Archive for the ‘Volume 12’ Category

September 2018 – Volume 12 – Number 4

Welcome – Expertise, Resources, Place!

M.J. Tooey

M.J. Tooey, executive director

The start of a new academic year gives me an opportunity to tell you about all the amazing things going on at the HS/HSL. Since we tend to organize ourselves around our three-word byline – Expertise, Resources, Place – I thought I would try to frame my column around those areas as well.

So, in addition to the usual things we do, such as teach, collaborate, provide consultations, acquire and lend books and articles, and provide interesting exhibits, here are some highlights about what you can look forward to this year.

Expertise

  • Continuing to build our strong research services, we have reorganized the research section of our website to increase the visibility and accessibility of our expert services that support the research enterprise from idea to impact. In addition to our research data management services, we also help with data management and visualization, and research impact studies.
  • The Southeastern Atlantic Regional Medical Library of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine continues to provide expertise in the products of the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Of notable interest is our engagement with the NIH All of Us Precision Medicine Initiative, where we are working with public libraries educating and informing the public about the benefits of research and precision medicine in particular.

Resources

  • The UMB Digital Archive will be rebuilt on a new, cloud-based platform.
  • The HS/HSL will be undertaking a complete reimagining of its website in FY19.
  • Look for an announcement in the near future about a multi-year project to acquire digital backfiles of many of our most popular journals, giving our users access, in many cases, all the way back to the beginnings of a journal…online!

Place

  • Coming soon, a new improved 3D printer in the Innovation Space.
  • A redesign of the main and second floor study areas and other new furniture throughout the building.
  • Lots of great upcoming exhibits in the Weise Gallery, including one featuring the art of Maryland’s First Lady, Yumi Hogan.

We have so much going on that it is impossible to capture it all here, so watch the digital displays, The Elm, Campus Life Weekly, email, and our website.

And as I say every year – Welcome and Welcome Back!

Doing Research?

Doing Research?

Research services are now front and center on the Library’s refreshed home page, increasing the visibility of the many research services we have to offer. It’s now easier than ever to schedule a library research consultation, collaborate on a systematic review, use the High Performance Computer or iSpace, print a poster, and much more.

Arranged in four themes – Help with Your Research, Publish and Present Your Research, Increase the Impact of Your Research, and Bioinformatics and Innovative Technologies – there are 15 distinct services available to ensure your research success. Visit us at hshsl.umaryland.edu and look for “Doing Research?”

Meet the Makers – The Neurobiology of Pain Modulation: From Placebo Effects to Virtual Reality

Meet the Makers

HS/HSL’s Meet the Makers is a series of open talks focusing on emerging technology in the life sciences. Please join us on Oct. 17, 2018 from noon to 1 p.m. for a talk featuring Dr. Luana Colloca, MD, PhD, MS, of the University of Maryland Schools of Medicine and Nursing. Dr. Colloca’s lecture focuses on the neurobiology of placebo effects and virtual reality, with an emphasis on relevant discoveries, new insights, and developments. The talk will take place in the Library’s fifth floor Gladhill Boardroom.

A light lunch will be provided. Please RSVP here.

Wikipedia Edit-a-thon at HS/HSL

Wikipedia

Wikipedia is growing in popularity because of its accessibility, user-friendliness, and increasingly reliable content. Such content would not be available if not for individuals working to create reputable Wikipedia pages on topics people need.

Are you interested in helping to improve a resource students, faculty, staff, and the community use daily? The HS/HSL is proud to host a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon to help improve one of the most accessed sources of online health information. On Nov. 7, health professionals, students, and librarians from all over the country will join forces for an all-day edit-a-thon. Participants will edit Wikipedia articles on women’s health topics and improve citations using trusted National Library of Medicine (NLM) resources. The HS/HSL is hosting a two-hour drop-in session with librarians from the HS/HSL and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. If you are unable to attend the event, you can still participate virtually all day.

Prior to the Nov. 7 Edit-a-thon, the HS/HSL will provide a Wikipedia training to help users learn how to create a Wikipedia account, make edits, and use NLM resources to improve the world’s largest encyclopedia. The training will take place on Oct. 10 at the HS/HSL in Room LL05 on the Lower Level.

To learn more about Wikipedia and the impact it has had globally, you can watch the recording of last year’s Wikipedia training from Dr. James Heilman.

Register to join us for the #citeNLM2018 Fall Wikipedia Edit-a-thon!

The Library Genie Returns Oct. 1

Library Genie

The Library Genie is coming back! Last year he asked for your 3 library wishes, and you responded. We can happily say 3 library wishes were granted.

  1. You asked for more standing desks. We added 10 mobile, height-adjustable desks throughout the Library.
  2. You asked for updated study rooms and charging/electrical plugs on study tables. We added 8 new display monitors in select study rooms on Floors 3 through 5. We also installed 44 tabletop charging/electrical plugs on Floors 1, 2, and 5 for your convenience.
  3. You asked for more comfortable chairs. 80 of our wooden chairs have been reupholstered for a more comfy experience, and 10 more upholstered lounge chairs dot the building.
  4. Bonus! You’ve asked for more of your favorite blue wheelie task chairs. The Genie is taking this request seriously, so look for future updates…

The Library Genie will be accepting wishes from Oct. 1 to 31.

  • How would you like to see the Library’s space designed so it meets your needs?
  • What about resources and services the Library could provide?
  • How could the Library better assist you with your research, education, or clinical needs?
  • Are there any new technologies you would like the Library to offer?

Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World

Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World

Created by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., this three-year exhibition marks the 100th anniversary of the devastating 1918 influenza pandemic. The exhibit – adapted for use by the HS/HSL and presented alongside a complementary UMB-created exhibit, “The 1918 Flu Epidemic and Baltimore: 100 years Later” – is on display in the Frieda O. Weise Gallery through Oct. 14, 2018.

The exhibit’s main message is “One Health,” which promotes awareness that human health, animal health, and environmental health are closely connected. Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World also emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary responses to stop outbreaks – and highlights the impact those outbreaks have on communities.

Visit the Weise Gallery web page to learn more about the Outbreak exhibit and to register for accompanying events. The Library will host a flu shot clinic on Oct. 4. And on Oct. 5, a luncheon/lecture, “The ‘Spanish Flu’ of 1918, What’s Past is Prologue,” will be presented by Philip Mackowiak, the engaging infectious disease specialist, emeritus professor of medicine, and Carolyn Frenkil and Selvin Passen History of Medicine Scholar-in-Residence.

Scholarly Publishing Workshop Series

As part of this year’s Open Access Week, the HS/HSL will be hosting a Scholarly Publishing Workshop Series.

Tuesday, Oct. 23

Noon to 12:30 p.m. Choosing the Right Journal for Your Research

  • Key factors to consider when choosing a journal
  • Tools to help you identity potential journals that match your research

12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Open Access and Predatory Publishing

  • What is open access and why should you publish in OA journals?
  • Red flags and evaluating journal quality

Wednesday, Oct. 24

Noon to 12:30 p.m. Author IDs

  • Author IDs in ORCID, Google Scholar, and Scopus
  • How author IDs can enhance your impact

12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Drop-in session for individual help with your author ID

Thursday, Oct. 25

Noon to 12:30 p.m. Enhancing Your Research Impact

  • Establishing your scholarly identity
  • Making strategic publishing decisions

12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Drop-in session for individual help with enhancing your impact

All workshops will be held in Room LL03 on the Library’s Lower Level. Walk-ins are welcome, but you may also register.

Showcasing and Preserving UMB CURE Scholars’ Works

The HS/HSL is pleased to announce the inclusion of works by UMB CURE Scholars in the UMB Digital Archive. The CURE (Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience) initiative, a NIH National Cancer Institute program, supports and guides underrepresented high school students toward careers as health care providers and medical clinicians.

UMB was the first to take the program a step further, providing mentoring and guidance to middle school students from three Baltimore schools. Young scholars from these schools participated in the first UMB CURE Cancer Disparities Symposium (2017) and presented the results of their research, which included detailed medical illustrations of healthy and unhealthy conditions with posters describing the conditions and disparities. The HS/HSL is proud to preserve the work of these youngest members of our community.

Bile Duct Cancer by Lamar Hill and Tyler McKenzie

Bile Duct Cancer by Lamar Hill and Tyler McKenzie

Colorectal Cancer by Darien Hall and Tai’yon Morris-Weaver

Colorectal Cancer by Darien Hall and Tai’yon Morris-Weaver

The UMB CURE Cancer Disparities Symposium (2017) works are in the UMB Digital Archive community “Office of the President,” collection UMB CURE Scholars Program, together with all works by and about the scholars and the program. Works from 2018 are currently being added to the Archive.

The UMB Digital Archive is a service of the HS/HSL that digitally collects, preserves, and distributes the campus’s intellectual output and historical record. The UMB CURE Scholars’ work will be preserved and publicly displayed here in perpetuity.

If you are interested in submitting material to the UMB Digital Archive, please email the Archive Team.

Meet Your Librarian

Each school has a dedicated librarian who provides high quality research services for faculty, staff, and students.

What your librarian can do for you

  • Consult with you to assist with literature searching and research
  • Collaborate on comprehensive literature searches for systematic reviews
  • Gather data to measure your individual, group, or departmental research impact
  • Teach citation management using EndNote, Zotero, and other systems
  • …and much more! Visit Doing Research? on our website to see all the ways librarians can support your research, teaching, and class projects.

Who is the librarian for my school?

Mary Ann Williams, MSLS Dentistry
Mary Ann Williams, MSLS
mwilliams@hshsl.umaryland.edu
410-706-8863
Andrea Shipper, MSLIS Medicine
Andrea Shipper, MSLIS
ashipper@hshsl.umaryland.edu
410-706-8868
Emilie Ludeman, MSLIS

Nursing
Emilie Ludeman, MSLIS
eludeman@hshsl.umaryland.edu
410-706-6852

Yunting Fu, MSLIS

Nursing
Yunting Fu, MSLIS
yfu@hshsl.umaryland.edu
410-706-1315

Emily Gorman, MLIS, AHIP Pharmacy
Emily Gorman, MLIS, AHIP
efgorman@hshsl.umaryland.edu
410-706-8875
Gail Betz, MSLIS Social Work
Gail Betz, MSLIS
gbetz@hshsl.umaryland.edu
410-706-6851

TOP 10 Reasons to Love the HS/HSL

October is National Medical Librarians Month and here are some of the reasons we think the HS/HSL is special.

  1. Expert Information Services staff – The Information Services Desk is staffed 7 days a week during the school year. We can help with database searching, finding articles, technical issues, and directions on how to use the Library’s resources, tools, and services. Reach us at hshsl@umaryland.edu, 410-706-8864, or by our Ask Us real-time chat.
  2. Research consultations – Meet one-on-one or as a group with librarians from your school to help you search the literature and locate evidence.
  3. Library services for distance students – The Library has a curated guide set up to orient distance education students and assist them in succeeding at UMB
  4. Journals and databases – More than 112 databases and 4,252 journals from medicine to social work, are a great place to start your assignments, research or projects. Offsite access is available from our website with your UMID and password.
  5. Interlibrary Loan – If the Library does not own an article that you need, request it and library staff will quickly retrieve it from another library, emailing you a link to a PDF.
  6. Space to study – The Library is full of study carrels, tables, and group study rooms where you can study individually or collaborate with others. The building is spacious with lots of windows. Floors 1 and 2 are more busy and conversational, while floors 3 through 5 are quiet floors.
  7. Presentation practice studio – UMB students, faculty, and staff can reserve this space to practice group or individual presentations. Equipment for video recording and editing is also available.
  8. Innovation Space – The "iSpace" is designed for innovative and collaborative hands-on learning experiences. It offers 3D printers, two 3D scanners, a plotter for poster printing, a button maker, a virtual reality headset and apps to explore, zSpace Visible Body to study human anatomy in 3D, and more.
  9. Printing and scanning – Scanners, printers, and photocopiers are available in the building for your use.
  10. Relaxation – The Library houses a leisure reading collection and engaging exhibits. It can also be a quiet place to catch a quick nap!

Let us know why you ♥ the Library!

New Staff

James Stephens, MEd, MLIS

James Stephens, MEd, MLIS

James Stephens, MEd, MLIS, joined the HS/HSL in June as the associate director for Computing and Technology Services. He worked previously at UMBC, managing its library IT services team. Prior to that, James worked in Systems, Reference, and Instruction at Savannah State University. As division head of technology and as a member of the Library’s management team, James brings a dedication to customer service and an interest in exploring new applications for technology. He is looking forward to getting to know the university community.

Jason Stoyles, BS

Jason Stoyles, BS

Jason Stoyles, BS, joined HS/HSL in June as a senior web developer. He comes to us from HealthStream Inc., where he spent most of his career working in the health care technology space. Jason will help further the mission of the HS/HSL by working to develop and manage HS/HSL websites and web applications. He is excited to be part of a team dedicated to health sciences and human services and looks forward to making a meaningful impact here.

Staff News

Honors

Colette Beaulieu was re-elected to the UMB Staff Senate for a 2-year term. She was also elected as communications officer and will serve on the Staff Senate’s Executive Committee for 1 year, overseeing all communications, web presence, and social media.

Tony Nguyen, MLIS, AHIP, was promoted to executive director of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine’s (NNLM) Southeastern Atlantic (SEA) Regional Medical Library effective June 11, 2018. The NNLM SEA office is located on the fifth floor of the HS/HSL. The program is designed to advance the progress of medicine and improve public health by providing equal access to biomedical information, and to improve the public’s access to information that can help them make informed decisions about their health. The NNLM SEA region provides health information education and outreach programs in Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia.

M.J. Tooey, MLS, AHIP, FMLA, has been selected as a mentor for the 2018-2019 NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program, sponsored by the National Library of Medicine and the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries. The Program prepares emerging leaders for director positions in academic health sciences libraries through a yearlong mentoring relationship with a director of another library and a curriculum focused on developing leadership knowledge critical to enhancing the value of libraries in their institutions. In this highly competitive program, Tooey will be one of five mentors paired with five fellows from academic health sciences libraries across the U.S. who will begin their work together in November. Since the program began in 2002, 54% of all fellow graduates have assumed director positions. More information about the program is available here.

Lauren Wheeler, MLIS, was the winner of the 2018 MAC Conference Scholar Program. This award is designed to assist new librarians to attend the annual meeting, providing registration, lodging, and a one-year MAC membership.

 

Publications & Presentations

Aphrodite Bodycomb, MSM, MBA, presented “Tapping into the Power of Personal Influence,” on June 6, 2018 for the Empowering Excellence, Employee Professional Development Day at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Everly Brown, MLIS, and Persia Drummond, BS, co-presented “A Merged Service Desk: Dealing with Unforeseen Challenges, Two Years On” at the USMAI User Services Advisory Group Meeting in Columbia, MD on June 8, 2018. Brown also represented the perspective of Access Services in a panel discussion at the same event.

Everly Brown and Kathleen Hand, BS, co-presented a poster, “Engaging Instructors in E-reserves” at the Towson Conference for Academic Libraries (TCAL) in July 2018.

Vickie Campbell and Lorrie Woods, BA, co-presented a poster, “ILL Cost Recovery at University of Maryland, Baltimore,” at TCAL in July 2018.

Katherine Downton, MSLIS, was among the co-authors of “Autism Interventions in India: A Systematic Review,” published in the Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders in Sept. 2018.

Emily Gorman, MLIS, co-presented a paper, “Mortal or Moodle? Working with Faculty to Move Library Instruction Online,” at the TCAL in July 2018, along with Catherine Staley, MLS, of Loyola Notre Dame Library.

Tony Nguyen, MLIS, AHIP, co-presented “Training, Program Ideas, Health Information Resources, and Funding from the NNLM” at the Health Information for Public Librarians Symposium at the Medical Library Association Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA on May 22, 2018.

Tony Nguyen published “Technology: Infographic Design Tools” in MLA (Medical Library Association) News in July 2018.

M.J. Tooey presented “Advancing, Transforming and Leading Information Through an Academic Health Sciences Library’s Innovation Space,” taught the continuing education course, “Do You Want to Be a Library Director?” and co-led a discussion session for the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force at the Medical Library Association (MLA) Annual Meeting in Atlanta, May 18-23, 2018. Tooey was also a co-panelist on a Collaboration for Innovation panel that explored book editing at the Elsevier MLA Luncheon.

The “Spanish” Influenza Pandemic in Baltimore, 1918-1919

The Spanish Flu

“The Spanish Flu,” a poem from The Mirror yearbook, 1919, written by Richard W. Schafer, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (B.C.D.S.), class of 1921. The B.C.D.S. became part of the University of Maryland in 1924.

The “Spanish Flu,” as the Influenza Pandemic is known, was a worldwide pandemic that caused 50 to 100 million deaths, including about 675,000 mortalities in the U.S.  The flu hit the U.S. in three waves: the first in the spring of 1918, the second and deadliest later that fall, and the third and final in the winter of 1918-1919.

Brought by military transport ships, the pandemic reached the Baltimore region in Sept. 1918, with the first cases reported in the Baltimore Sun on Sept. 24 at the military camps around the city.  Civilian contract workers employed at Fort McHenry, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Camp Holabird, and Camp Meade brought the flu into the city.  By Sept. 28, the first civilian cases were reported at Mercy Hospital.

Dr. John D. Blake

Dr. John D. Blake, a photograph from the HS/HSL’s Historical Collections Department. Dr. Blake was Health Commissioner for the City of Baltimore during the 1918 Flu Pandemic, an 1875 graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and clinical professor of surgery at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine.

Initially, the city health commissioner, Dr. John D. Blake, College of Physicians and Surgeons class of 1875, urged civilians not to panic and refused to pass ordinances regulating civilian life.  He claimed the virus was nothing doctors had not successfully treated for years.  Dr. C. Hampson Jones, chief of the communicable diseases bureau of the Maryland Board of Health and professor of hygiene and public health at the UM School of Medicine, supported Dr. Blake’s claims, indicating there was no cause for alarm.  Both doctors’ actions were similar to those of other health officials across the nation.  With the country engaged in World War I, official policy was to limit panic and maintain focus on the war effort.

A week and a half after the initial cases hit the city, the number of flu victims exceeded the number of hospital beds in the city, and hospitals began turning patients away. Although emergency hospitals were opened in the city, many suffered at home without medical attention.  World War I had also called up doctors and nurses to serve overseas or at training facilities in the U.S. Those who remained in the city were heavily overworked, and many fell ill themselves, catching the virus from their patients. With these shortages, health professionals were in such high demand that ads for nurses in the local papers offered up to $100 a week.

On Oct. 8, the superintendent of schools, C.J. Koch, defied Dr. Blake’s direction and closed all public schools. Koch cited a total of 30,000 student and 208 teacher absences on Oct. 7 alone.  Worker absenteeism was also rampant across the city.

On Oct. 9, U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Rupert Blue, UM School of Medicine Class of 1892, issued a public health ordinance closing theaters, public schools, colleges, dance halls, and other public places.  Dr. Blake complied by closing public buildings and prohibiting public funerals.  He also restricted store hours and asked the streetcar operator to limit overcrowding and ensure proper ventilation in its streetcars.  By October 11, churches and poolrooms were also closed. Saloons remained open at reduced business hours, owing to the belief that alcohol provided medicinal powers.

Incidence of Spanish flu peaked in Baltimore on Oct. 10, with 1,962 new cases of recorded.  On Oct. 16, the city recorded over 200 deaths, the highest daily death rate for the flu pandemic in Baltimore.  The surge in deaths caused a shortage of coffins and took a toll on undertakers.  Entire families were lost to the flu, and burial expenses became unbearable for some.  To alleviate this problem, Mayor James H. Preston committed $25,000 to help the poor bury their loved ones.  The health department also recruited 50 workers from other services and departments to help dig graves.  The flu hit the poor and minorities the hardest.  Immigrants in overcrowded, unsanitary housing in East Baltimore and African Americans restricted to black-only hospitals suffered especially high mortality rates.

At one point, 175 bodies remained unburied or only partially buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery, a traditionally African American cemetery.  Some bodies lay piled up for days.  On Oct. 27, 342 soldiers from Camp Meade arrived to help bury the dead at the cemetery.  They worked until midnight to ensure all had been properly buried.

The experience of the University of Maryland during the pandemic is largely undocumented and somewhat lost to history.  In 1918, the University included the School of Medicine, the Training School for Nurses (predecessor of the School of Nursing), School of Pharmacy, School of Law, and the School of Dentistry.  While there were a few deaths and illnesses among faculty and students, most existing documents express less concern about the flu than frustration over the war and the disruption caused by the Student Army Training Corps. Like other schools in Baltimore, the University cancelled classes for roughly three weeks during the height of the epidemic.

As flu cases declined, Dr. Blake began lifting the bans he had placed on the city. On Oct. 26, stores could be open for extended hours and places of entertainment could reopen for limited periods. Two days later, churches and other places of worship could reopen.  Finally, on Nov. 3, schools reopened.

The city would remain open throughout the third wave of infection despite some spikes in flu cases.  In total, the city lost 4,125 people to the flu out of an estimated 24,000 total cases.  Baltimore had the fourth largest percentage of population loss among major U.S. cities, following Philadelphia, Fall River, MA, and Pittsburgh.  Life expectancy across the U.S. fell by 12 years as a result of the flu pandemic.

May 2018 – Volume 12 – Number 3

The GDPR – Why Should We Care?

M.J. Tooey

M.J. Tooey Executive Director

A few weeks back, I had an opportunity to attend the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) meeting in San Diego. I particularly like the meeting because there are real-life presentations from institutions working on interesting network, education, library, and information technology problems and projects. All in all, I probably attended around 10 presentations in a one day format. In light of recent Facebook data issues, the most compelling presentation by far was on the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The GDPR is, simply put, an EU regulation on individual data protection and privacy that goes into effect on May 25. It aims to give control of personal data back to citizens. This will have a major effect on all European and foreign companies holding the data of EU citizens. Even England, with its Brexit status, has agreed to enforce and adhere to the new regulation. GDPR compliance will be strictly enforced, with penalties equaling 4 percent of worldwide revenue or 20 million euros, whichever is higher.

The presentation I attended was by a representative of a major European publisher, and it was obvious they were taking the new regulation very seriously. Although the GDPR contains more specifics on how companies will collect, protect, store, and destroy personal data than can be addressed in this column, here are a few key points: Companies that collect personal data must explain what data they intend to collect and why. All personal data a user provides must be available and portable to that user. There are extensive sections on the rights of the consumer. And because the law protects individuals in the EU even when their data is gathered and used elsewhere, the regulation will affect publishers, banks, search engines, universities, tech companies, etc., and will have broad implications for any entity doing business with the 28 EU countries.

If you want to learn more, you can visit the GDPR public portal, read Nitasha Tiku’s overview in WIRED magazine, “Europe’s New Policy Law Will Change the Web, and More“, or simply search the term “GDPR.” Facebook indicated recently that it plans to comply with the GDPR’s data privacy rules, and not just with GDPR “controls and settings.”

Virtual Reality Headset Available at HS/HSL Innovation Space

HTC Vive VR Headset

Explore immersive worlds of virtual reality at the HS/HSL Innovation Space! Our new HTC Vive VR headset puts you up close with human anatomy, molecular visualizations, underwater experiences, the physics of space, and more.

Stop by the iSpace during VR walk-in hours, weekdays between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Staff will be on hand to strap you in and guide you through this emerging technology.

See our VR guide for more information.

Fruit Ninja VR Study Break Contest – Game On

Fruit Ninja VR

Take a break from reality and slice up some virtual fruit salad! The HS/HSL’s Innovation Space is hosting a Fruit Ninja VR study break from May 7 through May 16.

The top score will receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Second and third place winners will earn $25 gift cards. To enter, take a screenshot of your high score and post it on social media (Twitter/Facebook) with the hashtag #HSHSLSTUDYBREAK.

Drop by to get your game on between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.

Discover and Share Data with the New UMB Data Catalog

UMB Data Catalog

The HS/HSL is proud to introduce the UMB Data Catalog, a searchable and browsable collection of records describing datasets generated by UMB researchers. The UMB Data Catalog promotes research collaboration and data sharing by facilitating the discovery of datasets that may be otherwise hard to find or unavailable from data repositories. Rather than functioning as a repository to store data, the Data Catalog provides information about datasets, including a description of the dataset, keywords, file format and size, access rights, and links to associated articles. With the UMB Data Catalog, researchers can describe their data and make it discoverable, but they are not required to share their data. Instead, the Catalog allows users to request data access through an author, an administrator, or a repository. By allowing researchers to identify common research interests and by supporting the sharing and reuse of research data, the UMB Data Catalog has the capacity to promote interdisciplinary collaboration.

The University of Maryland, Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL), is a member of the Data Catalog Collaboration Project (DCCP), along with New York University (NYU); the University of Pittsburgh; the University of Virginia; the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; and Duke University. Members run their own installations of the Data Catalog, developed by NYU, but work together to share and improve system design, content curation, and outreach efforts.

The HS/HSL thanks the researchers who have contributed to the UMB Data Catalog during its initial development phase.

  • Sergei P. Atamas, MD, PhD, School of Medicine
  • Peter Doshi, PhD, School of Pharmacy
  • Corey Shdaimah, LLM, PhD, School of Social Work
  • Jay Unick, MSW, PhD, School of Social Work

Help us build the UMB Data Catalog! If you are interested in submitting a dataset, have a suggestion for additional datasets to add, or need more information about the project, please Contact Us.


The UMB Data Catalog was developed by the University of Maryland, Health Sciences and Human Services Library in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under cooperative agreement number UG4LM012340 with the University of Maryland, Health Sciences and Human Service Library.

Advice for Grads

As the academic year comes to a close, we would like our graduating students to know what resources they can use after graduation.

  • Journals and Databases: Alumni retain access to HS/HSL’s electronic resources for 2 months after graduation. After that, you will need to visit the Library to use the onsite computers.
  • RefWorks: If you have saved references in RefWorks, consider migrating them to a freely available tool so you do not lose them when your access expires 2 months after graduation. Two free options, Mendeley and Zotero, are described on our Other Citation Managers page.
  • Free Databases: Once your electronic access expires, you will still have access to public databases for literature, drug information, and more. A few examples are highlighted below. Additionally, be sure to investigate what resources you have through your new workplace and any professional organizations of which you are a member.
Freely Available Databases Type of Information Can Be Used in Place of
PubMed Literature Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.
Google Scholar Literature Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.
NLM Drug Information Portal Drug Information Micromedex, Lexicomp, Natural Medicines
MedlinePlus Patient-Friendly Health Information Micromedex, Lexicomp, UpToDate, Natural Medicines
National Guideline Clearinghouse Clinical Practice Guidelines UpToDate
TRIP Database Literature Embase, CINAHL, Ovid MEDLINE
NCBI Databases Various – literature, chemical information, genetic/genomic information, etc. SciFinder, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) Literature Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.

The HS/HSL wishes you all the best in your future endeavors!

Movable Monitors Roam the HS/HSL

portable monitors

Four portable monitors have been placed around the Library. Feel free to move them to any table, study carrel, or study room you desire. There are two additional monitors that have been fixed in place, one on the 3rd and one on the 4th floor on the Greene Street side of the building.

HS/HSL Historical Collection Open House Event

Historical Collections Open House

To honor the memory of John Crawford, whose book collection founded the Library, the HS/HSL Historical Collections is opening its doors on May 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Hosted by the new historical librarian and archivist, Tara Wink, all are welcome and encouraged to join us to experience some of the treasures for yourself.

Stop in to see volumes from the Crawford Collection, materials documenting the exceptional history of the University of Maryland Baltimore, and letters from the Walter/Reed James Carroll Collection from the fourth U.S. Army Yellow Fever Commission. Additionally, two exhibits showcasing the University’s influence in World War I and the 1918 influenza epidemic will be exhibited. Come and page through historical volumes, such as De Medicina, published in 1497.

Light refreshments will be served.  The Historical Collections is located on the 5th floor of the HS/HSL in Room 503. For additional information, questions, or to donate items to the collections, please contact Tara Wink, twink@hshsl.umaryland.edu or 410-706-5048.

Dr. John Crawford and his Medical Library:

Dr. John Crawford

Dr. John Crawford passed away on May 9, 1813 after a short illness. After his death, the Faculty of Physic of the University of Maryland recognized the educational value of his collection and purchased his books from Eliza Godefroy, Crawford’s daughter, for $500.  This collection became the foundation of the school’s medical library, the first in America.

Dr. John Crawford was born in Ireland on May 3, 1746. He was educated at Trinity College of Dublin before starting his medical career as the surgeon on the Marquis of Rockingham of the East India Company. In 1779, Dr. Crawford was appointed surgeon to the naval hospital on Barbados, where he served until 1782, when a bout of ill health caused him to go to England. Once his health improved, he resumed his position in Barbados until accepting a new job as Surgeon-Major with the Dutch government at Demerara in 1790. Another health issue caused him to return to England in 1794.  While in Europe, he completed his MD degree from the University of Leyden. In 1796, Dr. Crawford moved to Baltimore, MD.

While in Baltimore, Dr. Crawford introduced the practice of vaccinating for smallpox in the summer of 1800 and was active in establishing the Baltimore Dispensary, which opened in 1801.  That same year, Dr. Crawford, a long standing Mason, was elected to the position of Grand Master of the Masonic Order in Maryland, a position he held until his death.

In 1807, Crawford published a series of works on the “Theory and Application to the Treatment of Disease.” In these publications, he outlined his theory that diseases were caused by animalculae (insects or worms). This theory was not well received by the medical community and was ultimately rejected by his colleagues.  Undeterred, Dr. Crawford continued to study this theory until his death.  In 1811, he commissioned a treatise entitled, “A Lecture Introductory to a Course of Lectures on the Cause, Seat and Cure of Diseases.  Proposed to be delivered in the City of Baltimore.” This treatise would become the foundation for the course of lectures he gave at his home in the fall of 1811. The following year, Crawford became Lecturer on Natural History at the University of Maryland Baltimore.

Unfortunately, Crawford’s theories on contagion were never accepted during his lifetime and he died a poor man, with the exception of his extensive library, believed to be the biggest medical library in Baltimore. It is unclear exactly how large the collection was when purchased for the University of Maryland, but estimates range from 300 to 450 volumes.  Today the collection includes 569 volumes of influential medical works.

New Staff

Lauren Wheeler, MLIS

Lauren Wheeler, MLIS

Lauren Wheeler, MLIS, joined the HS/HSL in March as the Information Services Librarian. She comes to us from Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan, where she worked as a Reference and Instruction Librarian. She received her Master of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University. As the Information Services Librarian, Lauren will work to provide expert search services to students, faculty, and staff. She is excited to learn more about the UMB community.

April Wright, MLS

April Wright, MLS

April Wright, MLS, joined the HS/HSL in April as the All of Us National Program Community Engagement Coordinator. She is responsible for working with public libraries to build programs and awareness around the All of Us National Research Program and health information literacy. She has worked both in and on behalf of public libraries and is active in various community literacy initiatives.

Staff News

Publications & Presentations

Everly Brown, MLIS and Shanell Stephens, BA, co-presented “We Want to Hear from You!” at the USMAI Access Services Annual Meeting in Columbia, MD on April 12, 2018.

Emily F. Gorman, MLIS, AHIP, co-presented “Mortal or Moodle? A Comparison of In-Person vs. Online Information Literacy Instruction” at the Distance Library Services Conference in San Antonio on April 13, 2018.

March 2018 – Volume 12 – Number 2

A Little About the All of Us Research Program

M.J. Tooey

M.J. Tooey Executive Director

Recently, due to its designation as the National Network of Libraries of Medicine’s (NNLM) Southeastern Atlantic (SEA) Region, the HS/HSL received one of eight three-year, $1.5 million All of Us Community Engagement through Public Libraries awards in support of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) All of Us Research Program.

Begun during the Obama administration in 2015, the All of Us Research Program endeavors to “gather data from one million or more people living in the United States to accelerate research and improve health.” The Program aims to understand how a person’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle can help determine the best approach to preventing or treating disease. Of particular interest are underrepresented populations that are not often found in research cohorts.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM), through its regional medical libraries and a national All of Us Coordination Center at the University of Iowa, will be reaching out to public libraries in targeted areas during the three years of the pilot funding. The NLM is the only NIH entity with a strong, experienced outreach arm, and NIH is leveraging the expertise and contacts found within the regional medical library system.

The HS/HSL has served as a regional medical library for over 30 years. As part of our work in the All of Us Research Program in Year 1, we reached out to the public library systems in Durham, NC and Memphis, TN. In Year 2, we will focus on Columbia, SC and Nashville, TN. This outreach consists of funding for each of the systems and educational and informational support. We have hired a Point of Contact, who is directly responsible for outreach to the library systems and for participation in national collaborations with the other regions and the All of Us national program.

The All of Us Research Program is still very much an evolving program. We are proud to be part of a national initiative that has the potential to make such a positive impact on our nation’s and our personal health. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

BrowZine Has Arrived

BrowZine is a convenient service that organizes articles found in Open Access and HS/HSL subscription databases. It can also deliver them to your mobile device in a consistent format.

BrowZine

What is BrowZine used for?

  • Find, read, save, email, and monitor the latest journal articles.
  • Browse by title or subject to find journals of interest.
  • Create a personal bookshelf of favorite journals.
  • Receive alerts when new issues are available.

Who has access to BrowZine?

  • BrowZine is free to all University of Maryland, Baltimore students, faculty, and staff.

How do I save articles I like?

  • Download PDFs to read offline.
  • Export to RefWorks and other citation management services.

Please Note:

  • HS/HSL’s print collection is not included in BrowZine.
  • A journal issue in BrowZine is not organized into sections like an issue formatted by the publisher. Sections such as “Letters to the Editor” are not labeled or separated. This is so that every journal appears in a consistent format determined by BrowZine.

Maker Expo Recap

HS/HSL Maker Expo

The HS/HSL Maker Expo took place on March 6, 2018 at the Southern Management Corporation (SMC) Campus Center. In attendance were health workers and researchers, educators, students, technologists, entrepreneurs, and librarians.

Exhibitors shared information about their services and provided hands-on demonstrations of 3D printers—including bio and resin printers—virtual and augmented reality systems, image analysis software, therapeutic robotics, and more. The following groups exhibited:

Local and national speakers presented on the use of prototyping tools and makerspaces in hospitals, 3D printing ear prostheses and patient-specific assistive devices, commercializing robotics therapy research, and supporting local medical device businesses. The following academic and industry experts presented:

  • Anna Young, CEO, MakerHealth (keynote)
  • Jeffrey Hirsch, MD, assistant professor, Department of Radiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
  • Amy Hurst, PhD, associate professor, Human Centered Computing, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  • Bradley Hennessie, co-founder, NextStep Robotics
  • Jeff Quinn, co-president, Engineered Medical Systems, Inc.

Library Genie Grants a Wish

Standing Desk

The Library Genie asks for your three library wishes every October and works hard to make as many as possible come true.

Tired of sitting for hours while you study? Irritated with having to stack up side tables to make an upright desk? At your request the Library purchased 10 standing desks that are now located throughout the building. The desks are height-adjustable and have wheels so that you can pull them to your favorite study spot.

Stay tuned for more wishes to be granted!

Historical Highlights: Blaustein Donations

In December, the HS/HSL’s Historical Collections received a remarkable donation from Dr. Mordecai Blaustein. Dr. Blaustein, a long-time professor of physiology and medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, has been a strong supporter of the HS/HSL for many years.

The most recent additions are especially impressive and include a first edition of William Withering’s An Account of the Foxglove, and Some of its Medical Uses, a volume with special meaning to Dr. Blaustein. In the volume, Withering describes the ways in which foxglove can be used to cure or help certain medical ailments, including congestive heart failure. Dr. Blaustein’s own research centers around heart disease and hypertension. The Withering volume includes a beautiful hand-painted engraving of a foxglove.

The donation also included a second edition of G.B. Duchenne’s De L’electrisation Localisee et de son application a la Pathologie et a la Therapeutique, originally published in 1855. Duchenne introduced a form of non-invasive electrotherapy in this volume. Duchenne is well-known for describing muscular dystrophy, a condition that now bears his name (Duchenne muscular dystrophy).

Finally, the gift included a three-volume set by Richard Bright titled Reports of Medical Cases. These volumes include beautiful hand-painted engravings depicting the effect of disease on various organs. Bright is known for his research and work involving the kidneys, and for his description of Bright’s disease, a form of kidney disease now known as acute or chronic nephritis.

Previous donations from Dr. and Mrs. Blaustein include volumes dedicated to the memory of Dr. Blaustein’s father, Norman Blaustein, who was an avid book collector. Dr. Blaustein credits his father with inspiring him to start his own book collection, which, in addition to the donated volumes, contained a copy of Johannes Kepler’s 1609 Astonomia Nova, and a number of herbals. Among the Blausteins’ previous donations to the HS/HSL are monographs on European travel, human muscle, and anatomy.

In 1992, Dr. Blaustein donated an 1824 Maryland dissertation on measles. The dissertation was discovered by his book dealer in a European book store and made its way back to UMB through Dr. Blaustein. The dissertation is now available through the Library’s UMB Digital Archive:.

Dr. Blaustein joined the faculty at the UMB School of Medicine in 1979 as chair of the Department of Physiology, a position he held until 2003. After stepping down from the chairman position, he remained a member of the Department of Physiology and also served as director of the Maryland Center for Heart, Hypertension and Kidney Disease, and as an affiliate professor in the Biotechnology Center of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute.

Scarred for Life: Every Scar Tells a Story

Ted Meyer

Ted Meyer

A fascinating exhibit by artist Ted Meyer will be on display April 4 to June 22, 2018. Ted Meyer is a nationally recognized artist, curator, and patient advocate who helps patients, students, and medical professionals see the positive in the worst life can offer. Ted’s 18-year project “Scarred for Life: Mono-prints of Human Scars” chronicles the trauma and courage of people who have lived through accidents and health crises.

Ted seeks to improve patient-physician communications and speaks about living as an artist with illness. Telling stories about his own art and the stories behind his scar art collection, he offers insight into living with pain, illness, and disfigurement. Ted has been featured on NPR and in the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and USA Today. His work has been displayed internationally in museums, hospitals, and galleries.

Ted’s rare niche mixes art, medicine, and stories of healing and survival, drawing from his experience as a lifelong patient with Gaucher Disease, an enzyme deficiency that affects bones and joints. Ted spent much of his childhood in severe pain. His work is influenced by his many hospital stays where he began mixing art and medical supplies. (How can you make something out of IV tubes, bandages, and pipe cleaners?) Contorted, graphic skeletal images appear in his early paintings, reflecting his belief that he would not reach his 30th birthday. He now considers himself normal and healthy, having outlived friends, family, and early expectations.

Exhibit: For All the People: A Century of Citizen Action in Health Care Reform

For All the People: A Century of Citizen Action in Health Care Reform

Health care reform has been a contentious political issue in the United States for more than a hundred years. From the beginning of the 20th century to today, citizens have made their voices heard in these debates. For All the People: A Century of Citizen Action in Health Care Reform tells the lesser-known story of how movements of ordinary people helped shape the changing American health care system.

This exhibition was developed and produced by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. It will be on display from February 12 to March 24, 2018 in the Library’s Weise Gallery.

New Staff

Aimee Gogan, MLIS

Aimee Gogan, MLIS

Aimee Gogan, MLIS, joined the HS/HSL in February as the health professionals and evaluation coordinator for the Regional Medical Library, where she is responsible for developing outreach projects and educational objects to improve information access for health professionals and those who work with health professionals. She previously worked at the HS/HSL as an intern from June through December 2018. She has experience working in public libraries and in a regulatory agency within the Maryland Department of Health. In her free time, she provides volunteer library support at a school serving students with special educational needs.

Tara Wink, MLS

Tara Wink, MLS

Tara Wink, MLS, is the HS/HSL’s new Historical Collections librarian. She comes to us from the F.H. Green Library at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she worked as the special collections librarian for over 7 years. She is excited to bring UMB’s archives to the people and is enjoying diving into the collections and learning about the history and traditions of our campus. She encourages those with UMB documents, such as letters, scrapbooks, memorabilia, and books to contact her about donating these items. Her aim is to improve the collections housed at the Library and to ensure that they encompass the history of all of the schools and the campus as a whole.

Staff News

Priscilla Anderson, BA

Priscilla Anderson, BA

Priscilla Anderson, BA, Information Services weekend supervisor, recently celebrated her 40th year (really 41st) at the HS/HSL. She was honored by the University at an award ceremony and luncheon on March 14. Priscilla worked for 20 years in the Cataloging department, one year in Interlibrary Loan, and has worked for the past 20 years as a supervisor in the Information Services department. She has been recognized repeatedly for her problem-solving skills and expertise. Her colleagues in Information Services recognized her milestone with a “champagne” break to celebrate her achievement.

Publications & Presentations

Tony Nguyen, MLIS, AHIP, co-authored “Rising Stars Research Projects 2016-2017: Action Research to Improve MLA’s Communities,” published in Hypothesis: Journal of the Research Section of the Medical Library Association (MLA).

Brian Zelip, MS, MA, presented the Affinity Group talk, “Using GitHub.com for Collaboration and Learning,” at the December 2017 annual MD Tech Connect meeting in Rockville, MD.

December 2017 – Volume 12 – Number 1

Good Luck with Finals and Happy Holidays!

Why All the Kerfuffle About ResearchGate and SciHub?

M.J. Tooey

M.J. Tooey Executive Director

ResearchGate, SciHub, and other scholarly sharing networks (SSNs) have been in the news recently, as publishers push back against article sharing on these sites. The Coalition for Responsible Sharing, an alliance of publishers whose members include the American Chemical Society, Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, Wiley, and Brill, recently issued “takedown notices” asking ResearchGate to remove copyright infringing articles. (See “ResearchGate: Publishers Take Formal Steps to Force Copyright Compliance.“) ResearchGate is a popular scholarly sharing network that many academics and researchers use as a platform for sharing articles. The heart of the matter is that many authors post articles on ResearchGate not realizing they have no right to do so because they assigned the copyright to the publisher. Legally speaking, these authors do not own the copyright.

A similar situation exists for SciHub and other SSNs. Many academics and researchers have the mistaken belief they can do what they wish with their published output. Certainly, in this era of public and open access, confusion can exist. Among academics, however, the issue may go beyond a simple lack of awareness or misunderstanding of copyright laws. A recent guest post in The Scholarly Kitchen blog entitled “Academics and Copyright Ownership: Ignorant, Confused, or Misled?” posits that many academics may also have a different understanding of what copyright means, feeling it is counter to scholarly culture.

Regardless of how academics understand copyright – or how any of us feel about open and public access – copyright ownership is a legal issue. Once an author signs away copyright, they have essentially signed away their rights to do with the article what they wish.

If you want to know more about the options for publishing and sharing your work, the Library can help. UMB authors who publish in journals that permit preprints or manuscripts to be entered into an institutional repository can submit their works to the UMB Digital Archive. For information about the Archive, contact the staff at ArchiveHelp@hshsl.umaryland.edu.

For more information about how you can share your scholarly output, Elsevier has published a helpful booklet delineating how articles published by Elsevier can be shared. There are also helpful sections on other issues related to article sharing.

Faculty librarians at the HS/HSL also have expertise in this area and can offer advice on retaining copyright, open and public access, and other issues related to scholarly communication. Visit our Publication Strategies guide for assistance.

HS/HSL Partners With the NIH All of Us Research Program

All of Us

The HS/HSL is pleased to announce a partnership with the NIH All of Us Research Program, part of the Precision Medicine Initiative.

The HS/HSL is one of eight institutions to serve as Regional Medical Libraries in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM). Through a cooperative agreement from the National Library of Medicine, the NNLM will focus on improving consumer access to high quality health information in communities throughout the United States, specifically working with public libraries. [Press Release]

This partnership is a three-year pilot program to support the All of Us Research Program. Activities in the pilot are designed to:

  • Help public libraries support the health information needs of their users;
  • Support community engagement through public libraries for All of Us; and
  • Operate the All of Us Training Center, the home for training and resources about and related to the program for consumers, health professionals, librarians, and researchers.

“Libraries serve as vital community hubs, and this collaboration presents a perfect opportunity to help the public understand how health research impacts all of us,” said Patricia Flatley Brennan, RN, PhD, director of NLM. “Working with our vast network of public libraries, we hope to contribute to medical breakthroughs that may lead to more tailored disease prevention and treatment solutions for generations to come.”

The All of Us Research Program aims to build one of the largest, most diverse datasets of its kind for health research, with one million or more volunteers nationwide who will sign up to share their information over time. Researchers will be able to access participants’ de-identified information for a variety of studies to learn more about the biological, behavioral, and environmental factors that influence health and disease. Their findings may lead to more individualized health care approaches in the future.

3D Print Your Holiday Ornaments!

3D Print Your Holiday Ornaments!

3D print a holiday-themed model at the HS/HSL Innovation Space now through December 20! To help get you started, we’ve compiled a selection of models from diverse cultural and religious communities. Please note that standard charges for 3D printing do apply. See our blog post for more details.

HS/HSL Cancels Web of Science

Scopus

Beginning January 2018, the HS/HSL will no longer license Web of Science, an abstract and citation database that includes Journal Citation Reports (JCR). A comparable database, Scopus, provides similar information to Web of Science. Since the Library can no longer afford to provide access to both resources, and because Web of Science was used much less often than Scopus, it was identified as a resource to discontinue. The rising cost of library resources combined with a flat resources budget resulted in this difficult decision.

Fortunately, the Library will continue to provide access to a comparable database, Scopus. It is the largest scholarly literature database available, offering researchers the ability to search across all disciplines, including basic sciences, social sciences, health sciences, and much more. Like Web of Science, Scopus allows searchers to discover documents that cite articles and view reference lists cited within articles. Scopus also offers tools for evaluating both individual and institutional scholarly output.

Alternatives to Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which allows researchers to determine the impact factor of a journal, are also available. Eigenfactor uses the same underlying data as Journal Citation Reports to rank journals within their disciplines. CiteScore uses Scopus data to provide journal rankings. Both metrics are freely available.

To learn more about Scopus and other options for evaluating the impact of research, please contact the Faculty Librarian for your School.

Graphic Medicine Collection

Graphic Medicine Collection

Ian Williams, a graphic artist, physician, and humanist, coined the term “graphic medicine” to describe “the interaction between the medium of comics and the discourse of healthcare.” Writing in BMJ (2010;340:c863), Michael J Green and Kimberly R Meyers argue that “graphic stories have an important role in patient care, medical education, and the social critique of the medical profession.” The juxtaposition of text and image, they claim, helps to lead to a “visceral understanding” that normal narratives cannot.

The HS/HSL has started a new collection of these innovative texts. Titles include Graphic Medicine Manifesto, Pain is Really Strange, and Bad Doctor: The Troubled Life and Times of Dr. Iwan James. They are shelved on the first floor of the Library next to the Leisure Reading Collection. The collection is small, but will grow over time. We would be happy to hear any suggestions you might have for new content.

Collection Realignment Process

At the beginning of this fiscal year, the HS/HSL was faced with flat subscription funding and rising subscription costs, meaning the collection would have to be realigned to stay within budget. Since the majority of the Library’s journals are subscribed to through bundles—large collections of journals that are priced significantly less than the sum of their à la carte prices—the process was much more complex than just trimming the least effective subscriptions until the budget was met. Instead, we were faced with having to cancel at least one of our large journal bundles.

The primary metric we use to measure the effectiveness of our journal subscriptions is cost-per-use (CPU). This is the price of the journal subscription divided by the number of full-text downloads from the journal over the course of a year. This information was gathered for each of the journal bundles and all of the individual journal titles to help guide decision making. Then a committee of faculty librarians met with representatives from each of the schools in June to discuss the issues and constitute a Collection Advisory Task Force.

Using the CPU data and the issues raised during the discussion, we constructed 16 possible scenarios for keeping the Library’s journal subscriptions within budget. For the remainder of the summer, the library committee met weekly to review the scenarios, identifying the three most effective, which were presented to the Collection Advisory Task Force.

  • Scenario A was to cancel all journal bundles and subscribe to the most effective journals on an individual basis. This would leave a journal collection of around 1,230 titles.
  • Scenario B was to keep all of the journal bundles and cancel individual subscriptions until the budget was met. About 2,978 titles would be retained. While this scenario would have kept the most journal titles, it would have had a major impact on titles from Springer and Taylor & Francis, major publishers whose titles are subscribed to individually.
  • Scenario C was to cancel the Wiley bundle, retaining the most important titles as individual subscriptions. About 2,738 titles would be retained.

All involved agreed that Scenario C was the best way to move forward for this fiscal year, with the understanding that if journal subscription prices continue to rise and the Library’s subscription budget remains flat that in a very few years we will be forced to follow Scenario A.

Fortunately, Academic Affairs was able to provide additional funding. This, combined with consortial savings, DRIF funds, and a partnership on the Wiley bundle with the Thurgood Marshall Law Library, meant that we were able to maintain all of our subscriptions this year. However, we recognize that this is just a solution for 2018. The work we did this summer and fall—particularly the constitution of the Collection Advisory Task Force—will be of great help when we face this problem in the future.

Bioinformatics and Data Science Workstation

Bioinformatics + Data Science Workstation

The HS/HSL recently added a bioinformatics workstation to the research commons area on the Library’s first floor. The high performance computer is loaded with licensed and open-source software and is dedicated to high-throughput data analysis for faculty, staff, and students of UMB.

Licensed Software

  • Pathway Studio
  • DNAStar Lasergene 15

Open-Source Software

  • Galaxy
  • R & R-Studio
  • Anaconda / Python
  • Broad – Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV)
  • Cytoscape
  • UNIX/Linux Bioinformatics tools

For more information, contact HS/HSL’s bioinformationist, Jean-Paul Courneya, by email jpcourneya@hshsl.umaryland.edu or phone 410-706-1784.

HS/HSL Maker Expo – March 6, 2018 – Save the Date!

UMB Maker Expo

Calling all makers, innovators, and entrepreneurs!

The HS/HSL Maker Expo is a networking and showcase event for anyone interested emerging technologies and health care. Join us at UMB’s Southern Management Corporation (SMC) Campus Center on March 6, 2018 for presentations on cutting-edge research and projects, relevant product and service vendors, networking, and more! Registration, speaker, and vendor information to be announced.

UMB Entrepreneur Toolkit

UMB Entrepreneur Toolkit

The HS/HSL has put together a toolkit of information for entrepreneurs and innovators interested in learning more about intellectual property, starting their own company, innovating, and other related topics.

Our guide was constructed with the help of innovative individuals at UMB and will be a “work in progress” to be updated with future suggestions from innovators in our community who would like to contribute to our toolkit.

If you know of a resource that would make a nice addition to our toolkit, please email us entre@hshsl.umaryland.edu. If you are including a webpage or website that you are directly responsible for, please include permission for us to link to it.

Library Genie 2017 Survey Results

The Library Genie!

During the month of October, the Library Genie asked for your top three library wishes. We have received your requests and are looking at ways to grant your library wishes!

The most persistent request we tallied this year was for more rolling blue chairs with arms (both task chairs and big comfy chairs). Your message has been heard on this one. Other top categories include new coffee vending options, better lighting, updated study rooms, and charging/electrical plugs on every tabletop. We thank you all for taking the time to help us make the HS/HSL a great place to be.

A first floor refresh committee is looking at ways to improve your experience, and the Genie is looking into possibilities for granting some of your wishes. We will keep you posted.

Collaborative Learning Room Now Available!

Collaborative Learning Room

After a recent renovation, the Distance Education Room on the Library’s lower level is now the Collaborative Learning Room. This flexible space can be used for collaborative hands-on learning, small group work, presentations, or meetings. The space seats up to 40 and contains chairs and tables on wheels to allow for a variety of setups. The room is equipped with five 75″ wall-mounted Samsung monitors. A computer connected to all five displays allows for simultaneous viewing, or users may bring their own devices to connect to individual displays, allowing for collaborative or group work. The displays connect using HDMI cables. Adaptors are available at the Information Services Desk.

To reserve the room, contact Library Administration at 410-706-7545.

Gender Neutral Bathroom

Gender neutral bathroom

The HS/HSL is proud to offer a gender neutral bathroom on our first floor. It is located in the same corridor as the other restrooms. It is equipped with a sink, mirror, and secure lock. We began this project with input from students who requested it through our Library Genie survey. We are pleased to have been able to grant this particular wish!

Unmasking the Trauma of War Luncheon and Guest Speaker

Unmasking the Trauma of War

The healing mask exhibit, “Unmasking the Trauma of War,” and guest speaker luncheon that took place on Monday, November 20, 2017 in the Gladhill Boardroom was a great success. Melissa Walker, MA, ATR, art therapist and healing arts program coordinator, shared the fascinating story of the art therapy program at the National Center of Excellence (NICoE). There, active service members explore the themes of patriotism, duality of self, and the physical and psychological pain so often experienced by our military servicemen and women.

The NICoE art therapy program, which encourages service members to externalize and then process their feelings and experiences, identifies artistically with the psychotherapeutic guidance of a credentialed art therapist. Works in this exhibit were created by military veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Melissa Walker, ATR

Melissa Walker, ATR

Melissa Walker moved to the National Capital Region to work for the Department of Defense after earning a master’s degree in art therapy from NYU. Melissa served as art therapist on Walter Reed’s inpatient psychiatric unit before transferring to the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE). Melissa also acts as lead art therapist for Creative Forces: NEA/Military Healing Arts Network, a collaboration that aims to expand arts access for the military population. Since its inception, the NICoE’s art therapy program has gained international recognition, including a National Geographic cover story and Melissa’s TEDMED talk featured as TED’s “talk of the day.”

UMB Employee of the Month

President Perman and Persia Drummond

Photo by Lou Cortina, Editor, UMB Communications and Public Affairs. UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD and Persia Drummond, HS/HSL Weekend Supervisor

Persia Drummond, BS, weekend supervisor, was honored by President Perman on November 20 with a certificate and check after winning UMB’s Employee of the Month award. Persia was recognized as an outstanding and dedicated employee, one who is a true professional and natural leader.

A few of the accolades she has received over the years were mentioned. For example, Dr. Philip Mackowiak, emeritus professor at the School of Medicine recently sent an email saying, “Just a short note of praise for Persia Drummond. I needed help in the library today and she went out of her way to see that I got what I needed.” Nancy Gordon, Executive Director, Protocol and Special Events, emailed in October 2015 to say, “I just wanted to let you know that Persia at the front desk was a huge help to me on Saturday for the CURE Launch Lunch! She was great!” Such service is in no way out of the ordinary for Persia. This is just a small collection of the compliments she has received over the years.

Congratulations, Persia!

New Staff

Yunting Fu, MLS

Yunting Fu, MLS

The HS/HSL is excited to “re-welcome” Yunting Fu, MLS, to our family of Research, Education and Outreach (REO) Librarians. She will be working with Emilie Ludeman, MSLIS, to serve the School of Nursing. She may be familiar to some as she previously worked at the HS/HSL from 2008 to 2013 as the REO librarian to the School of Pharmacy. She returns to us from the Laupus Library at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, where she served as liaison librarian to the College of Allied Health Sciences.

Staff News

M.J. Tooey, MLS, AHIP, FMLA, received a three-year All of Us Community Engagement through Public Libraries grant supplement worth more than $1,500,000. The supplement will support educational outreach in the areas targeted by the All of Us Research Program in the SE/A region. This NIH program is designed to gather data from more than one million United States residents to accelerate research and improve health.

Everly Brown, MLIS; Sandra Galvez; and Erin Latta completed the inaugural cohort of the UMBrella Coaching Program on November 14, 2017. The program was designed to empower women at UMB to achieve their potential and to reach their professional and personal goals.

Posters and Presentations

Everly Brown presented a lightning talk, “Dreaming up a New Poster Printing Service: One Library’s Experience,” at the October 2017 annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association (MAC/MLA) in Staunton, VA.

Ashley Cuffia, MLS, AHIP, presented “Are You Afraid of the Future? A Tale of an MLS Student’s Exploration of Health Science Librarianship” at the MAC/MLA October 2017 annual meeting in Staunton, VA.

Patricia Hinegardner, MLS, AHIP; Na Lin, MLS; and Meg Del Baglivo, MLS, presented a poster, “The Data Jigsaw Puzzle: Will Usage Data from Multiple Sources Document the Importance of Older Literature?” at the MAC/MLA October 2017 annual meeting in Staunton, VA.

Patricia Hinegardner; Na Lin; Maria Pinkas, MLS; and Meg Del Baglivo presented a poster, “The Power of Collaboration: Digitization of State Medical Society Journals 1900-2000 – The University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Experience,” at the MAC/MLA October 2017 annual meeting in Staunton, VA.

Na Lin; Angela D. Cochrane; and Patricia Hinegardner presented a poster, “Charting Unknown Territory: Digitizing Lab Notebooks,” at the MAC/MLA October 2017 annual meeting in Staunton, VA.

Na Lin; Patricia Hinegardner; Meg Del Baglivo; Jean-Paul Courneya, MS; and Brad Gerhart presented a poster, ” Promoting Discovery of Research Data: Implementing a Data Catalog at the University of Maryland, Baltimore,” at the MAC/MLA October 2017 annual meeting in Staunton, VA.

Tony Nguyen, MLIS, AHIP, was a co-author of “Advancing the conversation: next steps for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) health sciences librarianship” in the Journal of the Medical Library Association.

M.J. Tooey delivered the keynote address, “Casting Ourselves Forward: Expertise, Resources, Place,” at the Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association October 2017 annual meeting in Knoxville, TN.

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