NW Notes, 20(2), Print

April - June 1999 Volume 20 Number 2

Letter from the Chair
Carolyn Olson

Greetings! I sit at my keyboard writing a column about preparation for fall, even though it doesn't seem like we will ever see summer this year. I hope that by the time this goes to press (or the digital equivalent) we will all be enjoying balmy weather.

Summer is a slow time, PNC-wise, except for our conference co-chairs, Chris Beahler, Sarah Safranek and others, who are busy preparing this year's conference. The conference begins on Sunday, October 24 with a CE day and will include courses on PubMed, Locator Plus and End Note. The Sunday CE day will be a bonus for those who need a Saturday night stayover for airfare. (Or a Saturday night dinner in the international district.) Technology is the theme for Monday with a morning forum "Access in the Millennium: Medical Applications of New Technologies". Edward Shortliffe, MD, PhD, will deliver the keynote speech, "Future of wide-area networking for the health care community: the NGI". A technology fair follows in the afternoon.

Tuesday's program is still under construction but will include a session with Richard Deyo, MD, MPH, who will discuss his work on AHCPR guidelines.

Watch the web page for developments in the future - Valerie Lawrence, Western States Chiropractic College, will be working with Emily Hull to create the conference web page. Wednesday, Oct 25, will include more CE opportunities.

There is no conference hotel for this year's program so you will be able to choose your own lodgings and enjoy some time in the University district in Seattle. This year's conference is a change from the "templates" of prior years, but it sounds like fun to me and perfectly suited to the location. We will have lots of lodging options, restaurants & shopping - very well suited to a more fluid meeting structure.

Looking forward to seeing you all there,

Carolyn

From the Editor

My thanks go to Vicki Croft for sharing two wonderful, recent adventures. Also, don't miss the MD Consult memorandum located in the Chapter Business section. Deadlines are right around the corner for their PNC special.

Around the Region

ALBERTA

originally from WEB4LIB, posted on 24 May 1999
by Dennis Ward <dward@ualberta.ca>
I would like to announce the availability of a collection of student projects at http://www.slis.ualberta.ca/538-99/ These projects were created by the students in the LIS 538 (Automation in Libraries and Information Centres) course in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta. They contain a substantial amount of useful information on a number of topics of current interest, and are being made available with the hope that they may be useful to the library community. The project authors and titles are listed below. Bradley, Cara - The XML Files: The Truth Will Be Out There Dahl, Susan - Web Search Services Hoskinson, Gisele - Z39.50: Towards a Single Search Interface Johnston, Lindsay - Indexing World Wide Web Sites: Local Library Practice and Introduction to Metadata Mirau, Dan - Expert Systems and the Library Song, Sophie - Electronic Commerce and its Impacts on the Library and Information Profession

Dennis Ward
School of Library and Information Studies
University of Alberta

IDAHO

originally posted on hlib-nw@u.washington.edu on 23 Apr 1999
by Nancy Griffin <grifnanc@isu.edu>

Dear friends:
We are very pleased to announce that Marcia Francis [Idaho State University] has been awarded a fellowship to attend the October 1999 program in Medical Informatics at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole.

This program is sponsored by the National Library of Medicine and is intended for medical educators, librarians, and administrators and is limited to 30 per session. The week-long course is "designed to familiarize individuals with the application of computer technologies and information science in medicine."

We are very proud of Marcia for being selected.

submitted by Kathy Nelson, IHIA President

The Idaho Health Information Association met in Twin Falls May 21, 1999. Attending were several new faces representing Idaho Health Sciences Libraries. Dorothy Dreyer is the new librarian at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. Dot and her immediate supervisor, Lesa Becker the Director of Quality Improvement/Medical Staff Services, attended the meeting. The hospital went through a reorganization process and eliminated the Library Manager position that was held by Judy Balcerzak. They are working with OVID for online full text journals for the staff.

Teresa Murdock from Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg was also a first time attendee. Teresa had been working in the hospital's home health department and transferred to the library/education department after the agency was closed. She works with Rob Tietjen the Department Manager on several projects including library services. She has been busy working on JCAHO requirements for the hospital.

Other Idaho Librarians attending included Pam Spickelmier, St. Lukes Regional Medical Center, Janeice Boge and Kathy Nelson, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Nancy Griffin and Marcia Francis, Idaho State University's Idaho Health Sciences Library, Nola Higley and Cecilia Sharp, Magic Valley Regional Medical Center. Our educational program on the LiLI Libraries Linking Idaho web site was provided by Rand Simmons from the Idaho State Library.

The IHIA now has a web site that was designed by Marcia Francis, the IHIA Secretary/Treasurer.

OREGON

Michele Spatz has been elected Chair-elect of the Consumer and Patient Health Information Section of the Medical Library Association. As chair-elect she will plan the section programs offered at the joint MLA/CHLA annual meeting in Vancouver, B.C. in May 2000. It is at the May meeting that she will assume the office of Chair. In her own words, it "should be a fun year!"

originally posted on hlib-nw@u.washington.edu on 12 May 1999
by Kathy Martin <martink@teleport.com>
"... I would like to mention a wonderful video service I recently joined that does have ... video[s]. We found CHI (Consortium for Health Information & Library Services) on the web purely by accident. It's a consortium of health science libraries based in Pennsylvania that has a collection of over 1600 videos that members can check out. Willamette Falls joined as an associate member, which means that for $1,000/year we have borrowing privileges for all 1600 videos. For us that's a real bargain, since the purchase price for individual videos is often so high. You can contact Barbara Devlin, the Executive Director, by calling (610) 447-6161 or by e-mail at chi@hslc.org. At my request she sent us a packet, which included the 1998 catalog of videos. I can't speak highly enough of the service."

WASHINGTON

submitted by Linda Milgrom

My Italian is getting rusty, and I need to work on my wine-making and olive oil-making skills. So, though I certainly still think I have the best job in the whole world, I allowed my husband to convince me to take a break. Beginning September 1, you'll find Peter and me in Tuscany. We've rented 1/2 of a villa in a teensy hamlet (too small to really be a village) called Romita. If you have an extremely detailed map, you'll find it alongside the Via Cassia (old Roman road from Florence to Rome), about midway between Florence and Siena. Nearest "towns" are San Casciano in Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle. I plan to drink lots of coffee, read lots of books, take many long walks, explore as much of the area as possible, and maybe take a course or two.

Of course I'll keep in touch (and will want to know YOUR news too). I hope to keep my UW email account, and my RML pals will always know where to find me. This is a one-year leave. I will definitely return to my position here next fall. If you're thinking that I did something like this before, then you're dating yourself. Our last sabbatical was 11 years ago (1988-89 in Singapore). And, yes, we HAD planned this before reading Under the Tuscan Sun, really.



Jean Pasche is the new librarian for the Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI) in Seattle, WA. The Institute was established in 1956 by Dr. William B. Hutchinson, Sr., as the first private, non-profit biomedical and clinical research institute in the Northwest. The Institute sponsors basic science efforts in biochemistry, molecular biology, and immunology as they pertain to the clinical areas of cancer and diabetes.

Jean's primary efforts in the early stages of the Institute's library are document delivery and organization of the existing library resources. She hopes to develop both the collection and the library services. Although Jean is the first PNRI librarian, the Institute for many years benefitted from the library services of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, until the move to the Lake Union site.

Jean's position at PNRI is part-time. She is working there in the afternoons while continuing her morning job at the US Courts Library. You can reach her at jpasche@pnri.org.



originally posted on hlib-nw@u.washington.edu on 07 Jul 1999

Hello everyone, I am happy to announce that PathoGenesis Research Library will now be solely "owned and operated" by Julia Parker. I know many of you know Julia more than you probably know me but I wanted to officially let you all know of Julia's new acquisition! I've worked with Julia for over a year now and feel very very good about turning "my library" over to her -- actually it's really Julia's library but she likes to let me continue to think this!
We've worked hard this past year to provide efficient and effective service to our internal customers. I am leaving PathoGenesis to take a new position with a very fast growing telecommunications company called Nextlink Communications. I will be joining their web team as an Intranet Analyst and look forward to the growth ahead.
I've been at PathoGenesis for over 6 years and have grown the Information Services Department to include the Research Library, Audio-Visual Services and Web Team. I want to thank all of you for your help over the years as I would frantically try to answer those "unique" questions. The list always came through. Those of you who have answered those special "in-person" calls, well, I can never thank you enough. You all made me "look" really good to my customers and I loved being part of this community.

I look forward to staying in touch. My home email is: andersonk_d@mindspring.com. This email address is effective as of 5pm this evening 7/7/99.

Sincerely, Kathy Anderson Manager, Information Services PathoGenesis Corporation




originally posted on hlib-nw@u.washington.edu on 16 Apr 1999
I thought you might find the interview done on me by Marg Meikle interesting (and humorous) reading. It's located at: http://www.webforia.com/research/lauralarsson.asp. I basically did the interview, mostly because I thought of being interviewed as somewhat of a lark, and because every once in a while it's nice to be thought of as doing something useful for the profession of librarianship. Please don't laugh too loudly at the idea of "librarian as trap-door spider". That's basically how I taught folks in my department about the Web. I'd literally drag them into my office. My office door lies just beside the combination kitchen/microwave/fax machine/copy machine. Everyone comes to the kitchen at one time or another during the week. Heh, heh. A perfect spot for grabbing unsuspecting prey, er... faculty.

The product, Webforia Organizer, mentioned in the interview is really quite useful. The only problem that some folks might have with it is that it's designed to work only with MSIE. Toni Emerson from the UW's HIT Lab, Norman Holman, NYPL, and Dana Noonan, Webmaster at Metronet, are also interviewed in this latest collection of interviews.

Regards,
Laura
larsson@u.washington.edu "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. " Alvin Toffler

Bylaws Vote Passed
submitted by Pam Bjork, PNC/MLA Recording Secretary

The first email ballot for a vote has been concluded. The final talley was 25 yes, 0 no.

MEMORANDUM

To: PNCMLA Members
From: Joseph Yellen, Regional Account Manager
Date: July 1, 1999
Re: MD Consult MLG Discount Program

Dear PNCMLA Member,

This memo will outline the details of a newly approved MD Consult Medical Library Group Discount Program, now being offered to the PNCMLA membership. Based on the success this program has had in other parts of the country, MD Consult is extending it to all other MLA affiliated library groups.

The business plan for this program is straightforward and simple. The program allows all PNCMLA members to receive a volume discount off an MD Consult Concurrent User and/or Reference Desk Edition Institutional Subscription based on the following:

1) Price discounts are based on a minimum number of PNCMLA member institutions that activate a MD Consult Institutional Subscription within the 4-month program period (TBD and announced).

2) Discounts are as follows:
· A 20% discount will be provided on Concurrent User licenses and 10% discount on Reference Desk Edition licenses to all members activating an MD Consult Institutional Subscription between July 1 and August 31, 1999. Descriptions of each of these subscription plans are attached for your review.
· A 10% discount on Concurrent User licenses will be provided for activation occurring between September 1 and October 31, 1999.

3) This discount applies to initial purchases only (all contract upgrades are at full price). Institutions can apply the discount to lower the cost of subscribing to the MD Consult service or the discount can be used in the form of a credit used to acquire additional site licenses in the future.

4) Current MD Consult customers may also benefit from this program upon its successful conclusion by receiving a 20% credit on their current purchase level to be used for upgrades to their concurrent user licenses. Please feel free to contact me for further details.

The goal of this program is also straightforward and simple. For those PNCMLA members that have already budgeted for MD Consult, this program offers an incentive to activate a subscription within the program period. For those member institutions that have not yet evaluated MD Consult, this program presents an opportunity and an incentive to do so now.

I hope that you will find this discount program to be a strong sign of MD Consult's desire to develop a long term working relationship with the PNCMLA. Please feel free to contact me with any questions and/or comments you may have or email me for a complimentary 30-day MD Consult Preview Account. In addition, I can provide a list of references from current clients that can share their experiences about MD Consult upon request. General information and prices.

Respectfully Submitted,

Joseph C. Yellen
MD Consult
11701 Borman Drive
St. Louis, MO 63146
Tel: (661) 263-2424
Fax: (661) 263-2404
joseph.yellen@mdconsult.com

What I've Been Doing Lately


South to Patagonia …. An Unforgettable Sabbatical Experience
submitted by Vicki Croft, Washington State University

After 20+ years at WSU, I decided to take the leap and embark on my first ever sabbatical and being my first, I decided this would be one I'd never forget. As for all worthwhile endeavors, a considerable amount of pre-planning, organizing and paperwork is necessary. My proposal was due December 31, 1997, so by October I had to get serious about planning.

A lot of people, including Kathy, our NW Notes editor, have asked why and how I chose South America. Had I traveled there before? Did I speak Spanish? Did I know any Latin American librarians - or anyone in Latin America? The answer to all of the above is an emphatic NO. So how did I ever end up in South America?

Some of you know that I've had an interest in international veterinary libraries. This interest dates back to 1992 and the first International Conference for Animal Health Information Specialist. Following the 1st ICAHIS, I'd seen veterinary library associations form in the UK, Ireland and Europe and attended an African conference in South Africa. During my previous travels and networking, I'd worked closely with Dr. Mushtaq Memon, the coordinator of WSU's International Veterinary Education Program. He'd helped with travel support, was always generous with contacts, and realizes the importance of library and information sharing in international veterinary activities. So of course, I asked him for sabbatical suggestions, with these criteria: 1) involvement of international travel and living abroad; 2) work in a country/part of the world where I didn't have any library contacts; 3) a project that would benefit WSU and support its international activities.
A fourth wish was an English-speaking country, but as you see, this was not to be. To Mushtaq, the answer was simple…Latin America, particularly Chile, and specifically the Universidad de Chile (UCH) in Santiago. WSU has cooperative veterinary agreements with several veterinary schools in Latin America…and of course, he had visited there and had many excellent contacts. Best of all, several Chilean faculty and administrators were scheduled to visit WSU in late October and November and I could meet with them and gauge their interest.

The rest is history… the visiting Chileans were charming and delighted with the possibility of a sabbatical stay in their country. I was given the name and e-mail address of Paula Muñoz Rosati, who would become my hostess, mentor, tour guide, travel agent, and most of all, friend and colleague. I obtained letters of support from veterinary schools and research centers in Argentina and Chile…and the proposal for a 6-month sabbatical was completed and submitted by the December deadline.

So now the work began… the Spanish classes… a 1-credit class on "veterinary Spanish;" and group lessons based on the PBS Destinos series. I pieced together a travel itinerary, arranged for housing, looked for funding support, and at last purchased my plane tickets. The die was cast. I would leave the US on August 25, not to return until December 16. In the meantime, through my contacts in WSU's international Programs Office, I learned of a possibility of a grant for library consulting work for a joint WSU-UCH environmental sciences program. The grant was submitted and eventually funded, but I wasn't to learn of this until after my arrival in Santiago.

My sabbatical projects had two parts: 1) the original veterinary project… surveying and visiting Latin American animal health-related libraries, librarians, and information resources, with the eventual product a directory of Latin American veterinary libraries and resources. 2) Participation in a United States Information Agency-funded project to work with the UCH-WSU Program in Environmental Sciences to develop partnerships to facilitate the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, working mostly with Paula Muñoz, the UCH veterinary librarian. During this time I lived in university-owned apartments for international visitors. I stayed in one of the two "WSU" apartments, in an exclusive part of Santiago where I could see the Andes from my patio. The only disadvantage to this site was the distance from the Biblioteca "Prof. Ramon Rodriguez Toro", Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias…approximately 12 miles…a 1-1.5 hour bus ride to and from work. During the month of October I was on the road…traveling and working with veterinary schools and libraries in Argentina and Uruguay. I visited the only veterinary school in Uruguay and 4 Argentina schools plus a veterinary research center. During my last six weeks, I returned to Santiago to finish up my work there. Paula and I also visited the other two Chilean veterinary schools (at Valdivia and Chillan).

But there was time for fun and visitor activities, too. On weekends in Santiago I visited various historical and scenic places, such as museums, gardens, shops, craft markets. We also went to the beach and the mountains, once. Paula and I also did some sightseeing while visiting Valdivia and Chillan. When my husband came for a visit, we traveled to Bariolouche, took the boat-bus combination trip over the Andes to Puerto Montt, and we visited the island of Chiloe. Yes, Chile also has beautiful volcanoes, beaches, flowers, vegetables, and seacoasts, just like the Pacific Northwest. The beauty and variety of the land, as well as the very warm, friendly, and generous Chilean people, are reasons that everyone I know raves about Chile and its people. We all want to return someday.

During my travels (solo) in October, I took advantage of weekends and holidays to be a tourist, too. I spent the Columbus Day weekend on the Uruguayan Riviera (where it rained - remember this was early spring!). Before traveling to Rio Cuarto, I took a tourist excursion to Iguazu Falls, at the crossroad between Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. These falls were magnificent…so much wider, more diverse, cascaded, and magnificent than even Niagra. The lush subtropical setting made it very unique and unforgettable. And you guessed it…it rained there one day, too, but there was enough sun on the other days to see and enjoy the beauty of the Falls. In Rio Cuarto I lived with a delightful Argentina entomologist and we had a wonderful time. After Rio Cuarto, I returned home via Mendoza, a miniature Napa Valley and Wenatchee agriculturally, but the architecture, gardens and culture were definitely uniquely South American.

My South American sabbatical experience, including living and working in Santiago, was a very productive, rewarding, and unforgettable adventure. Not only were the goals of information sharing and networking accomplished, but I also made many new friends and colleagues, while living and learning about new cultures. Although my Spanish was rudimentary, I was pleased that I could read signs, letters, and other printed works. In fact, I could even do some writing in Spanish, which although far from perfect, was understandable. Travel across the magnificent Andes, and visits to Puerto Montt, Bariolouche, Valdivia, Buenos Aires, Mendoza, the Uruguayan Riviera, and finally Iguazu Falls, were all very memorable experiences. But best of all were the warm wonderful people I met during my adventures in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. The warm and close friendship that I developed with Paula Muñoz Rosati of the UCH and her family was very special and the wonderful hospitality provided by Cristina Fauda and Estela Montesino in Rio Cuarto unforgettable.



submitted by Kathy Kaya

Getting underway with my subcontract from the RML, on May 3rd and 4th, librarians from Montana's seven tribal colleges as well as three colleagues from Washington met at Montana State University-Bozeman for training in providing health information services. Nancy Press joined us to share information about DOCLINE and teaching adult learners. The Montana librarians received a new computer station for each college library to facilitate MEDLINE searching and an allocation to purchase a core collection of health sciences books. Currently we are honing MEDLINE skills and preparing to team teach a MEDLINE class for health professionals and other end users at each of their colleges.



submitted by Vicki Croft

On May 3 Agnes Chikonzo, the veterinary librarian at the University of Zimbabwe (Harare), arrived in Pullman as part of a 3-week contact visit to the United States. She was here to learn about new technologies, services, and procedures that could be incorporated into her library. Agnes contacted me about coming to WSU because she and I had both participated in the 1st African Conference of Animal Health Information Workers, Onderstepoort, South Africa, in 1995. Isabel McDonald and I were 2 of the 4 US participants in that Conference.
Agnes arrived late on the night of the 3rd, on a delayed Horizon flight from Seattle. She'd been traveling for 28 hours, so slept some on the long drive to Pullman. The cold weather was somewhat of a surprise, as she was expecting spring-like weather. Later she was to experience May snow and hail in Pullman ... the first time she'd ever seen either. So during the first week she had to adjust not only to life in a different hemisphere, different seasons, small town Pullman, and jet lag, but also unseasonably cold weather. Those of you who have met Agnes know that she is a delightful person, with a quiet, sunny disposition and a good sense of humor. She spoke often and fondly of her 3-year-old son (the "Little One") and her understanding husband, Freeman, who generously and kindly supports her travels and work.
During her 2+ weeks in Pullman, she had a busy schedule. She was introduced to several African veterinary faculty and students (from Kenya and Uganda), all of whom were delighted to meet her. Dr. Rurangirwa, one of our veterinary faculty, and his wife kindly invited her to their home for a Uganda dinner. Agnes spent 2 days with Darlene Hildebrandt, visiting libraries in the Lewiston-Clarkston area. Other WSU librarians generously shared their time with her, discussing with her library technology, including the new videoconferencing project (between reference desks in Pullman and Vancouver). She learned about services such as our direct document delivery program and used our full text journals and databases. Others spoke with her about user education, web page management, html markup, collection development (Majors, etc.), document delivery (Ariel, Docline), and image databases. Of course there was also time for non-library activities, such as meeting Chilean and Moroccan friends, dining out, shopping for souvenirs and bargains to take home to family and friends … and even hiking to the top of Kamiak Butte.
All too soon her time in Pullman was over, and we were on the road to Seattle, the last stop on this first visit to the U.S. We stopped midway at Snoqualmie Pass for some memorable photos of Agnes surrounded by 10 foot snowdrifts. We have many hosts in the Seattle area to thank for their kindness and hospitality: Angela Lee for sharing her home and time with us, our NN/LM PNR and HSLIC colleagues (Linda Milgrom, Maryanne Blake, Janet Schnall, Terry Jankowski, Sherri Fuller, Jean Shipman, Brian Zick) for introducing Agnes to the RML and HSLIC; to Laura Larsson for sharing her expertise and virtual library with us … and a personalized web page tutorial. And how can we ever forget the fun weekend we spent with Angela and sister Shirley in visiting the Space Needle and Mt. Rainier?
Agnes has long since returned home safely. She sends her thanks to everyone who helped make her visit so productive and enjoyable. She has given presentations to the UZ library staff about her contact visit, and she has also implemented changes based on ideas from what she has seen in our libraries. From our perspective, we have gained much, too. We've gained a new perspective and understanding of a country and culture that many of us know little about. All of us have been reminded that libraries, regardless of size, budget, geographical setting, share many common problems, and that the librarians who manage these libraries share the same common goals for providing high quality and effective information services to our clientele.



originally posted on CANMEDLIB@morgan.ucs.mun.ca on 20 May 1999

NEWS FROM THE U.S. NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

HSR Search

The National Library of Medicine is pleased to announce HSR Search, a search interface designed to give users who are looking for health services research information a single access point to the several databases with HSR-specific information that NLM offers. This new feature is accessible from the National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR) homepage.

HSR Search allows users to enter one or more terms that are then ANDed together for them. HSR Search runs a query against the following NLM databases: HealthSTAR, HSRProj, DIRLINE, HSTAT, and a prototype HSR Tools database. Users may select all or some of these when sending a query.

It is expected that in the future, HSR Search will be replaced by an NLM gateway that is currently being developed by staff of the Library. This gateway, which will be a much more sophisticated state-of-the-art access mechanism, will provide access to NLM's databases beyond the HSR suite.

LOCATORplus

In April 1999, NLM unveiled the Library's new Web-based catalog called LOCATORplus. LOCATORplus allows anyone with Internet access to find out what books, journals, audiovisuals, manuscripts, and other items are contained in the NLM collections. LOCATORplus is found at: www.nlm.nih.gov/locatorplus/. LOCATORplus also includes a Health Services Research screen with links to HealthSTAR, HSRProj, HSTAT and the NICHSR homepage. To reach this screen, click on the Search Other Resources button on the LOCATORplus home page, and then click on the Health Services Research button at the top of the screen.

Heart Attack Alert

Heart specialists talk about a so-called "golden hour" immediately after a heart attack. This is the crucial time when a clot-dissolving agent can significantly improve the victim's chances for survival. Although the efficacy of these agents has been known for years, only a fraction of those suffering a heart attack receive this treatment. The reasons for the slow adoption of known methods for dramatically improving the chances of surviving a heart attack are several, including delayed recognition by patients and bystanders that a person is having a heart attack, issues relevant to emergency transportation, and decisions and procedures within hospital emergency departments.

NLM, with support from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's National Heart Attack Alert Program, is funding 14 projects that will apply medical informatics techniques to see if this record can be improved. Medical informatics is the discipline that applies computer and information technologies to the problems of health care. For more information on this program, see http://www.nlm.nih.gov/news/press_releases/haalert.html.

For additional information on NLM's health services research and health technology assessment related products and services, please contact NICHSR at email: NICHSR@NLM.NIH.GOV; phone: 301-496-0176; fax: 301-402-3193.

Of Interest...


If we could shrink the earth's population into a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following. There would be: 57 Asians 21 Europeans 14 from the Western Hemisphere, both North and South 8 Africans 52 would be female 48 would be male 70 would be non-white 30 would be white 70 would be non-Christian 30 would be Christian 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth, and all 6 would be from the United States 80 would live in sub-standard housing 70 would be unable to read 50 would suffer from malnutrition 1 would be near death 1 would be near birth 1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education 1 would own a computer
"When you consider our world in such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent"

Philip M Harter, M.D., FACEP Standford University, School of Medicine



SIGNS THAT YOU HAVE HAD TOO MUCH OF THE 90'S...

** You try to enter your password on the microwave.
** You now think of three espressos as "getting wasted."
** You haven't played solitaire with a real deck of cards in years.
** You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.
** You e-mail your son in his room to tell him that dinner is ready, and he emails you back "What's for dinner?"
** Your daughter sells Girl Scout Cookies via her web site.
** You chat several times a day with a stranger from South Africa, but you haven't spoken to your next door neighbor yet this year.
** You didn't give your valentine a card this year, but you posted one for your email buddies via a Web page.
** Every commercial on television has a web-site address at the bottom of the screen.
** You buy a computer and a week later it is out of date and now sells for half the price you paid.
** The concept of using real money, instead of credit or debit, to make a purchase is foreign to you.
** Your reason for not staying in touch with family is that they do not have e-mail addresses.
** You consider 2nd day air delivery painfully slow.
** Your idea of being organized is multiple colored post-it notes.
** You hear most of your jokes via email instead of in person.

THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME, RECENTLY ISSUED THIS BULLETIN:

"In light of the rising frequency of human-grizzly bear conflicts, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field.

We advise outdoorsmen to wear noisy little bells on their clothing so as not to startle bears that aren't expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear.

It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear manure: Black bear manure is comparatively small and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear manure has little bells in it and smells like pepper."

Positions Available

OREGON

LIBRARY TECHNICIAN - Portland Campus

Linfield College, Portland Campus Library, is currently recruiting for a half-time Library Technician. The Library serves the students, faculty and staff of the Linfield College, Portland Campus, which includes both the Linfield/Good Samaritan School of Nursing and the School of Health Sciences.

Minimum qualifications are a Bachelor's Degree and two years work experience, preferably in a library environment. The purpose of this position is to provide support for Technical Services in the library, including Interlibrary loan, acquisitions, copy cataloging and administration. The major duties of this position include processing interlibrary loan requests on both DOCLINE and OCLC; ordering and receiving books, including some fund accounting using Innovative Interfaces and other systems; basic copy cataloging using OCLC. Includes some staffing of the Circulation Desk and some student supervision and typical office support. Position requires excellent organizational, communication and supervisory skills.

Applications can be requested from: Ellie Lowry, Linfield College Portland Campus Administration 2255 NW Northrup, Peterson Hall Room 301 Portland, Oregon Phone 413-7163 or email elowry@linfield.edu.
Linfield application must be submitted for consideration. EOE. Applications must be received by July 15, 1999 for full consideration.

WASHINGTON

submitted by Seattle Midwifery School; originally posted to hlib-nw

Employment Opportunity, Seattle Midwifery School
Job Title: Librarian/Information Services Coordinator

Responsibilities: Under the general supervision of the Executive Director, the Librarian/Information Services Coordinator is responsible for all development and maintenance of the library's collection and services including budget preparation, original cataloging, circulation, materials processing, interlibrary loan, reference services and electronic services instruction. The SMS collection currently includes over 950 books, 100 videos, 20 active journal subscriptions and numerous newsletters. The 1999 materials budget is $3900.

Qualifications: Applicant must be enrolled in or be a graduate of an ALA-accredited library school or have significant work experience in a library with an emphasis on the health sciences, maternal/child health or women's studies; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Preference will be given to applicants who possess the following: expertise in the use of the Internet; familiarity with searching MEDLINE, especially with PubMed or Internet Grateful Med; familiarity with and an interest in midwifery and women's health information and services; and strong teaching skills. The applicant must have the ability to communicate well with diverse groups of people.

Hours: 16 hr/week; specific times negotiable
Salary: Starting salary $11.74 per hour
Benefits: Vacation, sick and holiday leave

Position Available Immediately
Please submit resume and cover letter to:
Seattle Midwifery School
Attn: JoAnne Myers-Ciecko
2524 16th Avenue South, Rm. 300
Seattle, WA 98144

The Seattle Midwifery School is a private, non-profit educational institution dedicated to improving the health and well-being of childbearing women and their families. SMS does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical disability in recruitment, hiring or promotion. Physical disabilities may be considered only as they relate to job requirements.

Meetings/Conferences

Seattle, Washington: October 25-27, 1999
submitted by Chris Beahler

This year's annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of MLA will be held October 25-27, 1999, in Seattle Washington, at the Seattle Center. The theme of this year's conference is "Access in the Millennium".

Future PNC/MLA Meetings

Alaska in 2000: September 16-20
submitted by Kathy Murray
Begin planning your trip north to Alaska by visiting the web page of our resort hotel, The Westin Alyeska Prince Hotel. I asked in the last newsletter about possibly arranging for transportation between Anchorage and Girdwood (Girdwood is the location of the meeting and about 45 minutes south of Anchorage). Only one person asked that I check out the options. I will put this on hold for now.

Once you head north, there are so many activities, I thought some advance planning might be helpful. Everybody comes through Anchorage, so, here's the link to the Visitor's Bureau. This site lists short drives, Alaska books, ever-changing recipes, things to do, and trips outside of Anchorage that can be reached in less than a day. There is also a calendar of events which is updated monthly. One suggested local attraction is the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

Salishan, Oregon in 2001

Seattle area in 2002 [tentative]

Vancouver, B.C. in 2003 [tentative]

The libraries of Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center are sponsoring a workshop developed by the Animal Welfare Information Center of the National Agriculture Library. The regulations of the Animal Welfare Act require that investigators provide Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) with documentation demonstrating that alternatives to procedures that may cause more than momentary pain or distress to the animals have been considered and that activities do not unnecessarily duplicate previous experiments. A thorough literature search regarding alternatives meets this federal mandate.

This workshop is designed for principal investigators, members of IACUCs, information providers, administrators of animal use programs and veterinarians. It will cover the Animal Welfare Act itself, discuss the meaning of alternatives, describe AWIC and its services, review appropriate databases and their contents, and discuss general searching techniques and the assistance which librarians can provide.

The workshop will be held on Friday, September 24, 1999 from 8:30 am to noon at the Lake Union campus of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. An afternoon session, from 2 to 4, will provide hands-on practice in searching, led by the AWIC instructor, for the first 15 librarians who register. It will be held at the Children's Hospital training facility, several miles from the Hutch. Driving and parking instructions will be provided several weeks before the class. There is no charge for either portion of the workshop.

Please respond to Susan Klawansky, as shown below, if you would like to attend, and indicate whether it will be for one or both sessions. Be sure to include an email address for future messages. We look forward to a strong turnout from the librarian community! Susan Klawansky, Hospital Library Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, Seattle (206) 526-2098 phone (206) 527-3838 fax sklawa@chmc.org Ann Marie Clark, Director Arnold Digital Library Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

The Midcontinental Chapter of the Medical Library Association invites you to join us "Where the Pavement Ends..." in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for our 1999 Annual Meeting. It will take place at the Snow King Lodge October 6 - 9. Highlights include:

Welcome Reception at the National Museum of Wildlife Art
Conference Programs:
- "Where the Pavement Ends" by Mark Zilkoski, M.D., Listerud Rural Health Clinic
- "Blazing New Trails: Integrating Complementary Therapies with Biomedicine" by Robyn Mundy, Nurse Psychotherapist
- "It Takes a Village: Building Community Partnerships for a Wellness Information Center" by Bernie Todd-Smith, Rochester General Hospital
- "Keep Your Eyes on the Road, Your Hands Upon the Wheel: Project Management" by David C. Snook-Luther, The Strategy Workshop
- "Getting Stats Stat: Special Skills & Special Folks" by Ben Saunders, Wyoming Office of Geographic Information Systems, and Chris VanBurgh, Wyoming State Library
- "Images of Aging" A Lighter Look at What's Ahead" by Mark Zilkoski, M.D.
Continuing Education classes:
- No Houdinis Required: Common Sense Methods for Training by Teri Hartman, Integrated Technology Services, University of Missouri - Columbia
- New DOCLINE, by Becky Satterthwaite, NN/LM-MR, Nebraska Medical Center
- Copyright for Educators in the Electronic Age, by Marie Reidelbach & Mary Helms, McGoogan Library of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Grant Writing by Fran Johnson, National Library of Medicine
- Access to Pharmaceutical/Drug/Herbal Information, Terry Arndt, McGoogan Library of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- It's About Time, It's About Space: Time and File Management by Lynne Fox, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Denison Memorial Library
And of course, the beautiful Grand Teton Mountains!

For more information and/or to register online, see the MCMLA '99 web link from the MCMLA websiste. But look fast - the deadline for registration is September 14, and for conference housing is September 1. See you in Jackson!

MLA

HLS/MLA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT
SPONSORED BY THE HOSPITAL LIBRARIES SECTION

The purpose of the HLS/MLA Professional Development Grant is to encourage participation in professional programs which will aid librarians working in hospitals and other clinical care institutions in developing and acquiring the knowledge and skills delineated in Platform for Change (MLA's Educational Policy Statement) and Using Scientific Evidence to Improve Information Practice (MLA's Research Policy Statement).

The HLS/MLA Professional Development Grant may also be utilized to support reimbursement for expenses incurred in conducting scientific research such as professional assistance in survey research design, statistical analyses, etc.

ELIGIBILITY

The applicant must have been employed as a health sciences librarian within the last year in either a hospital or other clinical care institution.
The applicant must not have previously received an HLS/MLA Professional Development Award.
The applicant must not have received an MLA grant, scholarship or other award within the last year.
It is preferred that applicant be a member of the Hospital Libraries Section/MLA.

TERMS

MATERIALS TO BE SUBMITTED Application form and pertinent documentation. Signed statement of terms and conditions.

For further information, please contact the Professional Development Department at the Medical Library Association, Six North Michigan Avenue, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60602-4805; 312/419-9094, Ext. 28, 312/419-8950 - Fax; mlapd@mlahq.org.

OR for application materials, contact Peggy Jones, Pritzker Research Library, Children's Memorial Hospital, 2300 Children's Plaza, Chicago, IL 60614; 773/868-8041 (phone); 773/880-3282 (fax); p-jones@nwu.edu (email).

The Medical Library Association Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award for the year 2000. The deadline for nominations is 1 November 1999.

The Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award is the Association's newest. It was established in 1998 in honor of Mrs. McClure and was awarded to her in May 1999. Lucretia W. McClure is one of MLA's most respected members and has made numerous contributions to the advancement of the profession.

The award is presented to an individual whom the Association wishes to recognize as an outstanding educator. CE instructors, library school faculty, professional trainers, informaticians or librarians who instruct users are all eligible if they have demonstrated excellence and achievement in teaching, service, curriculum development, mentoring, research, leadership, publications, presentations, special projects or any combination of these areas at local, regional and national levels. Nominees must be employed as health sciences librarians or educators at the time of the award and must have worked in such a position for at least five (5) years immediately preceding the award.

Nominations must be in writing and must contain at least the following elements: a) a precise description of the nominee's achievements b) a current resume or curriculum vitae c) any further information which would assist the jury in the evaluation of the nomination and selection of the recipient
Self-nominations are encouraged and accepted.

Nomination forms may be obtained from: Anne Greenspan Professional Development Medical Library Association 65 East Wacker Place, Suite 1900 Chicago, IL 60601-7298 Tel: 312/419-9094 ext. 28 Fax: 312/419-8950 E-mail: mlapd2@mlahq.org

Six copies of the nomination and all accompanying documentation must be submitted by 1 November 1999 to:

Dixie Jones, Chair, MLA Awards Committee
LSUMC Medical Library
P.O. Box 33932
Shreveport, LA 71130-3932
Tel: 318/747-6146
E-mail: djones@lsumc.edu

Please forward this announcement to any interested parties or lists.

submitted by Tom Williams; originally appeared in Medlib-L listserve, 5-28-99

MLA -- Single Slate

For those of you who missed MLA this year and/or weren't at the business session in which this was discussed, here is an update of what happened. We had a fairly lengthy discussion of this a while back on this list.

A motion was put forward that the MLA leadership bring to the membership, in the form of a vote on a bylaws change, allowing for single slate elections for president. If passed, the issue would then be voted on later in the year by mail ballot.

After a fair amount of discussion (there was barely a quorum present) the vote came to 174 in favor of the motion and 164 against. This means at some point this year all MLA members will be receiving a mail ballot to ratify this as a bylaws change. To change the bylaws 2/3 of those submitting ballots must support it. There is no minimum number of required voters as far as I can tell for a mail ballot. The bylaws simply state "The Bylaws may be amended or rescinded by two-thirds of those voting by mail ballot..." Whatever your views on this it is essential that you send in your vote once you receive the ballot.

As I've said many times before I think this is a terrible idea and would not serve the association or the membership in any positive way. If fact, as I said at the meeting, I think it would negatively affect our credibility as a viable professional organization. I have been unable to find a library organization with more than 1,000 members that has a single slate. In their argument in favor of the motion, supporters compared MLA to a number of other library-related organizations which did have single slate. However, all of those were small groups. They specifically mentioned the AAHSL group but failed to mention that AAHSL has fewer than 200 members. I am on record as favoring single slate for smaller groups.

By the way, a number of people who voted in favor of the motion came up to me later and said they would not vote to ratify this as a bylaws change but felt the membership at large should have a chance to vote on it.

It is important that all members have input into this issue so DO remember to vote and send in your ballot when you get it.

Tom

Thomas Williams, Director (334) 460-6885
Biomedical Library and Media (334) 460-7638(fax)
Production Services University of South Alabama
twilliam@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
College of Medicine
http://southmed.usouthal.edu
BML 326B
Mobile, Alabama 36688-0002

originally submitted by Carla Funk; originally posted to MLA_IS, 6-30-99

MLA-FOCUS: Directory Updates and Banner Giveaway June 30, 1999

MLA Directory Changes Due

Dear Colleagues,

The 1999/2000 MLA Membership Directory will be distributed to all members this fall. We would like to include any recent ADDRESS CHANGES that you may have in the new directory. Please visit MLANET's update page or complete the form below and redirect a reply to <mailto:mlams2@mlahq.org> to submit any NEW information by JULY 15, 1999. Be sure to include your member ID# as well as any area code changes. If you have already submitted changes or don't have any changes, please don't reply to this e-mail.

Thank you for your help!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

MLA ID:
Name:
Institution:
Library Name:
Address 1:
Address 2:
City:
State/Province:
Zip/Postal Code:
Country (IF NON-US):
E-mail:
Phone:
Fax:
------------------------------------------------------------------------

MLA Banner Giveaway

If you want one of the banners that flew above the streets of Chicago during MLA '99, please e-mail mlacom1@mlahq.org with the word BANNER in the subject line. These banners have either the MLA logo or the '99 annual meeting logo "Present Tense-Future Perfect" on them. Include your choice of banner, either the MLA logo or '99 meeting logo, in your e-mail. Availability is limited so the banners will be given away on a first-come first-serve basis.

In the News



A NEW BREED OF THINKING COMPUTER? A team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a handful of other groups are working to develop hybrid biocomputers that marry living nerve cells with silicon circuits to create smarter computers. If they succeed, they could set the foundation for brain-like computer systems that could find solutions on their own, with no need for step-by-step programming instructions. So far, researchers have joined two neurons from leeches and linked them to a personal computer, which sent signals to each cell and correctly extracted the answer to a simple addition problem. The program that links the neurons and the PC, dubbed "wetware," is based on chaos theory, using the results to tune the neurons and alter the way they communicate.
Ultimately, brain-like chips will be more creative and may mirror both the good and bad aspects of human thinking. William L. Ditto, who heads the project at the Georgia Institute of Technology, says it will be 10 years or more until biocomputers are commercially available. (Business Week 06/21/99)

[Editor: This was from Edupage ... too amazing...]



CHANGES ANNOUNCED BY NLM
FTS2000 service will be discontinued as of September 30, 1999
NLM will continue to have dial up service after September 30, 1999, for DOCLINE users until the new system is available. Plans for the new dial up service will be announced in the summer. The QuickDOC software will be modified to accommodate the new dial up service. Users who can transition to the Internet should do so now.

New LIBID
Currently there are two unique identifiers for a DOCLINE library, each serving a different purpose: the LIBID and the SERHOLD code. In the new system there will be only one unique identifier. The new LIBID for U.S. and Canadian libraries will consist of the US MARC Geographical Code and the SERHOLD code. The new LIBID for other countries will consist of the first two letters in the US MARC Country Code, followed by the letter “X”, and the SERHOLD code.
Examples of new LIBIDs: United States University of Illinois at Chicago, Library of the Health Sciences ILUILL [state abbreviation + U + SERHOLD code] Canada Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) ONCCIS [province code + C + SERHOLD code] Other countries BIREME-Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information, Sao Paulo, Brazil BRXBIR [first two letters of country + X + SERHOLD code]
New Request Number
The new request number will be a sequential number up to a maximum of eight digits. It may be displayed and printed (optionally) in a barcode format on the receipt. The new request number will not begin with the borrower’s SERHOLD code. Loansome Doc requests will no longer begin with LDX or LDD. The Loansome Doc request number will be retained when it is transferred to DOCLINE.

Features of the new system
The new system will allow users to submit and retrieve requests, search and update DOCUSER, search and update SERHOLD, access a list of Loansome Doc patrons, change their password, and access online help.

DOCLINE
It is envisioned that users will retrieve citations from PubMed or LOCATORplus by linking to these systems through DOCLINE. Users will be able to establish a routing profile that will eliminate the repetitive keying of interlibrary loan information that is required to complete the form. New time-triggered actions will be implemented in the new system. Lenders will have two business days to update requests as filled or rejected.

SERHOLD
In order to convert the holdings data, NLM will freeze the current online SERHOLD system and make it "view only" two weeks prior to the implementation of the new DOCLINE system. In the new system, DOCLINE participants will be able to search the entire SERHOLD database. Each library will be able to update its own holdings. Programming for batch updating will not be completed until late 2000. At that time, NLM will accept OCLC and USMARC batch updates for libraries that are currently updating via batch and elect to continue to do so. However, all libraries are strongly urged to update online if possible to improve the currency of data available in SERHOLD. A library will be able to print or download its own holdings, holdings for a library group of which it is a member, and holdings for its own state or province. Users will be allowed to view holdings, update or delete the holdings for which they have update rights.

Questions and answers
Where can I obtain written information on the current DOCLINE system being Y2K compliant? This information will be available on NLM’s web site

How are library groups established? Library groups will be used to authorize SERHOLD Coordinators to update holdings for specific groups of libraries as well as allowing DOCLINE participants the ability to limit searches in SERHOLD by library groups. Library groups consist of eleven or more related libraries that cannot be identified in any other way (e.g. All DOCLINE libraries in Maryland would not be considered a library group since a search can be limited by state). Library groups are established by NLM in consultation with the RML. The RMLs review and approve changes and additions to library groups. These changes are then submitted to NLM.

originally submitted by NNLM PNR to HLIB-NW listserve, 5-24-99

NLM ANNOUNCES: Suggestions Solicited for NN/LM Contracts

In the year 2000, the Request for Proposals for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine contracts for 2001-2006 will be issued. Although we do not plan to make major changes in the structure of these contracts, we would like to provide you with an opportunity to send us your suggestions as we prepare the Statement of Work this summer. As a point of information, the current contracts are comprised of programs in two major areas: Basic Network Programs (programs and services within the region which rely on the contributions of network member libraries and the sharing of network resources to continue the basic structure of the network); and Outreach Programs (Internet connectivity, technology awareness, outreach to health professionals, exhibits, and library improvement projects). In the fourth year of the current contracts, we are adding a consumer health information component, which will be the major area of change and expansion in the 2001-2006 contracts.

If you have comments or suggestions for the 2001-2006 NN/LM contracts, please send them to blyon@nlm.nih.gov by July 15, 1999.

---------------
forwarded by National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region

University of Washington nnlm@u.washington.edu
NN/LM PNR 800-338-7657
Box 357155 206/543-8262
Seattle, Washington 98195-7155 206/543-2469 (FAX)

submitted by Rosalyn M. Leiderman; originally posted to hlib-nw listserve, 6-30-99

NLM ANNOUNCES: New DOCLINE - test web site

In response to concerns expressed at the recent MLA Annual Conference regarding the use of JavaScript and cookies, NLM has developed a test site to ensure that librarians can access the new DOCLINE system. Users are encouraged to test their browsers and upgrade the browser if needed. Additionally, NLM has established an e-mail address for comments from users (newdocline@nlm.nih.gov).

A summary of the DOCLINE Sunrise Seminar presented at MLA, appears in the May-June 1999 issue of the NLM Technical Bulletin.

Rosalyn M. Leiderman
Head, Systems Unit
Collection Access Section

Nation Is Falling Short of Health Goals for 2000
By PHILIP J. HILTS

BOSTON -- The United States has met only about 15 percent of its health goals for the year 2000, set 20 years ago, the Department of Health and Human Services reported Thursday, but progress has been made on 44 percent.

For about 20 percent of the objectives, the nation is getting less healthy and is moving away from the goals, Surgeon General David Satcher said at a news conference at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "In some ways we are doing well," Dr. Satcher said, "and in others we still have challenges and more to do."

In Washington, Donna E. Shalala, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, said, "As the century draws to a close, we can be proud that we have made significant strides in improving the health of Americans." Dr. Shalala said the progress report "lets us measure the overall progress we have achieved in preventing disease and promoting health."

The report, Healthy People 2000 Review, outlined 319 different health goals for the nation that were set at the start of 1979 and reviewed in 1989. They include progress on such disparate measures as infant mortality, the rate of dental cavities, average physical activity, teen-age pregnancy, hearing impairment and the rates of a variety of diseases.

Among the areas where goals have been met are reductions in infant mortality, childhood mortality and breast cancer deaths. Among those where the report showed the nation was getting worse were in the level of physical activity, the number of children taking physical education and the number of people overweight or obese.

Dr. Julius Richmond, who as Surgeon General established the Healthy People 2000 program, said watching the change in health patterns over the past 20 years had produced some surprises. Among the most surprising is a 35 percent drop in heart disease and a 65 percent decline in strokes. "That just came unexpectedly," Dr. Richmond said, "and we are still not sure of all the factors that contributed to it."

A disappointment among the data is that while infant mortality has continued to decline, and is almost at the goal, there remains a great disparity between the rate for whites and for blacks. The death rate among black infants is about twice that for whites, Dr. Richmond said "and has been that way for decades." Dr. Satcher said other health disparities among ethnic groups were also troubling. Hispanics are twice as likely as whites to be diabetic and African-Americans have a disproportionately high death rate from diabetes. African-Americans are also much more likely than whites to be hospitalized or die from asthma.

Dr. Satcher also noted that some of the most important challenges were in diet and fitness. For example, he said, the percentage of overweight Americans was about 26 in the mid-1970's. The Government established a goal of 20 percent of the population for the year 2000, and many people believed that it might be achieved as more Americans appeared to become interested in nutrition and fitness over the past 15 years. But instead, the number of people overweight rose to 35 percent by 1995, the latest year for which data was given in the report.

In the 1970's, about 15 percent of adolescents were overweight, Dr. Satcher said, and that figure has risen to 24 percent. "And there are several categories in which more than half the adults are overweight," he said, "for example Hispanic and African-American women."

Dr. Anne Becker of the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Eating Disorders Center said there was a paradox in the latest data. "Americans are spending $33 billion a year on dieting products and services," Dr. Becker said. "There has been a proliferation of weight loss programs and pills. One would think that would have some effect on losing weight."

Another figure in the report suggested that while diet pills and plans may be widespread, sensible weight-loss plans are declining. The report noted that "sensible weight loss practices among overweight people 12 years and older" had dropped substantially, to 15 percent of people using them in 1995 from 25 percent of people using them in 1985. The goal for 2000 was 50 percent.

A sample of figures given in the report, the last one before the Government begins work on its Healthy People 2010 goals and data, include these:

Average daily intake of vegetables, fruits and grains among those older than 2: in 1989, an average of 4.1 servings; in 1996, an average of 4.7 servings. The goal for 2000 is 5.
Breast-feeding shortly after birth: 54 percent of women did so in 1988; 62 percent did in 1997. The goal is 75 percent.
Mothers who die in childbirth: it was 6.6 per 100,000 live births in 1987; it rose to 7.5 in 1997. The goal is 3.3.
Proportion of students, grades 9-12, who took part in daily school physical education: it was 42 percent in 1991; it declined because of budget cuts to 27 percent in 1997. The goal is 50 percent.
Proportion of children using seat belts and safety seats: it was 48 percent in 1988; it rose to 61 percent in 1996. The goal is 70 percent.
Infant mortality: It was 10.1 in 1987; it dropped to 7.1 in 1997. The goal is 7.

The goals were set by groups of experts from Federal, state and local governments, as well as outside experts, who passed their recommendations to a steering committee of officials in the Department of Health and Human Services for approval. Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company

Press Releases

submitted by Tomi Gunn
All releases are also available at www.mlanet.org/press/

May 1999
For more information, please contact Anne Greenspan at 312/419-9094 x28

MLA RENAMES AWARD IN HONOR OF LOIS ANN COLAIANNI

In recognition of her years of leadership and distinguished service as a health sciences information professional, the Board of Directors of the Medical Library Association (MLA) has renamed the MLA Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship in honor of Lois Ann Colaianni, former Associate Director for Library Operations at the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

The Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship will be awarded to MLA members who have made significant contributions to the profession in overall distinction or to leadership in hospital libraries or services; produced a definitive publication related to hospital librarianship, teaching, research, or advocacy; or developed or applied innovative technology to hospital librarianship. The newly named award will be presented for the first time at MLA ’99 to Jacqueline Bastille, Director, Treadwell Library, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

During her illustrious career, Colaianni has received numerous MLA honors including induction as an MLA Fellow, the Janet Doe Lectureship, the MLA President’s Award, and MLA’s highest professional distinction, the Marcia C. Noyes Award, which recognizes an individual whose career has resulted in lasting, prominent contributions to health sciences librarianship.

Her dedication to the profession is exemplified by her service as a past president of MLA and as a key figure in the evolution of MLA’s Hospital Libraries Section. A former chair of MLA’s Hospital Libraries Interest Group (HLIG), Colaianni was instrumental in the transformation of the HLIG into the Hospital Libraries Section.

Colaianni, who retired from her position at NLM last December, made a lasting impression on the institution. In her eighteen years there, she strengthened basic services and improved the flow of medical information to the user community, led programs to expand the library’s preservation program, and, most recently, initiated the development of MEDLINEplus, NLM’s consumer health information Web pages.

MLA is proud to honor Colaianni in this way and applauds her contributions and achievements as a health sciences information professional.

April 1999
For more information, please contact Anne Greenspan at 312/419-9094 x28

MLA TO HONOR EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARIANSHIP AT ANNUAL MEETING IN MAY

Each year, the Professional Recognition Program of the Medical Library Association (MLA) recognizes and supports health sciences information professionals for their extraordinary efforts on behalf of quality health sciences information. In May, MLA will honor fourteen health sciences information librarians, one committee, one Web site, and an MLA chapter for their professional excellence at the MLA Awards Luncheon in Chicago, IL at MLA ’99, MLA’s 99th annual meeting. The professionals to be honored are: · Jacqueline D. Bastille, AHIP, (Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship) · Godfrey S. Belleh (Murray Gottlieb Prize) · Biosites (ISI/Frank Bradway Rogers Information Advancement Award) · Judy Burnham, AHIP, (Ida and George Eliot Prize) · Daniel Burrus (John P. McGovern Lectureship) · Daniel Callahan, Ph.D. (Joseph Leiter NLM/MLA Lectureship) · Jonathan Eldredge, Ph.D., AHIP, (Louise Darling Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Collection Development in the Health Sciences) · Sherrilynne Fuller, Ph.D. (Janet Doe Lecture) · T. Mark Hodges, AHIP, (Marcia C. Noyes Award) · E. Diane Johnson, AHIP, (Estelle Brodman Award for the Academic Medical Librarian of the Year · Eric v.d. Luft (Murray Gottlieb Prize) · Lucretia McClure, AHIP, (Lucretia McClure MLA Excellence in Education Award) · Metropolitan Detroit Medical Library Group-Research Committee (Hospital Libraries Section/MLA Professional Development Award) · North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries Chapter (Majors/MLA Chapter Project of the Year Award) · Barbara Schloman, AHIP, (Ida and George Eliot Prize) · Linda Slater (Ida and George Eliot Prize) · Eileen Wakiji, AHIP, (Ida and George Eliot Prize)

Jacqueline D. Bastille, Director, Treadwell Library, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, is the recipient of this year’s Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship for her efforts in transforming a small, collection-based library into a high tech, state-of-the-art information center. A past president of MLA, Bastille is a Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP). The Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship is given to an MLA member who has made significant contributions to the profession in overall distinction or leadership in hospital library administration or service; produced a definitive publication related to hospital librarianship, teaching, research, or advocacy; or developed or applied innovative technology to hospital librarianship.

Godfrey Belleh, Head of Technical Services, Health Sciences Library, SUNY Health Sciences Center, Syracuse, NY and Eric v.d. Luft, Curator of Historical Collections, Health Sciences Library, SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse, NY, are recipients of the Murray Gottlieb Prize. Belleh and Luft received this honor for their paper, “Financing North American Libraries in the Nineteenth Century.” The Gottlieb Prize is awarded annually for the best unpublished essay on the history of medicine and allied sciences. Belleh was the 1976/76 MLA Cunningham Fellow.

This year’s ISI/Frank Bradway Rogers Information Advancement Award recognizes the Web site Biosites (http://www.library.ucsf.edu/biosites) for its identification of high quality biomedical Internet resources. The ISI/Frank Bradway Rogers Information Advancement Award honors outstanding contributions in the application of technology to the delivery of health sciences information, to the science of information, or to the facilitation of the delivery of health sciences information.

Judy Burnham, Barbara Schloman, Linda Slater, and Eileen Wakiji, are this year’s winners of the Ida and George Eliot Prize for their article, “Mapping the Literature of Allied Health,” published in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. The Ida and George Eliot Prize is awarded for work published in the preceding calendar year that has been judged most effective in furthering health sciences librarianship. Burnham, Assistant Director, Administrative and Regional Services, University of South Alabama Biomedical Library, Mobile, is the current chair of MLA’s Nursing and Allied Health Resource Section and is an active member of MLA’s Southern Chapter. Schloman, Director, Library Information Services and Associate Professor, Libraries and Media Services, Kent State University, is chair of the Task Force on Mapping the Literature of Allied Health. In her role as a health sciences information professional, Slater, Reference/Collections Librarian, John W. Scott Health Sciences Library, University of Alberta, has specialized in providing information services in the areas of rehabilitation medicine and, more recently, nursing. A Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals, Wakiji is a Nursing and Allied Health Librarian at California State University, Long Beach, and is treasurer of MLA’s Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section.

Daniel Burrus, founder and president of Burrus Research Associates, Inc., is this year’s John P. McGovern lecturer. One of the world’s leading technology forecasters, Burrus has helped hundreds of clients develop successful competitive strategies based on the creative application of leading-edge technologies. Burrus has appeared on programs such as Larry King Live, on PBS and on CNN Special Reports and is the author of several technology articles and books.

Dr. Daniel Callahan, Ph.D., Director of International Programs, The Hastings Center, Garrison, NY, is this year’s Joseph Leiter NLM/MLA lecturer. The lecture honors individuals for their ability to open an intellectual dialogue on subjects related to biomedical communications in order to stimulate a liaison between MLA and NLM. Co-founder of The Hastings Center¾which examines ethical issues of medicine, biology, and the environment¾Callahan has written or edited more than thirty-five books and 400 articles.

Jonathan Eldredge, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Chief, Collection and Information Resources Development at Health Sciences Center Library, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, was chosen to receive this year’s Louise Darling Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Collection Development in the Health Sciences. The medal is presented annually in recognition of distinguished achievement in collection development in the health sciences. Author of numerous articles, book chapters, and book reviews, Eldredge is an internationally known leader in collection development.

This year’s Janet Doe lecturer will be Sherrilynne Fuller, Ph.D., Director, Health Sciences Libraries and Information Center, University of Washington, Seattle. MLA chooses its Janet Doe lecturer for his or her unique perspective on the history of philosophy of medical librarianship. Dr. Fuller has served on MLA’s Board of Directors as well as on the Board of Directors for the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA). Currently a member of the NLM Board of Regents, Dr. Fuller has served as the principal investigator on multi-million dollar IAIMS and telemedicine grants. She will present her lecture at MLA ’99.

T. Mark Hodges, Professor of Medical Administration Emeritus, and Former Director, The Annette and Irwin Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, is this year’s recipient of the Marcia C. Noyes Award, the highest professional distinction offered by MLA. The award recognizes a career that has resulted in lasting contributions to medical librarianship. Hodges can include among his many accomplishments, the creation of the nation’s first regional medical library program, the New England Regional Library Program. He has also chaired numerous MLA committees including the Awards, Bylaws, and Program and Convention Committees. A Fellow of MLA, Hodges is among the members on MLA’s 100 Most Notable list of health sciences information professionals.

E. Diane Johnson, Head of Information Services, Otto Lottes Health Science Library, University of Missouri-Columbia, is the winner of this year’s Estelle Brodman Award for Academic Medical Librarian of the Year. A Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP), Johnson has served on the editorial board of the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and as chair of the Mid-Continental Chapter of the Medical Library Association.

Lucretia McClure, Librarian Emerita, Edward G. Miner Library, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, was selected as the first recipient of an award established in her name. The Lucretia McClure MLA Excellence in Education Award honors an outstanding educator in the field of health sciences librarianship and informatics who demonstrates skills in teaching, curriculum development, mentoring, research, or leadership in education at local, regional, or national levels. McClure, who has made extraordinary contributions to the education of medical librarians, is a past president of MLA and has chaired several MLA committees, chapters, and sections. She is also the recipient of several other MLA-sponsored awards, including the Marcia Noyes award, the President’s Award, and the 1985 Janet Doe Lectureship.

For the group’s research project, “Needs Assessment of Physicians in Ambulatory Centers,” the Metropolitan Detroit Medical Library Group-Research Committee has received the Hospital Libraries Section/MLA Professional Development Award. The grant, sponsored by MLA’s Hospital Libraries Section, provides librarians working in hospital and similar clinical settings with the support needed for educational or research activities.

For the chapter’s work, “North Atlantic Health Sciences Librarians Benchmarking Project,” the North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries Chapter (NAHSL) is this year’s recipient of the Majors/MLA Chapter Project of the Year Award. The purpose of the project was to gather significant hospital library data that could be assessed by NAHSL members for benchmarking. Matching library partners for sharing of general information, strategic planning, staffing, budget comparisons, and education on statistical data were among the uses envisioned for the project.

April 1999
For more information, please contact Anne Greenspan at 312/419-9094 x28

MLA SELECTS DOTTIE EAKEN AS MLA FELLOW

Dottie Eakin, AHIP, Director, Medical Sciences Library, Texas A&M University, College Station, is one of the five members chosen this year to become a Fellow of the Medical Library Association (MLA). Eakin will officially become a Fellow in May at the Awards Luncheon and Ceremony at MLA ’99, the Association’s annual meeting, in Chicago, IL.

A recognized leader in the field of collection development, Eakin has performed years of extensive research and written several journal articles on the subject. She is the recipient of MLA’s 1991 Louise Darling Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Collection Development in the Health Sciences and is co-author of the popular book, Collection Development and Assessment in Health Science Libraries, (MLA/Scarecrow Press, 1997). A Distinguished Member of MLA’s Academy of Health Information Professionals, Eakin has served as both consulting and associate editor of the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and on MLA’s Board of Directors as Treasurer.

Fellows of the Association are chosen based on their commitment to furthering MLA’s goals and for their contributions to the health sciences information profession. MLA is proud to induct Eakin as a Fellow and looks forward to continuing to work with her as it embarks on its second century.

April 1999
For more information, please contact Anne Greenspan at 312/419-9094 x28

MLA TO INDUCT RICK B. FORSMAN AS MLA FELLOW

Each year the Medical Library Association (MLA) honors five MLA members by inducting them as Fellows of the Association. MLA is proud to announce that Rick B. Forsman, AHIP, Director and Associate Professor, Denison Memorial Library, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, is one of this year’s inductees. The association chooses its Fellows based on their commitment to furthering the MLA’s goals and for their contributions to the health sciences information profession.

An active and contributing member of MLA, Forsman has received the 1988 MLA Continuing Education Award and has been a major force in the development of MLA’s certification and credentialing programs. Forsman has served on MLA’s Certification Examination Review Committee, Credentialing Committee, and Editorial Panel for Certification and Registration. A Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals, he has also chaired the Task Force to Review the Academy, as well as the Medical School Libraries and Technical Services Sections.

Forsman will officially become a Fellow of MLA in May at the Awards Luncheon and Ceremony at MLA ’99, the Association’s annual meeting, in Chicago, IL. MLA applauds Forsman’s many accomplishments and is pleased to bestow this honor on him.

April 1999
For more information, please contact Anne Greenspan at 312/419-9094 x28

JUNE E. GLASER CHOSEN AS ONE OF THIS YEAR’S MLA FELLOWS

Because of her dedication to the association’s goals and for her contributions to the health sciences information profession, the Medical Library Association (MLA) has chosen June Glaser, AHIP, to receive the honor of becoming an MLA Fellow. Glaser will officially become a Fellow in May at the Awards Luncheon and Ceremony at MLA ’99, the association’s annual meeting, in Chicago, IL.

An MLA member for more than twenty years, Glaser, Library Director and Associate Professor of Information Sciences, Eastman Dental Center, Basil G. Bibby Library, Rochester, NY, has made strong contributions to MLA, particularly in the areas of advocacy and dental libraries. She is known for her ability to identify and monitor potentially important legislation, analyze its impact on health sciences libraries, advocate a position beneficial to medical libraries, and mobilize her colleagues to take action. A Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information, Glaser has served on several MLA committees and as chair of the MLA Government Relations Committee and the Joint MLA/AAHSL Legislative Task Force.

MLA recognizes Glaser’s efforts in promoting health sciences libraries, particularly dental libraries, and is proud to honor her with Fellow status.

Officers/Chairs

1999 PNC Board Officers

Chair	Carolyn Olson
Chair-Elect	Kim Granath
Past-Chair	Maryanne Blake
Recording Secretary	Pam Bjork
Treasurer	Pamela Spickelmier
Membership Secretary	Barbara Crain
Chapter Council Representative	Bob Pringle
Chapter Council Alternate	Edean Berglund

Committee Chairs

Archives	Janet Schnall
Bylaws	Jan Schueller
Electronic Resources	open
Governmental Relations	open
Liaison to MLA/AHIP	open
Nominating Elections	Maryanne Blake
Professional Development	Lisa Oberg
Program - Seattle 1999	Sarah Safranek Chris Beahler
Publications / Newsletter	Kathy Murray

Publication Statement

Northwest Notes is published four times per year by the Pacific Northwest Chapter, Medical Library Association: Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.

Kathy Murray, Editor
University of Alaska Anchorage
Consortium Library
Health Sciences Information Service
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508
907.786.1611
F: 907.786.1608

Statements and opinions expressed in the newsletter do not necessarily represent the official position of the Chapter or the Editor.

News and articles are welcome! Please include your name, library, address, phone and fax number, and email address (if available). The editor reserves the right to edit submissions as necessary.

Articles from Northwest Notes may be reprinted without permission; credit would be appreciated.

Northwest Notes / 20(2) Apr.-Jun. 1999 / July 9, 1999