July-Dec. 2001                                          Volume 22   Number 3-4 Letter from the Chair Janice Bacino Greetings from Big Sky Country! First I would like to thank Beverly Schriver and the Salishan Conference Program Committee for planning such an excellent conference on the Oregon Coast. Though it was a conference that would have been memorable in its own right, unfortunately it will be remembered by all in attendance as the place where they were when they heard of the September 11 tragedy. Many voiced the feeling that it was wonderful to be around the support of colleagues and friends, but very strange to be away from family at this time. Members came out of sessions and gathered near the lounge to watch TV news reports of the attacks and to speculate on what the changes would be in all our lives. Roy Tennant set the tone by pausing at the beginning of his keynote to remember those affected, and Portland area members opened their homes to colleagues whose travel plans were disrupted by the airport shutdowns. However, even amidst all this turmoil, we managed to network and share problems and solutions - budgets, IT department relations, getting information to distant users, document delivery, consortia purchasing of databases, vendor relations, and control of network access to electronic journals were some of the hot topics. People who attended found Roy Tennant's keynote address and class thought provoking. There were plenty of opportunities for learning at CE classes and conference sessions, and people noted that they really enjoyed Peggy Baldwin's presentation on PDAs in healthcare. There were also plenty of opportunities for socializing and enjoying the beautiful Oregon Coast. Sunday evening a guided nature walk took colleagues beside a golf course where a heron was sighted in a pond, to the beach and clambering through the woods, picking and eating ripe blackberries along the way. Some members sought refuge from world events by driving to Depoe Bay, where they saw many, many whales. If you were unable to attend this wonderful meeting, do not despair. We will all be gathering next fall in Vancouver for another exciting time and opportunity for sharing and socializing. Again, it is that time of year when we will be putting together committee assignments for the upcoming year. We have some wonderful members who continue to serve faithfully, but would like to invite others to join in. If you would like to work on a committee, or if you have questions, please contact Bob Pringle, next year's Chair. On a personal note, I would like to thank Bob Pringle for so graciously stepping in for me to Chair the Board Meeting and Business Meeting, and I would like to thank all for the warm wishes you sent my way. I feel very lucky to be part of such a wonderful group.

submitted by Kathy Martin

Please welcome the following new members.

Government Relations

Marcia I. Batchelor, MSLS, AHIP

During 2001 I forwarded 28 'Alert' messages from the American Library Association Washington Office Newsletter listserv, ALAWON, to hlib-nw. ALAWON messages usually ask for help from librarians and library staff to lobby our Senators and Congressmen on behalf of topics inportant to libraries, such as literacy, internet filtering, etc, as bills make their way through Congress.

Professional Development Committee

The Program Planning Committee arranged for the following CE courses at this years annual meeting:

Ovid For The Clinical Patron: Making the Most of your Training Time with Staff
This class will focus on information seeking behavior of the clinician and the Ovid resources appropriate during the clinical process. It will highlight the Ovid features and products clinicians can use at the point of care, including evidence-based resources, and fully integrated decision support software. Lastly, it will cover Ovid integration and customization features that allow clinicians real time access to high quality medical information.

Introduction To QuickDOC For Windows - Jay Daly
The class will be in demonstration format and will provide an introduction to the interaction of the new QuickDOC and the new DOCLINE system. The following topics will be included: a brief history of QuickDOC & DOCLINE; how to install QD4Win (demonstrated live, if internet access is available); how to import selected records from old QuickDOC; how QD interacts with the Web-based DOCLINE; updating, editing and adding database records; Printing reports; Billing methods and procedures; adding ISO ILL Protocol compatibility; and a discussion of future trends.

Words That Change Minds - Mary Devlin
Imagine what you could accomplish by identifying motivational triggers from everyday conversation. The Language and Behavior (LAB) Profile provides the framework to understand people and their behavior. You will learn to see what will stimulate and maintain someone's motivation and conversely, what will turn him or her off. Get a handle on how to specifically match your language and processes to theirs to spark their interest and enthusiasm.

Face To Face: Strategies For Effective Consumer Health Communication - Michele Spatz
Focuses on effective communication strategies for dealing with a range of dilemmas in the consumer health setting. From distraught patrons to problem patrons to ethical dilemmas, there are techniques you can use to help you successfully negotiate these close encounters. Self-care for the consumer health information provider is also touched upon as an important component.

Digital Library Issues And Techniques - Roy Tennant
Digital libraries are the latest "hot" trend in librarianship, but exactly what are they? This workshop will begin by defining some key terms and quickly move on to specific examples that illustrate the basic perspectives on digital libraries. From there, we will explore the various processes required to build, organize, and preserve digital collections. Additional issues such as copyright and techniques for integrating digital collections with print will be explored. Specific projects, collections, and services will be demonstrated along the way to illustrate the essential points. The workshop will end with places to go for additional information and assistance as well as techniques for staying current in the field.

PNC Web Site
The Professional Development Committee maintains the section of the PNC/MLA web site dedicated to continuing education. The web site includes: continuing education opportunities, funding opportunities, CE survey information, and the professional development committee roster and annual reports as well as an archive of past CE courses. The web site is available at http://depts.washington.edu/pncmla/ce/

PNC CE Survey
PNC/MLA continuing education survey forms were posted in HLIB-NW and put up on the PNC/MLA web site in February of 2001. Survey results indicated that respondents are interested in course offerings about: PubMed, ejournal licensing and group purchasing, critically evaluating medical literature, and Internet document delivery. The complete results can be found at: http://depts.washington.edu/pncmla/ce/01results.html

Goals for 2001

• Assist the Planning Committee for the 2002 Annual Meeting in Vancouver, BC
• Complete the CE Survey for 2002 with the assistance of the RML and Nancy Press
• Update the professional development section of the PNC web site.
  

Current membership of the Committee includes:

• Kelly Thormodson- Chair, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
• Lisa Oberg, Health Sciences Library, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
• Dolores Judkins, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR
• Mary Ellen Lemon, Healthwise, Boise, ID
• Nancy Press, NN/LM PNR, Seattle, WA
• Barbara Saint, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
• Doreen Smith, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Fairbanks, AK

 

---

Technology Committee

Susan Barnes, chair; Cathy Burroughs and Bob Pringle, members

Our committee met 8/29 and reviewed its charge, which is to increase the use of electronic document delivery in the Pacific Northwest. Few hospital libraries in the northwest are using electronic document delivery, probably because of a combination of firewall, cost, and knowledge issues. We will be identifying technical barriers by talking to those who have had success, and to those who have tried to use electronic document delivery and have given up. We'll provide information about overcoming these barriers via Web, articles, and workshops. We'll begin by attending the Ariel roundtable lunch at the PNC/MLA meeting at Salishan, to hear what issues are of major concern. Bob, who wants to encourage libraries to at least be able to receive articles in TIFF or PDF format (so that he can use scanned articles from his microfilm backfiles of nursing journals to fill ILL requests), has already composed some information and he'll gather that together. Cathy and Bob will conduct reviews of what's been published in print and electronic literature about electronic document delivery, and Susan will review the ARIE-L listserv (the email discussion list for users of Ariel, the most common system for electronic document delivery). Cathy and Susan will do a search of the "Members" Database, a file on the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Intranet based on DOCUSER data, to derive a list of libraries that cannot receive interlibrary loans via TIFF or PDF or email; this group will be our target for educational efforts. We hope to be able to demonstrate a positive change -- a decrease in the number of these libraries -- as a result of our efforts.

Archives

Janet G. Schnall Archivist, PNC/MLA

Annual Meeting Glenedon Beach, Oregon

1. Meetings:  This is the 41st annual meeting of PNC/MLA, and the second one held in Glenedon Beach, Oregon (1989 and 2001). Other meetings in Oregon include:

• Portland: 1959, 1968, 1981, 1993, 1997
• Salem: 1973
• Eugene: 1976, 1985

2. History: The early history of PNC/MLA, formally known as the Pacific Northwest Regional Group, can be found on the PNC web site: http://depts.washington.edu/pncmla/history/early.html  A summary history appeared in MLA News: Geographically challenged Pacific Northwest Chapter has a proud history. MLA News June/July 2000 327: 20.

 

3. Oral History: A new Oral History has been completed and added to the Archives - this one of C. William Fraser.

Interviews were conducted by Diane McKenzie, June 19, 1999, and Kathleen Murray, October 17, 1997. A copy is also part of the UW Health Sciences Libraries collection: Medical Library Association Oral History Committee and Pacific Northwest Chapter interviews with Colin William Fraser. Chicago: Medical Library Association, 2001. Z675.M4 F72 2001

4. Records: The inactive records of PNC/MLA are kept at the University of Washington Libraries Manuscripts, Special Collections, University Archives. Any records (especially Program Chair's records from this meeting) should be sent to Janet Schnall as Archivist of PNC/MLA. When committee chairs present or write annual reports, please include the names of the committee members.

5. Questions: Members are welcome to ask the Archivist for information that is in the Archives. This is especially helpful when members apply to MLA's Academy of Health Information Professionals and need verification of holding an office in PNC/MLA. Please allow enough lead time to search the Archives, as some of the archives are located off the University of Washington campus. Also note that there is a Chapter History section of the PNC/MLA web site that has useful information, including a chart of officers and chairs of committees from 1980-: http://depts.washington.edu/pncmla/history/

ALASKA

submitted by Loretta Andress

 

NLM has created a Web site aimed at the special needs of the inhabitants of the Arctic. ArcticHealth, as it is called, provides access to evaluated health information from hundreds of local, state, national, and international agencies, as well as from professional societies and universities. The new site has sections devoted to chronic diseases, behavioral issues, traditional medicine, environment/ pollution, and environmental justice. ArcticHealth will be hosted and maintained by University of Alaska Anchorage beginning Jan. 2, 2002. Health Sciences Information Service will play a major role. The Web address of ArcticHealth is http://arctichealth.nlm.nih.gov/

(Nat'l. Library of Medicine, 10/01)

 

Phase one of UAA's new library facility project, the parking garage, will be dedicated Jan. 10, 2002. Bidding for construction of the library addition will go out in February, with completion of the structure in September, 2003. HSIS shelving area will be considerably expanded and the office space completely renovated.

 

As of Nov. 19, the temperature in Anchorage is unofficially 13 degrees below zero; Fairbanks, 500 miles north of Anchorage, has 36 below...

 

---

MONTANA

submitted by Gail Wilkerson

Several Montana hospital libraries will soon be moving into new and improved space.

St. Vincent Hospital in Billings is relocating their library in about 18 months into a space that has 40% more floor space. The current library is quite small for the size of the hospital so this is a welcome change.

St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula is also building a new library and Marianne Farr expects to start moving into her new, roomy location on St. Patrick's Day, 2002. She's also getting 10 new computers in the deal and plans to upgrade her OPAC system to Endeavor. She's doing this in cooperation with the University of Montana. Also of interest is the hospital web site where Marianne has posted a multimedia history of St. Patrick Hospital and the Sisters of Providence. The URL is: http://www.saintpatrick.org/heritage.phtml

Heidi Sue Adams of Kalispell Regional Hospital had some earthshaking news. She reported that she has had bulldozers on her ceiling. At one point in time, she could actually see daylight! She's been getting some good publicity for her library. She's taking the photographs for the online physician directory that is being developed specifically for the board of trustees.

Montana State University at Bozeman is one of four institutions in the Northwest participating in the Public Health Document Delivery Study for the Regional Medical Library. The study will look at the provision of free document delivery to the workplace of state public health employees.

Connie Younkin, Deaconess Billings Clinic librarian, resigned this spring to join her family in Washington. Bruce Bennett is coming from California soon to replace her.

Martha Thayer from Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton reported that her collection's book holdings are now on the NIH website.

As a group, the health sciences librarians in Montana are trying to work with the Montana State Library to make medical databases more affordable for the individual institutions. At the present time, Health Reference Center is the only health-related database on the state contract.

This week-long survey course is designed to familiarize individuals with the application of computer technologies and information science in medicine. Through a combination of lectures and hands-on computer exercises, participants will be introduced to the conceptual and technical components of medical informatics.

Costs of attending this course, including travel, housing a meals at the Marine Biological Laboratory are fully supported by the National Library of Medicine, NIH.

First session: May 26-June 2, 2002
Second session: September 29-October 6, 2002

Application deadline: February 14, 2002 for either offering.

For applications forms and information, contact:

Carol Hamel, Admissions Coordinator
(508) 289-7401
admissions@mbl.edu

or visit the web site: http://courses, mbl.edu

We begin a new column by asking a standard set of questions of some of the leaders within PNC.  Their answers may shed a small light on who they are and what makes them "tick".  Since we see each other so rarely (and some folks can rarely, if ever, attend the annual meeting), we hope this will help bridge the distance barrier.

Many of these questions were taken from the Bernard Pivot Questionnaire found on the Actors Studio webpage. Unlike the TV show, our colleagues were given these questions in writing ... so their answers may not be quite as spontaneous!

Kim Granath

Past-Chair, PNC/MLA

1. What is your favorite word?

cool

 

2. What is your least favorite word?

paradigm

3. What is different about working where you are know from previous jobs/places?

I have more opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and I can design and conduct my own research projects.

4. Is there anything surprising or unexpected about your job or work environment?

We make too many knee-jerk responses to complaints/criticism rather than thinking things through.

 

5. Do your outside interests help on the job?

Only when someone needs help with the daily crossword puzzle.

6. What turns you on?

Technology, especially gadgets.

7. What turns you off?

Lazy people.

8. Do you have family members and/or pets you'd like to tell us about?

The family would take a book to describe, but in short it's large, mostly male, very midwestern, and quite eccentric. It took my dad 30 years to finish the kitchen remodeling job that he started when I was in grade school, and for quite a while our front door didn't have a door knob. And the real crowd favorite: We used a baseball bat to keep the bathroom door closed.


I also have 2 very spoiled 11-year old Siamese cats: Cocoa Puff and Duke. For the most part they run the household.

 

9. What are your most satisfying hobbies or leisure-time interests?

I like to read trashy novels and play computer games.

10. What sound do you love?

Rock and roll music

11. What sound do you hate?

It's a tie between opera and country & western music

12. What profession other than librarianship would you like to attempt?

Forensic anthropology

13. What profession would you not like to participate in?

Business

14. Do you have any books, movies, recordings, etc. you would recommend? (variation - what book(s) are you reading right now? What is the last movie you saw?)

I'm currently reading "The Devil's Code" by John Sandford, and I don't often go to the movies, but the last movie I watched was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. A book I often recommend to people is "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole. I also think that everyone should read "The Foundation Trilogy" by Isaac Asimov and "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien.

15. If you were to come back as an animal, what would you choose and why?

I'd come back as one of my cats because they're treated royally.

16. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

"What took you so long?"

Janice Bacino

Chair, PNC/MLA

1. What is your favorite word?

Well, this is very subjective, and it is hard to choose just one word, but I really like the word autumn. I like the way it sounds and looks. Now, I am not talking about meaning here, just the word itself.

2. What is your least favorite word?

Similarly, I think the word egg is unattractive. It has such a harsh sound.

3. What is different about working where you are know from previous jobs/places?

This is the most solitary job I have ever had. Most of my contact with others is by phone, email, or written notes left on my desk.

4. Is there anything surprising or unexpected about your job or work environment?

I suspect I have the smallest medical library in our region. My library is probably about the sized of a six stall public bathroom.

5. Do your outside interests help on the job?

I am a news junkie. I read newspapers, journals and listen to NPR all the time. Many times I have heard reports of a medical study or some other tidbit that helps me in getting information for my patrons. Secondly, the activities I or my family members are involved in or attend are often points of casual discussion with the doctors. I find that a casual discussion makes them comfortable with me, helps develop rapport and an information request will frequently follow.

6. What turns you on?

Feeling needed or useful. I get the biggest rush from finding exactly what someone needed. Sunlight is a good substitute for this feeling.

 

7. What turns you off?

Lack of humor in an individual or a situation.

8. Do you have family members and/or pets you'd like to tell us about?

My husband, Craig, and I have been married for 30 years and have a 19 year old son, John, who is a freshman in college. This past year we lost our big white dog, Max, and lost our two cats to old age the year or two before that. After many years of a full house, we are finding ourselves unattached again, of course except from each other.

9. What are your most satisfying hobbies or leisure-time interests?

I love to tackle home improvement projects -- from small to big. I do much of the work myself. However, I do notice my energy to complete these projects is waning. I adore watching pro football and basketball, and enjoy hockey to a lesser degree. I indulgently follow a soap opera (I wont't say which one), I sew occasionally, read sporadically, and exercise religiously. However, my favorite leisure time activity is spending time with my best friend, Debra, or going on walks with my husband.

10. What sound do you love?

This is going to sound so stereotypical, but silence is my favorite sound, probably followed by morning birdsongs or evening crickets.

11. What sound do you hate?

Gas motor lawn mowers on a sunny summer day.

12. What profession other than librarianship would you like to attempt?

Well, I would really like to be a carpenter or a woodworker.

13. What profession would you not like to participate in?

Being a salesman.

14. What book(s) are you reading right now? What is the last movie you saw?

I just finished reading Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich. This writer spends several months working at minimum wage jobs (waitress, maid, WalMart clerk) in an experiment to see if, with a good work ethic, it is possible to support oneself. Not a spectacular read, but if you ever worked these jobs in your younger days or even if not, it may rekindle your sensitivity to the service workers you meet every day.

As for movies, just this weekend I rented the video The Russians are Coming, an old Mel Brooks comedy from the 1960s. I had never seen it. It was hilarious, stood the test of time, and had an interesting message, even moreso since we are no longer enemies, at least not as we were then. I always enjoy discovering these old jewels!

15. If you were to come back as an animal, what would you choose and why?

Oh, probably a cat. They have such lovely fur, and always look so smug and relaxed. I envy how they can lounge all day.

16. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Can't answer this one.

Bob Pringle,

Chair-Elect, PNC/MLA

1. What is your favorite word?

Serendipity

2. What is your least favorite word?

Any noun that's been turned into a really bad verb, i.e., unnecessary neologisms, e.g., "journaling" or "sciencing". Uggh!

3. What is different about working where you are know from previous jobs/places?

I've been here a long time, and I almost always enjoy coming to work. The people I work with are all bright, achievement oriented, and want to accomplish things. What could be better?

4. Is there anything surprising or unexpected about your job or work environment?

It's always changing, which keeps it interesting. I did not expect that!

5. Do your outside interests help on the job?

Yes - if anyone asks questions about camping, liturgy, mysteries or science fiction!

6. What turns you on?

Coffee. Well, good reference questions, too, or a good map, or...

7. What turns you off?

Lack of coffee (or chocolate). Bad writing, plotting, characterization...

8. Do you have family members and/or pets you'd like to tell us about?

No; they're fine as family members and pets. (We have one dog, a Springer Spaniel). My four boys are endlessly interesting and frustrating, but mostly to folks who know them. The interests Martha and I share only revolve a little around nursing - and more around libraries and education.

9. What are your most satisfying hobbies or leisure-time interests?

Reading and camping.

10. What sound do you love?

Miles Davis

11. What sound do you hate?

People running fingers over balloons.

12. What profession other than librarianship would you like to attempt?

Surveying.

13. What profession would you not like to participate in?

Medicine (esp.surgical).

 

14. Do you have any books, movies, recordings, etc. you would recommend?

Miles Davis "Kind of Blue". David Weber, C. J. Cherryh, Eric Flint, Terry Pratchett, Rudyard Kipling, ad infinitum. The list varies as I discover new writers and topics.

15. If you were to come back as an animal, what would you choose and why?

Bear - bright enough to enjoy good cooking, and big enough to get it! Also hairy and warm, with a generally favorable press.

16. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Bob Pringle - it's about time!

It's a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It's so easy to use even a child can operate it. Just lift its cover.

Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere--even sitting in an armchair by the fire--yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM. Here's how it works: each BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information.

These pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence. By using both sides of each sheet, manufacturers are able to cut costs in half. Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet.

The book may be taken up at any time and used by merely opening it. The "browse" feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward and backward as you wish. Most come with an "index" feature, which pinpoints the exact location of any selected information for instant retrieval.

An optional "BOOKmark" accessory allows you to open the BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session--even if the BOOK has been closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus a single BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers.

Portable, durable and affordable, the BOOK is the entertainment wave of the future, an many new titles are expected soon, due to the surge in popularity of its programming tool, the Portable Erasable-Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus...

 

 

Joint Conference on Digital Libraries

 

Call for Papers: JCDL 2002

July 14-18, 2002

Portland, Oregon, USA

http://www.jcdl2002.org/

Jointly sponsored by:

• Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
• Special Interest Group on Information Retrieval (ACM SIGIR)
• Special Interest Group on Hypertext, Hypermedia, and the Web (ACM SIGWEB)
• Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Computer Society (IEEE Computer Society)
• Technical Committee on Digital Libraries (TCDL)

The Joint Conference on Digital Libraries is a major international forum focusing on digital libraries and associated technical, practical, and social issues. JCDL encompasses the many meanings of the term "digital libraries", including (but not limited to) new forms of information institutions; operational information systems with all manner of digital content; new means of selecting, collecting, organizing, and distributing digital content; and theoretical models of information media, including document genres and electronic publishing.

Digital libraries are distinguished from information retrieval systems because they include more types of media, provide additional functionality and services, and include other stages of the information life cycle, from creation through use. Digital libraries can be viewed as a new form of information institution or as an extension of the services libraries currently provide.

The intended community for this conference includes those interested in aspects of digital libraries such as infrastructure; institutions; metadata; content; services; digital preservation; system design; implementation; interface design; human-computer interaction; evaluation of performance; evaluation of usability; collection development; intellectual property; privacy; electronic publishing; document genres; multimedia; social, institutional, and policy issues; user communities; and associated theoretical topics.

Participation is sought from all parts of the world and from the full range of disciplines and professions involved in digital library research and practice, including computer science, information science, librarianship, archival science and practice, museum studies and practice, technology, medicine, social sciences, and humanities. All domains---academe, government, industry, and others---are encouraged to participate as presenters or attendees.

SUBMISSIONS: DEADLINES

• January 14, 2002 - Full papers, panel and tutorial proposals due
• February 11, 2002 - Short papers, posters, proposals for workshops and demonstrations due
• April 8, 2002 - Final submissions due

PAPERS

Full and short papers will be included in the conference proceedings and will be presented at the conference. Full papers are longer and more developed (up to 10 pages, approximately 5000 words) than short papers (up to 2 pages). All papers must be original contributions (i.e., not previously published nor currently under consideration for publication elsewhere). Copyright assignment to the ACM will be required for accepted papers. The conference language is English. Papers will be peer-reviewed rigorously, as selection is highly competitive. Research and theory papers should be grounded in the scholarly or practical literature appropriate to the topic. Implementation papers should be grounded in prior research, theory, or implementation, clearly indicating the new contributions of the work. All papers are expected to contribute to the advancement of their own area of study and to be accessible to members of the conference audience. Papers should include an abstract and keywords. Format follows the guidelines from previous conferences; details can be found on the conference Web site
(http://www.jcdl.org/) and from ACM page: http://www.acm.org/pubs/submitting_accepted_articles/auth_rd.htm

The conference awards the Vannevar Bush Award to the best full paper.

PANELS AND POSTERS

Panels provide opportunities to present large-scale multi-person or multi-organizational activities or multi-faceted views that often are on topics that warrant discussion with the community. Such topics will benefit from having the larger number of presenters in an undivided session that panels allow. Panel proposals consist of a title, one page extended abstract describing the goals of the session; information about the organizer, moderator, and presenters; and, optionally, titles of individual presentations.

Posters are means to present work-in-progress, late-breaking results, or other efforts that would benefit from discussion with the community. Poster proposals consist of a title, 1-page extended abstract, and contact information for the authors. Accepted posters will be displayed at the conference and may include additional materials, space permitting. Abstracts of panels and posters will appear in the proceedings.

OTHER SUBMISSIONS

Details about the requirements and format for other conference submissions (demonstrations, tutorials, workshops) will be posted on the conference web site (http://www.jcdl.org). As a conference location, Portland is a beautiful venue with superb access to aqua and terra attractions and events. The conference hotel will be the Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel, which is a short ride on the light rail across the river to downtown Portland as well as the eclectic eateries and galleries of NW 23rd St.. July is an excellent month to visit the Pacific Northwest, as the temperatures are moderate and the humidity is low. Within 1-2
hours driving distance are the Oregon coast, the myriad of recreational activities in the Cascade Mountains, and the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

KEY CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

General Chair

William Hersh
Division of Medical Informatics & Outcomes Research
School of Medicine
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd.
Portland, OR 97201
(voice) 503-494-4563
(fax) 503-494-4551
(email) hersh@ohsu.edu

Program Chair

Gary Marchionini
School of Information and Library Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB# 3360 Manning Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
(voice) 919 966-3611
(fax) 919 962-8071
(email) march@ils.unc.edu

Posters Chair

Lois Delcambre
Computer Science Dept.
OGI School of Science & Engineering
Oregon Health & Science University
20000 NW Walker Road
Beaverton, OR 97225
(voice) 503 748-1689
(fax) 503 748-1553
(email) lmd@cse.ogi.edu

Panels Chair

Sally Howe
National Coordination Office for Information Technology
Research and Development
4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 405-II
Arlington, VA 22230
(voice) 703 292-4873
(fax) 703 292-9097
(email) howe@itrd.gov

Future PNC/MLA Meetings

 

 

October 19-22, 2002, Vancouver, British Columbia
At the Coast Plaza Suite Hotel by Stanley Park and English Bay

Seattle area in 2003

Marcy Horner, Program Chair

 

Joint Meeting with the two California Chapters in Feb. 2004

 

 

National Library of Medicine's (NLM's) Associate Fellowship Program

Call for Applicants

The NLM Associate Fellowship Program is a competitive program designed to develop future leaders for health libraries and information centers. The application deadline is Feb. 15, 2002.

 

The 2002/2003 program starts Sept. 1, 2001. NLM is located in Bethesda, MD. Appointments for Associate Fellows are made for one year with a stipend of $36,656. Associate Fellows are expected to complete the full training program (September-August). Application information is available on the web: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/about/training/associate/applicinfo.html

 

The NLM Associate Program is open to U.S. and Canadian library/information professionals, as well as graduate students completing their degrees. The qualification requirements are:

• Master's degree in an ALA-approved library/information science program, earned by August of the year of appointment
• United States citizenship (Note: Canadians with ALA-accredited Master's degrees can use the same application process as U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens will receive first preference.
• Experience is desirable, but not essential.

 

Optional Second Year. The NLM Associate Fellowship Program now includes an optional second year at a library or information center in an academic health sciences center, hospital, or other health-related organization. The additional year provides an opportunity to develop skills and gain experience in working with administrators, librarians, health professionals, system developers, and educators to design and implement information services that are integrated with clinical and/or educational programs and contribute directly to accomplishing the parent institution's mission. Interested Associates will compete for placement in this extension of the program.

 

Questions about the program may be addressed to:

Mary Moore
Program Director, NLM Associate Fellowship Program
8600 Rockville Pike
Building 38, Room B1E09
Bethesda, MD 20894
Phone: (301) 435-4083
Fax: (301) 480-1467
moorem@mail.nlm.nih.gov

 

 

 

 

 

NLM Associates Second Year Program RFP

Wanted: Libraries to host a National Library of Medicine Associate Fellow at their site next year, September 2002-August 2003. There are currently four first year Associates eligible for second year placement, and the Library anticipates two to three of them will be placed.

Proposals are due January 31, 2002. The RFP is available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/about/training/associate/nlmassocrfp.html

 

Questions may be directed to:

Mary Moore
Associate Fellows Program
National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20894
Phone: 301-453-4083
Fax: 301-480-1467

E-mail: mary_moore@nlm.nih.gov

 

 

 

Sponsor a Symposium at MLA '03

 

MLA is now accepting proposals for symposia at MLA'03, May 16-21, in San Diego, CA. MLA defines a symposium as "a learning opportunity organized for the purpose of providing a forum for discussion of a well-defined topic." Typically, it consists of a series of presentations by experts, followed by an exchange of opinions among participants.

The MLA Continuing Education (CE) Committee will met February 8-10, 2002, to begin discussing the MLA '03 roster. If your section is interested in hosting a symposium, please submit your ideas by January 2, 2002. Official proposals are due at MLA headquarters by May 1, 2002. They are evaluated by the CE Committee according to the importance and uniqueness of
the subject and content; the timeliness, appeal, and marketability of the topic; and the availability and adequacy of funding. Proposals should include:

• statement of need
• intended benefits for participants
• general content and format
• personnel and other requirements
• budget and financial feasibility
• evaluation strategy
  

For further information and a copy of the official MLA Symposium Guidelines (www.mlanet.org/education/sympos.html) please contact Kathleen Gaydos Combs, coordinator of continuing education, at 312.419.9094 x29 or mlapd1@mlahq.org or visit the Education Website at http://www.mlanet.org/education/amcourses.html.

 

MLA's Continuing Education (CE) Committee would like you to submit your ideas for exciting courses to present at MLA '03 in San Diego, CA. Please send any course topics you would like to see offered, and if you know of any instructors or colleagues who are proficient in an area and could teach courses, please include their names and contact information. The committee would also like to know of any classes from past meetings that you would like to see offered again.

If you are an instructor with a course or an idea for a course that you would like to offer to your MLA colleagues, we would like to hear from you as well. For more information about how to teach your course at an MLA annual meeting, see MLANET at www.mlanet.org/education/teachce.html or contact Kathleen Gaydos Combs via email at mlapd1@mlahq.org. Additional
information is available on the Education Website at http://www.mlanet.org/education/amcourses.html

Please send your course ideas to Kay E. Wellik, CE Liaison, 2003 National Program Committee, Director of Libraries, Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, 13400 East Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85202; 480.301.7355; fax, 480.301.7005; email, wellik.k.ay@mayo.edu

MLA has completed the Benchmarking Beta Test. Participation was disappointing and a great deal of effort was spent analyzing the results and the comments. MLA also asked for feedback regarding ways to make participation easier and more appealing. The questionnaire was revised and instructions clarified. Two new handouts were developed to share with membership: MLA Benchmarking Network Implementation Frequently Asked Questions and How Best to Approach the Benchmarking Survey Tool: Top Ten Things To Do. MLA has also prepared a draft Letter of Recognition for Benchmarking Network Participants. These handouts and letter were shared with participants at this Conference and will be published in Northwest Notes for those members unable to attend. MLA is also considering ways to recognize those chapters that participate most actively in the Benchmarking Network. A timetable for 2001-2002 has been developed which allows a 3 month entry period (somewhere in Late Fall 2001-Late Winter 2002). MLA's recommended goal for Benchmarking Network participation is 20% of eligible chapter membership.

originally submitted to NNLM PNR  nnlm@u.washington.edu

In December, twenty-five libraries in four states and one province combined their resources to obtain access to a collection of high-quality full-text e-journals. This group subscription - to 140 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins e-journals from Ovid - brings such titles as American Journal of Nursing, Anesthesiology, Annals of Surgery, Circulation, Cancer Nursing, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Journal of Trauma to the desktops of physicians, hospital employees, and students in health-related programs. Participating libraries are from hospitals and academic institutions, both small and large, in Alaska, Oregon, Montana, Washington, and British Columbia. These libraries' users will share three simultaneous accesses to each of the 140 online titles for the upcoming year.

The collaboration is under the auspices of the Washington Medical Librarians Association (WMLA), which began discussions about consortial purchasing in summer, 2001. Libraries from all over the Pacific Northwest were invited in November to participate in this Lippincott Williams & Wilkins e-journal subscription so that sufficient funding could be raised to cover its cost of $90,000. The base price for each library depended on the size of its user population, with some libraries contributing
additional funding at the last minute so that the deal could go forward for everyone.

Congratulations to all libraries that have joined together to provide access to this large, rich group of medical and nursing e-journals - and special thanks to those whose extra efforts made the difference at the end! This group purchase will bring experience in e-journal management to some libraries that are new to the provision of online full-text content. It will allow all participating libraries to strengthen their services again, through the provision of online full-text content. And it will prove a valuable learning experience to our region, as we monitor the collection's use throughout the year to investigate issues such as whether we have purchased sufficient access for all group members, whether group membership comprising differing sizes and types of libraries can be successful, and whether the investment will bring ample returns to all participants.

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and Ovid are both part of Wolters Klewer, a multinational information services company that spans the fields of law, business, health, science, and education. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins is a major publisher of print and electronic biomedical publications, and Ovid is an information-retrieval vendor that provides access to bibliographic databases, full-text publications, and decision-support tools. Working with these organizations is just the first step in the Washington Medical Librarians Association's exploration of consortial purchasing, an exploration led by Pamela Murray of Northwest Hospital (and WMLA's Continuing Education Committee chair) with the assistance of Susan Barnes of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine's Pacific Northwest Region (and WMLA's Secretary) and the invaluable help of Patty Ayala, Database Licensing Consultant at the Washington State Library. During the upcoming year, other vendors and products will be investigated and compared to facilitate libraries' budgeting, planning, and decision making regarding e-content.

If you have questions or want to be informed about further developments contact Susan Barnes at sjbarnes@u.washington.edu

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

Dragonfly is the newsletter of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region. Produced by NN/LM PNR, under NLM

submitted by Dolores Judkins

This is taken from Bruce Maxwell's listserv, which, by the way is very interesting. I almost always find some interesting stuff on it. Information on signing up for the listserv is at the end.

HealthESites
November 14, 2001
Vol. 2, No. 38
ISSN 1530-3608
________________________________________________________________

Bruce Maxwell, Editor - bmax@silverhammerpub.com
Silver Hammer Publishing - http://silverhammerpub.com

THE DOCTOR IS IN...CYBERSPACE

This article is an excerpt from "Dr. Ian Smith's Guide to Medical Websites," written by the "Today" medical correspondent. It purports to list the best health Web sites. One can easily argue with some of the choices (and exclusions), but what's scary is an incredibly stupid statement Smith makes in the article. In a description of the National Library of Medicine's Web site, he writes: "Physical medical libraries, beware - this site could one day put you out of business!" There have been a lot of idiotic things written about online health information, but Smith's
statement ranks right near the top.

Source: MSNBC - Nov. 8, 2001 http://www.msnbc.com/news/654114.asp?cpl=l

To subscribe to HealthESites, send a blank e-mail to join-healthesites@lists.silverhammerpub.com or visit the Web site.

HealthESites Web page - http://silverhammerpub.com/health.html

"Thinking the Unthinkable ~ Biochemical Terrorism and Disasters: Information Resources for Medical Librarians"

About 80 medical librarians gathered at NJHA Dec. 5 for an educational program co-sponsored by the New Jersey Hospital Association and the Middle
Atlantic Region, National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM), titled "Thinking the Unthinkable: Biochemical Terrorism and Disasters: Information
Resources for Medical Librarians."

Guest speakers included James Pruden, MD, FACEP, chairman of the emergency medicine department at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center; Paterson, N.J., Onnalee Henneberry, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention library; Stacey Arnesen from the National Library of Medicine's Specialized
Information Services; and Barbara Schultz from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Chemical Defense.

The speakers covered topics such as the clinical view of biological terrorism and historical perspectives, core bioterrorism information resources and an overview of NLM's resources on bioterrorism, chemical and biological weapons, including TOXNET databases.

In addition, Barbara Schultz, with Astrox Corporation under contract with the U.S. Army, gave an overview of chemical warfare agents and a description of the Department of Defense resources available to the public. NJHA's Michelle Volesko rounded out the day with a checklist for disaster information preparedness for medical librarians.

PowerPoint slides and handouts from the continuing education program, with live Web links, useful for both medical librarians and healthcare professionals, can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.njha.com/njresponse/biopresent.asp

You are welcome to link or promote this information as appropriate; however, please do not feel obligated to do so! For more information contact: Michelle Volesko, Director of Library and Corporate Information Services, New Jersey Hospital Association, 609-275-4230, mvolesko@njha.com

originally submitted 8-31-01 to EDUCAUSE EDUPAGE@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU

Speakers at the Intel Developer Forum disclosed collaborative ventures between company researchers and universities to create computer networks that focus on health care and public safety, as well as endeavors into outer space. The medical applications of such networks include at-home health care monitoring. A four-node Martian network is also being planned, as well as a network that can help locate lost people, according to Intel director of research David Tennenhouse. He said that these networks will be deployed through wireless networking, software agents, and embedded machines, and that Intel has pledged $4 billion for research and development efforts in 2001. The Internet will act as a portable database containing data collected by sensors, Tennenhouse explained. (InfoWorld.com, 27 August 2001)

 

 

originally submitted 8-31-01 to EDUCAUSE EDUPAGE@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU

 

 

COLLEGE STUDENTS ADMIT THEY ARE CAUGHT UP IN WEB

 

One in 10 college students claims to have a dependence on the Internet, according to a survey report authored by Richard J. DioGuardi of St. John's University. Fifteen percent of the 134 freshmen and sophomores polled exhibit classic manifestations of addiction, DioGuardi said; these include social isolation, encroachment on daily life, an urgent need for the Internet, and withdrawal symptoms. In addition, these students would probably use the Internet as a social outlet and consider it essential to their well-being. These findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Francisco. (Reuters, 27 August 2001)

 

 

 

originally submitted 8-31-01 to EDUCAUSE EDUPAGE@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU

 

ONLINE COURSE LETS THE ISOLATED UPDATE THEIR MEDICAL SKILLS

 

Medical workers in remote areas of Central America can get training through distance education. Chicago's Center for International Rehabilitation is testing an eight-month online course that trains workers who make prosthetics. The courses were developed by Northwest University's Prosthetic Orthotic Center and educational software developer Web CT. Students study an online field manual, and mentors provide support through chat rooms and bulletin boards. The online manual can be changed as technology, data, and student queries change. In addition, students receive a CD-ROM with video and audio components. Similarly, Satellife provides medical information to African health care workers. (New York Times, 30 August 2001)

originally submitted 12-4-01 to EDUCAUSE EDUPAGE@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU

IBM, in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, is developing a computing grid designed to aid and streamline the diagnosis of breast cancer. The University of Pennsylvania Grid would connect hospitals through secure Internet portals that enable doctors to upload, download, and analyze digitized mammograms. "This grid will help ensure that all of a patient's vital data are provided to authorized physicians very quickly, efficiently, and securely," said Dr. Robert Hollebeek, director of the university's National Scalable Cluster Lab. Physicians would be able to call up patient records faster, decreasing their reliance on expensive film x-rays that are often widely distributed among medical facilities. The grid, a big distributed computer that uses the Internet to manage computing resources, currently connects collegiate hospitals in Toronto, Chicago, and North Carolina.
(InternetNews.com, 28 November 2001)

originally submitted 12-10-01 to EDUCAUSE EDUPAGE@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU

 

DOCTOR ON THE NET

The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council has announced that it will support a feasibility study for an International Virtual Medical School. The project would use e-learning to provide training software for medical students, access to seminars, and sharing of expertise from around the world. So far, eight British, eight North American, and four Australian medical schools have become involved in the undertaking; China has also indicated that it would like to participate. The project could revolutionize medical training, said Prof. Ronald Harden of Dundee University. Rather than foster rivalry, the organization would support cooperation among schools, he said. In addition, traditional universities should get involved in such an area before commercial training groups do, Harden explained. He envisions "a repository or bank of reusable learning objects." Harden believes that copyright issues would be avoided by labeling videos, lectures, and so on.
(Guardian (London), 4 December 2001)

To join the Pacific Northwest Chapter, send dues to:

Pam Spickelmier                              Dues:  $25.00 U.S. or $28.00 Canadian
PNC/MLA Treasurer
3766 S. Rush Creek Place
Boise, ID 83712

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO:  PNC/MLA

Your Name:____________________________________

Address:  _____________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________
      (You may use home or work address)

Email:  _____________________________

Circle one:  Renewal    New Member

originally submitted to hlib-nw

Outreach Librarian Position at NLM

 

The National Library of Medicine invites applications for an Outreach Librarian in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Network Office. The position serves as a liaison between the NN/LM Regional Medical Libraries and NLM concerning outreach to health professionals. It provides opportunity to recommend project parameters and methods related to specific outreach initiatives that target all types of health professionals, and to work with staff throughout NLM, and the NN/LM. Salary range is $53,156 - $69,099.00.

 

For application information, see the announcement at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/wfjic/jobs/TM2452.htm

 

It will also be posted at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/nlmbin/restrict/about/jobs/jobs.html

 

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)

 

 

 

 

originally submitted to medlib-l by Cheryl Coco Capri

 

 

Medical Matrix Librarian Editor Sought

 

 

Medical Matrix (http://www.medmatrix.org) is currently seeking one medical librarian editor to edit a portion of the listings on
Medical Matrix. Librarian selected would be part of a team of three who are responsible for editing/deleting/adding the sites
on Medical Matrix, along with the Medical Editorial Board.

 

The librarian editor would be responsible for the following sites listed on Medical Matrix:

Our librarian editors edit from the convenience of their home or office, with a sophisticated remote editing system. All tasks
must be completed within a six month period and include...

• Checking site URL, description of site, checking the site for sub-pages of hyperlinks of valued medical search terms and indexing those URLs.
• Regularly checking an automated URL Alert, which alerts the editors to URLs that are not connecting.
• Adding sites to selected categories
• Deleting outdated sites or sites that are not regularly maintained or sites that have become commercial. Marking sites as Inactive if temporarily unavailable.

Compensation is based on the number of sections edited. Please contact Cheryl Coco Capri at ccapri@slackinc.com if interested in this opportunity. A full description of the editing responsibilities with compensation will then be sent to qualified candidates.

 

 

originally submitted 11/9/01 to hlib-nw by Bryan Fearn

Head of Access Services, Linfield College Portland Campus

 

Head of Access Services, Portland Campus Library Linfield College, Portland Campus Library, is currently recruiting for a full-time Head of Access Services. The successful applicant will be responsible for a variety of activities within the branch
library, including managing service operations (circulation, reserves, ORBIS, serials management, stacks maintenance, etc.); training and supervising 15-20 student workers and provision of back-up reference assistance. Reports to Portland Campus Library Director. Bachelor's degree, three years experience and proficient computer skills required. Excellent communication skills required.

 

For more info on this posting, please go to http://www.linfield.edu. Send letter of application, resume and three references to Patrice O'Donovan, Campus Library Director, Linfield College, Portland Campus, 2255 NW Northrup, Portland, OR 97210.

Screening is in process. EOE.

 

 

 

originally submitted to hlib-nw@u.washington.edu

 

 

Serials and Electronic Collections Librarian--Oregon

 

The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Library seeks applicants to facilitate an interdepartmental serials team and support collection development activities by coordinating vendor services and implementing and managing electronic resources
under the direction of the Head of Collection Development.

 

REQUIRED: MLS from an ALA-accredited institution; three years serials experience; experience with management of electronic resources; ability to work collaboratively and to manage multiple projects/priorities; excellent communication skills.

 

SALARY: $40,000 minimum. 12-month academic appointment. Generous benefits.

 

Complete position description at: http://www.ohsu.edu/library/jobs.shtml.

Position open until filled. Candidates applying by December 21, 2001 will receive first consideration. To apply, send cover letter, resume and the names of three references to: Carrie Willman, Bibliographic Services & Personnel Librarian, OHSU Library, PO Box 573, Portland, OR 97207-0573. email: willman@ohsu.edu. fax: 503-494-3227. AA/EEO.

 

 

 

originally submitted to medlib-l 12-11-01 by Ann von Segen

 

MEDICAL LIBRARY SPECIALIST--OREGON

 

We are currently accepting applications for a full-time medical library specialist. This is a weekday position in our Health Sciences Library. Duties include locating and obtaining materials and/or information utilizing various print and electronic resources such as the Internet, DOCLINE, and other electronic bibliographic databases; ordering and processing new library materials and maintenance of an online catalog.

 

Qualifications include competency in the use of automated library systems for interlibrary loan, serials management, book ordering, electronic mail and standard office software. Competency in online databases and Internet searching with a strong emphasis on health-related sites. Ability to use and understand medical terminology. Required: Bachelor's degree or
equivalent combination of library knowledge and experience.

Additional information can be found at our website, www.providence.org. Follow the links for job openings or call me if you have questions about the position.

 

 

Ann M. von Segen MLS
Director, Health Sciences Library
Providence St. Vincent
9205 SW Barnes Road
Portland, Oregon 97225
Ph. 503.216.4065
Fax 503.297.2085
email: avonsegen@providence.org

 

Dragonfly: Kudos to Pacific Northwest Awardees

Congratulations to four Pacific Northwest awardees of National Library of Medicine Connections grants.

• SeaView Community Services will provide internet access for clinicians, clients, and administrators at two sites in Seward, Alaska.
• OHSU School of Nursing will add access and a gateway to the state educational system for nurse practitioner-managed rural family clinics in Union and Elgin, Oregon.
• Yakima Collaborative Connectivity Project will expand bandwidth, establishing a collaborative network to eliminate third party control of connectivity, with encrypted VPN for patient information in Yakima, Washington.
• Alaska Department of Health and Social Services will connect six of the most remote public health centers to the
  statewide WAN and train public health nurses to use resources. The centers are in Kodiak, Haines, Tok, Delta Junction,
  Dillingham, and Craig, Alaska.

The complete list of recently funded projects is available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/news/grantstohealth01.html. It's never too late to apply. Proposals will be reviewed on the regular NIH funding cycle, with due dates of February 1, June 1 and October 1. See the announcement at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/connect.html. RML staff will be happy to discuss the process, review drafts, and provide examples of previously funded applications.

 

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

Dragonfly is the newsletter of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region. Produced by NN/LM PNR, under NLM Contract N01-LM-1-3516. Dragonfly is available on the World Wide Web at: http://nnlm.gov/pnr/news/

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

 

 

Oregon

 

 

submitted by Steve Teich

 

Recently, OHSU Library initiated access to STATRef's medical library for all Oregon licensed physicians. While we have offered other services to Oregon health professionals not affiliated with OHSU, this was the first limited to a single group.

Under Oregon statute, OHSU Library receives $10/yr from each physician (MDs and DOs) licensed by the Oregon State Board of Medical Examiners (OSBME) for the purpose of "maintaining a circulating library of medical and surgical books and publications for the use of practitioners of medicine in this state, and when not so in use to be kept at the library of the School of Medicine and accessible to its students." OSBME funds have always been used to purchase books and, beginning in the early 1980's, to partially subsidize interlibrary loans to Oregon-licensed physicians. The rationale for adding ILL service was evident: without subsidized access to these books, the chief beneficiaries would continue to be OHSU faculty, staff, and students, not the statewide physician community which funded their purchase.

 

Three conclusions stand out when looking at how ILL subsidies have been applied over nearly two decades.

• First, the numbers of requests and requestors have remained relatively stable. We've provided about 1100 subsidized ILLs to about 550 physicians each year for the past several years. Given the usage data, it seems obvious that the great majority of Oregon's 8,000 physicians either are unaware of the ILL subsidy and therefore don't use it, or they don't see enough value in it to take advantage.
• Second, the chief beneficiaries have been physicians with access to professionally staffed hospital libraries. In Oregon, that means doctors in Portland, Salem, Eugene, Medford, and a very few smaller communities. While an improvement over a benefit accruing mainly to OHSU, the scope of coverage has fallen considerably short of statewide.
• Third, administrative costs for subsidizing ILLs for a particular user category are considerable. Library staff have to check every ILL made on behalf of an Oregon physician, first to verify that the requestor really is a physician who is licensed in Oregon, and, second, that his/her individual annual allotment of 4 free ILLs hasn't been reached.

 

With the advent of online medical libraries and nearly universal Internet access, we began discussing alternatives to subsidized ILL service more than three years ago. Discussion turned to action shortly after the library received a visit from OSBME's executive director in April, 2001. She was curious to discuss how we were spending their money and expressed the wish that their contribution would benefit rural practitioners as well as those in urban areas. For the library's part, we wanted to provide a benefit that would be accessible to and used by providers all over Oregon, would require minimal administrative overhead, and for which OHSU Library would receive recognition. With that in mind, we looked at MD Consult, Books @ Ovid, and STAT!Ref. STAT!Ref met all of our criteria, and it allowed us to get started as soon as we could sign the contract and write the check.

 

We used one mailing, a newsletter article, and on-site presentations to publicize STAT!Ref. As soon as we knew that STAT!Ref was a likely choice, it was incorporated into presentations on OHSU Library services at several rural hospitals. On August 1, two weeks before our projected start-up date, we sent a mailing to the chiefs of staff, CEOs, and librarians/library managers/other local contacts at all Oregon hospitals. The only other significant statewide publicity that has been done since, besides routine hospital presentations, is an article in the OSBME newsletter.

 

Implementation has gone as expected. Even though physicians share a single password, they are encouraged to register. Registration is done through an online form, and it provides us with a mailing list of users. We will use that list for two purposes. First, at some point in the future we expect either to change the password or to employ individual passwords. The present system has allowed us to start quickly, but there is a likelihood that an increasing number of unauthorized users will require a change. Second, it will help us to make decisions about adding and deleting titles, especially important because STAT!Ref's statistical package doesn't show usage by title.

 

Because physicians must go through our web site to register and log on, access to STAT!Ref is identified with us. As STAT!Ref's library grows and as we continue to publicize its availability, we expect physicians throughout Oregon to feel that their license fee contribution to OHSU Library has been used wisely.