck me the most is, “Libraries are lungs. Books the fresh air breathed in to keep the heart beating, to keep the brain imagining, to keep hope alive.”
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
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
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
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
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?