The Fall 2024 semester is off to a great start at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Fall brings new students to campus, and I look forward to having many of them visit the Library or use our great resources online. I had the pleasure of meeting some of these students during the new centralized orientation offered by the Office of Student Affairs this year. Students were able to learn about the Library as well as meet librarians and staff during these events. We want to make sure every student can engage with the Library and find support in some way. As a means of informing us about the future of the Library, this year I am excited to announce that we are launching the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL) Student Advisory Board (SAB). This group, made up of at least two students from each of the seven campus schools, will be instrumental in providing feedback about library services, spaces and resources, as well as helping spread the word about the Library through their peer networks. We hope the advisory board will create a channel for communication between library leaders and students for years to come. More information about the inaugural HSHSL SAB is provided below by Assistant Dean for Research and Information Services, Alexa Mayo, MLIS, AHIP, who will be serving as an advisor for the HSHSL SAB.

Small changes continue to take place around the Library. Be on the lookout for new furniture on the 3rd floor that will provide more mobile options for study with rolling tables. New, larger whiteboards will soon be installed in all study rooms. New signage around the Library will help with wayfinding. To increase comfort and reduce cooling costs in library employee areas, projects are underway to install reflective window tinting and updated blinds. I am also pleased to announce a collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs to provide a temporary faith and religious practice space in the Library while the space at the Student Center is impacted by renovations. Room 302, located near the GRID, has been updated to provide space for students, faculty and staff to engage in religious practice.

As we move ahead, I also wanted to reiterate my commitment to the vision for UMB Campus Vibrancy that UMB president Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, encourages. We have a beautiful building located in an active part of campus. It is my mission to ensure that we offer programs and spaces that welcome users into the physical library, while also ensuring that those who need online access have the tools to participate fully in events or programs. I am working with Assistant Dean for Computer and Technology Services, James Stephens, MEd, MLS, to ensure that all library managed meeting spaces provide support for hybrid and accessible events and meetings.

In employee news, I am pleased to share that after a national search Faith N. Steele, MLS, MIM, accepted the position of Executive Director, Network of the National Library of Medicine, Region 1 and Amy Yarnell, MLS, was promoted to head the department of Data and Bioinformation Services. Both positions are vital to the success of HSHSL programs and their leadership will better serve our campus and Region 1 communities.

In other employee news, it was my pleasure to host library employees and their families at Camden Yards for an Orioles game on Friday, Aug. 23. Fifteen employees came out to enjoy a great night with wonderful weather, camaraderie, and a game that included a bobble head giveaway and a grand slam! It was a great opportunity to have fun outside of the Library. I hope to make this a tradition and increase our attendance in the future.

Lastly, be on the lookout for a future announcement about the upcoming HSHSL Historical Collections calendar. This year’s theme helped me learn more about medicinal plants native to Maryland. Calendars will be on sale before the end of the year.

The new HSHSL Student Advisory Board launches in Fall 2024. Students from every UMB school have volunteered to provide feedback about the HSHSL and how it can better meet student needs. At the HSHSL, we are committed to student success, and we’re looking forward to hearing directly from students about their experiences using the Library’s resources, services, and study spaces. As the semester progresses, we will keep you updated on how the Student Advisory Board is making an impact.

Each UMB school has a designated librarian who collaborates with students, faculty, and staff to provide support for educational, clinical, and research endeavors.

Make an appointment with your librarian for help finding literature for class assignments and projects, consult with them on a systematic or scoping review, or contact them via email with your question. Discover how your librarian can help by visiting the Research and Education Services webpage.

September 3, 2024 – November 30, 2024

Monday – Thursday	6 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Friday	6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday	8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Exceptions to Regular Hours

Thanksgiving Holiday

Thursday – Friday

November 28 – 29

CLOSED

Join the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL) and the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) for a virtual panel discussion on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The panel will empower health professionals to dispel myths and misconceptions about vaccines, and provide ways to keep up-to-date on vaccine development and education. The panel features members of the UMB and USM community who specialize in health literacy, vaccine development, and public health.

Please register to receive a Zoom link for this free event.

Get Out the Vax features the following panelists:

Cynthia Baur, PhD
Endowed Chair and Director, Horowitz Center for Health Literacy
University of Maryland, College Park

James D. Campbell, MD, MS
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Interim Head, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Pediatrics
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health

Amy Kruger Howard, PharmD, MS
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Saya Kakim, PhD, MA
Postdoctoral Fellow, PATIENTS Program
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Christine R. Valeriann, MS
Proposal & Marketing Advisor
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

The HSHSL’s Open Access Publishing Fund is designed to improve access to research produced at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and to:

• Promote publishing by early-career researchers
• Enable authors to retain their copyrights
• Accelerate the online availability of peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles generated by UMB researchers
• Raise campus awareness about the benefits of open access

Since July 1, 2024, the fund has granted awards to 22 UMB researchers. They represent all the schools the HSHSL supports – Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work – and include students, post docs and assistant professors. In the previous four years, the fund has supported open access publishing for more than 90 UMB scholars.
The amount guaranteed at this point in this fiscal year is about two-thirds of the fund’s overall budget, so please apply soon if you are interested.

For more information and to apply, please visit the HSHSL’s APC page.

With the fall semester in full swing, the HSHSL would like to share some tips to help you get the most out of your time at UMB.

• Need to study with a group, or just want to have a space to shut out distractions? You can reserve study rooms throughout the 2nd and 3rd floors. No reservations are needed for other library study spaces.
• Want a fast and easy way to access the full text of articles through the Library? Add the LibKey Nomad extension to your browser. Select University of Maryland, Baltimore as your organization and you are good to go.
• Need help? Our Information Services staff are here for you. Visit in person at the desk on the 1st floor, call 410-706-7995, or use the online chat to get assistance with searching databases, locating items, scanning documents, and more. Go to the Ask Us! page to use the online chat or view answers to frequently asked questions.
• Want to learn a new skill, or need a refresher on a resource you haven’t used in a while? Visit our YouTube channel to view video tutorials on topics ranging from literature searching in PubMed to citation management using Zotero. For more in-depth research help, you can request a consultation with a librarian.
• Forgot your charger and your electronic device is about to die? Use our first floor charging station, located near the restrooms. These secure lockers contain cords compatible with various devices.

In collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs, the HSHSL is offering a temporary faith and religious practice space for students, faculty, and staff. Located in Room 302 near the GRID, the space is open during library hours. It has been recently updated and is clearly labeled. The Office of Student Affairs and HSHSL worked together to develop guidelines for its use. Come and experience the space for yourself.

Accessibility tools are now available for checkout at the Information Services desk. See how they work for you, and let us know if you have requests for additional tools.

LED Page Magnifier
This tool can be placed on top of physical texts, such as newspapers, textbooks, and magazines, to enlarge the text for easier reading.

Large Print Backlit Keyboard (USB)
This backlit keyboard features larger-than-standard text on each key for easier viewing.

Vertical Computer Mouse (Wireless)
This ergonomic mouse is designed to fit the shape of your hand for more comfortable use.

Adjustable Laptop Stand
This stand can be raised and angled to promote a more comfortable posture when using your laptop.

Desktop Stand
This flat-top stand can be adjusted and raised to hold your PC, books, or other study materials for more comfortable viewing.

On May 1, the Region 1 Office of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) kicked off another exciting year. With a network of over 1,900 member organizations across eight states and the District of Columbia, we continue to be committed to providing quality health information and resources. This year, Region 1 will continue to focus on our core activities funding, training, and outreach.

Funding Health Information Projects: We’re excited to support our member organizations by providing funding through our Express Outreach and Education awards. These awards provide support for projects that improve health information literacy and increase the ability of patients, family members, students, and members of the public to find and use health information; or improve health professionals’ access to, awareness of, and skills for locating high-quality biomedical and health information.  

Training: Mark your calendars for our November Rural Health Webinar Series! This month-long webinar series will engage participants with information regarding rural health issues, research findings, and innovative approaches to health information access and policy informing the delivery of health care in rural communities.
In addition to the Rural Health series, NNLM provides a variety of training webinars on health-related topics, many of which offer continuing education credits – notably the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) certification through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC).

Stay Connected with NNLM Region 1

To stay informed about upcoming events, webinars, and funding opportunities, connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn.

You can register for the Rural Health series and explore our other training webinars and opportunities at nnlm.gov/training

For the third year in a row, the HSHSL hosted Anisah Allen this summer as part of the Youthworks Internship Program. The Youthworks Program is run by the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office with UMB being a supporting host for the students aged 14 to 21. The goal is to provide Baltimore youth with valuable job experience within the city. This summer Anisah worked with Tara Wink, Historical Collections librarian and Sarah Weirich, Resource Development librarian.   

For Historical Collections, Anisah helped to prepare the 2025 HSHSL Calendar, identifying botanicals for this year’s theme and providing helpful research about the plants. Anisah completed an inventory of the medical course catalogs in the collection, making it easier to identify missing years for future acquisition and digitization purposes. Anisah also digitized several volumes, making the materials more accessible, and helped plan a future exhibit.

For Resource Development, Anisah worked diligently to update the Howard Dubowitz collection in the UMB Digital Archive. Dr. Howard Dubowitz, a professor of Pediatrics, heads the Division of Child Protection and directs of the Center for Families at the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Medicine. His collection in the UMB Digital Archive links out to his prolific publications on child neglect prevention. Using Dr. Dubowitz’s current CV, Anisah ensured that the collection accurately represents his published works by identifying duplicate records and adding missing publications.

This summer marked the final year of Youthworks Program eligibility for Anisah, who is now a senior at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. In the three summers she worked at the HSHSL, Anisah completed several projects that have improved access to library materials. It has been an honor to work with her, and the HSHSL wishes her the very best!

Promotions

Faith Steele, MLS, MIM, AHIP, has been selected as the executive director of the National Network of the Library of Medicine (NNLM), Region 1, effective Aug. 26, 2024. Faith joined Region 1 in 2022 as an outreach and education librarian and has served as interim executive director since May 2024. In her new role, she will manage a diverse team of librarians and staff and will be responsible for developing programs and services to meet regional health information needs. She will report to Emily J. Hurst, associate vice provost and dean of the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL), and will also serve on the HSHSL leadership team, contributing to decisions about the Library’s programs, services, and resources.

Amy Yarnell, MLS, has been promoted to head the department of Data and Bioinformation Services (DABS). Amy joined the HSHSL in 2019 as a data services librarian. In her new role, Amy will be responsible for strategically expanding the HSHSL’s strong foundation of support for data and bioinformatics and fostering a collaborative environment that empowers researchers with the tools, skills, and guidance they need to manage and leverage data more effectively.

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Highlights

Everly Brown, MLIS, has been accepted into the UMB Faculty Leadership Development Program (FLDP). The program aims to help UMB faculty advance their careers by enhancing leadership skills and preparing them to seize future opportunities.

Jordan Heustis has been accepted into the UMB Emerging Leaders Program. This professional development opportunity explores universal leadership principles and applies them to the culture at UMB. Starting in September, the yearlong program consists of interactive and informative sessions.

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Publications

Tiffany Chavis, MSW, MLIS, co-authored “Piloting Reparative Description and Metadata in SNAC via the Indigenous Description Group,” published in the April 2 edition of Descriptive Notes, a blog by the Society of American Archivists.

Christine Hislop, MSLIS, published the article “Exploring Freely Available Data Tools to Support Open Data and Open Science” in the Journal of Hospital Librarianship.

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Posters & Presentations

Tiffany Chavis was a panel speaker for the webinar “Ten Years of the Maryland Traditions Archives,” hosted by the Maryland State Arts Council in April.

Christine Hislop presented the poster “Librarian Teach Thyself: Exploring Natural Language Processing Tools for De-identification as a Window into AI for Librarians” at the International Association for Social Science Information Service & Technology (IASSIST) conference in Canada. She also co-presented the virtual session “Teaching Librarians About NLP Tools for Clinical Text De-identification” at the May MLA meeting in Portland, Oreg.

Faith Steele presented a group poster titled “Teaching Telehealth to Librarians” at the Medical Library Association Conference. She attended the meeting in Portland, Oreg., to discuss the poster and findings.

Tara Wink, MLS, and Jordan Heustis delivered a presentation at the LAMPHHS (Librarians, Archivists, and Museum Professionals in the History of Health Sciences) conference in May. Their presentation, titled “Mrs. Doctor’s Wife: Reidentifying Women in the Archives,” was well-received.