NLM Musings from the Mezzanine
Innovations in Health Information from the Director of the National Library of Medicine
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?
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
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 . . .
This blog was authored by NIH staff who serve on the Bridge to Artificial Intelligence (Bridge2AI) Working Group. In April 2021, we introduced NIH Common Fund’s Bridge to Artificial Intelligence (Bridge2AI) program to tap the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for revolutionizing biomedical discovery, increasing our understanding of human health, and improving the practice of … Continue reading Traveling a Bridge2AI in a Quest for High-Quality, FAIR Data Sets
Over the past month, students across the country started their first day of school—it’s a day of excitement, promise, and the hope of new growth. For some students, including those who were at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, it’s a challenging time—how to reach for the future without the pain of the past. Importantly, … Continue reading Engaging with Purpose: Libraries as Healing Spaces