Tennessee Special Libraries Share their Resources

Due to the hard work of librarians statewide, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) has funded two projects for Tennessee in 2008-2009.

Both projects involve medical librarians; one will be targeting the needs of Public Library staff--working with the Tennessee State Library & Archives-- and the second will target non affiliated/rural physicians--working with the Tennessee Medical Association.

See the description of the projects below. If you have questions about either project you may contact Sandy Oelschlegel for more detail (865-305-6615).

In 2005 and 2006 a NNLM project was undertaken by a group of librarians and others to evaluate the health information needs of 3 categories of Tennessee citizens. The “Tennessee Outreach State Planning & Evaluation Team” surveyed “consumers”, librarians and health care professionals in a statewide survey to determine the needs and stumbling blocks encountered in finding quality health information. As a result of that Teams efforts, funding for two other projects was requested from NNLM/SEA. The good news is that they were both funded! The projects will take place in 2008-09.

Project 1: Targets education of public librarians on how to provide consumer health services.

Title: Tennessee Consumer Health Information Outreach: A Simple Plan Extended to Three Regions

The regions that will be done this year include: Preston Medical Library (Martha Earl & Cynthia Vaughn): Blue Grass, Highland Rim, and Fort Loudon ETSU (Rick Wallace & Nakia Carter ): Caney Fork, Upper Cumberland Reelfoot

Project Leadership will coordinate, market and provide the four classes for public librarians:

• Beyond an Apple a Day: Providing Consumer Health Information in the Public Library
• From Snake Oil to Penicillin: Evaluating Consumer Health Information on the Internet
• Prescription for Success: Consumer Health Information on the Internet
• Looking in all the Wrong Places: PubMed for Public Librarians.

Project Leadership will teach each of the four aforementioned courses at least twice in the targeted regions. We will facilitate participant applications for MLA CHIS certification ; the award pays for up to 100 trained staff to receive this valuable certification. We will encourage public libraries to become affiliate members of NN/LM for free. We will encourage the public librarians to order MedlinePlus.gov promotional materials and to subscribe to the NIH MedlinePlus: The Magazine. The participating medical librarians (members of THeSLA and resource libraries) will offer support after the classes to sustain the consumer health information services in the public libraries.

Project 2: Targets physician access to full text of journals by utilizing NNLM resources

Title: Connecting Tennessee’s “Lonesome Docs” with Medical Libraries by Promoting Library Services and NLM Loansome Doc

Six NNLM/SEA members Libraries will partner with TMA to provided training, and full text of articles to Physicians in Tennessee that are not affiliated with a university or hospital providing library services, especially those physicians that are located in rural and outlying areas. Those libraries are: Erlanger Hospital Library, ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Library, Johnson City Medical Center, St Thomas Hospital, Lincoln Memorial University Medical Library, UT Preston Medical Library.

Working with TMA the 7,500 physician members will be reached through a series of communications utilizing the TMA publications and electronic distribution system. The TMA communications will spotlight NN/LM SEA member libraries that are willing to provide library services, such as reference assistance, mediated PubMed literature searches and Loansome Doc services.

Working with the project leaders, TMA partner communications will also provide educational information on PubMed and Loansome Doc, including how to sign up to receive the full text of articles from participating libraries.

Librarians will attend the TMA annual meeting, host an exhibit in the exhibit hall and utilize NN/LM brochures and teaching materials to educate physicians on how to search for best evidence using PubMed Medline and order the articles using Loansome Doc.Librarians will also encourage physicians to fill out forms to sign up for Loansome doc with medical libraries that are NNLM/SEA members.

Project Leaders will develop an outline and standard presentation material for participating librarians to utilize for training sessions. Librarians will travel to rural and outlying areas, identified by TMA partners and other means, in order to educate physicians on how to search for best evidence using PubMed Medline and order the articles using Loansome Doc.

Librarians will also encourage physicians to fill out forms to sign up for Loansome doc with medical libraries that are NNLM/SEA members. NN/LM SEA Libraries will be reimbursed for up to 50 articles each when they provide LD articles to the physicians participating in the program.