Archive for the ‘Volume 14’ Category

September 2020 – Volume 14 – Number 4

HS/HSL Building Reopens!

Come in. We're open

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL) building reopened on Monday, September 14 after a 26-week closure. Throughout that time, as we continued to provide services while working from home, we knew that the Library space was also important to those who need a place to work and study. We have now opened floors 1 and 2 to UMB faculty, staff, and students with UMB One Cards, and to hospital staff with UMMC IDs. Hours are limited to Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Please see our reopening FAQ for information on how to safely visit the Library.

From the Executive Director

M.J. Tooey
M.J. Tooey, executive director

Historically, our annual Fall Return to UMB HS/HSL Connective Issues focuses on reminders about services and resources, and a look at our activities for the upcoming academic year. Well, this year, as we keep hearing over and over, we are in unprecedented times. Quite frankly, I would be happy to return to some “precedented times.” This issue is chock-full of all sorts of information primarily focused on the reopening of the HS/HSL building, which occurred in a limited fashion on September 14.

But, oh my have we been busy! Busy working in an online environment since March 14. (Check out the statistics dashboard on our website.) Busy readying the building, developing a safe environment on floors 1 and 2 for up to 142 occupants. Busy working on policies and services supporting staff and our user community during this new normal. However, there are plenty of articles in this issue sharing that type of information.

I will use the rest of my space to recognize and acknowledge two individuals who passed away during the time we have been at home. Each, in their own way, had a profound effect on the HS/HSL.

The first is Dr. David J. Ramsay, former president of UMB. Dr. Ramsay was president of UMB when we opened the HS/HSL building in 1998. His vision for the Library was as a physical manifestation of UMB’s aspirations to rise in prominence. It was designed to be a signature building for the university. Throughout his tenure, Dr. Ramsay was cognizant of the HS/HSL’s importance as a symbol of support for education, research, community engagement, and collaboration. And UMB did indeed thrive and grow during his tenure. I always like to think the HS/HSL played a part.

Dr. Milford (Mickey) Foxwell, late dean of admissions for the School of Medicine, was a supporter of the Historical Collections in the HS/HSL. Earlier this year, Dr. Foxwell, a devoted scholar of the history of medicine and avid collector of University of Maryland historical materials, made a generous gift to our Historical Collections, donating 135 volumes from his personal book collection – including one from 1559 – along with 29 volumes of valuable lecture notes, including ones by School of Medicine founders Nathaniel Potter and Elisha Debutts. In March 2020, Mickey became the most recent recipient of the Theodore E. Woodward Award, the HS/HSL’s highest honor.

Both of these men advanced the HS/HSL with their diverse contributions, and we are grateful.

Black Lives Matter

Photo of HS/HSL with a Black Lives Matter banner
Michael D’Agostino, UMB Lead Photographer

The HS/HSL fully supports UMB’s commitment to racial justice and systemic change as we strive to become a more anti-racist university.

We were honored and excited to see a large Black Lives Matter banner displayed prominently from the Library’s signature tower. Many thanks to Jennifer Litchman, senior vice president for External Relations, who conceived of the project and decided to place UMB’s banner at the Library. We recognize that our obligation does not end with raising a banner, but must be reflected in the difficult and rewarding work of meaningful structural change.

Third Annual Flu Clinic at the HS/HSL

Flu shots will be available (by appointment only) to UMB faculty, staff, and students* on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from noon to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Weise Gallery on the first floor of the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL).

To schedule an appointment and find more detailed information on our COVID-19 guidelines and requirements, please click here.

All safety protocols associated with campus COVID-19 policies will be followed at this clinic. Anyone attending the flu clinic must have received a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test within 14 days prior to returning to campus and should fill out the SAFE on Campus form. A mask, insurance card, and photo ID are required at the time of service.

*Note: Walgreens is unable to accept Amerigroup and UnitedHealthcare insurance and will not accept cash payments. Students with these insurance plans and those who are unable to attend this flu clinic should make an appointment with Campus Health Services.

This annual flu clinic is provided by Walgreens in collaboration with the School of Pharmacy and HS/HSL.

Meet the Makers: Lydia Gregg, Medical Illustrator

Lydia Gregg, Medical Illustrator

“Medical Illustration: Clarifying the Biological & Health Sciences Through Visual Narrative”

Oct. 6, 2020
Noon – 1 p.m. EST
Online Zoom event – RSVP for Zoom link

RSVP here

We are proud to host Lydia Gregg, MA, CMI, FAMI, for our next Meet the Makers guest speaker event.

Gregg is an associate professor jointly appointed in the Departments of Art as Applied to Medicine (AAM) and Radiology in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She also serves as director of operations in AAM. Her areas of interest in illustration, animation and research include cerebrovascular anatomy and the efficacy of visual communication materials.

Changes Await You at the HS/HSL

Second Floor
Second Floor

Changes await you at the HS/HSL with an exciting new look for the Library’s second and fifth floors. The second floor now has all new tables with power, comfortable rolling chairs, study banquettes, and new carpeting. You can find the new furniture throughout the second floor, including the tower, some study rooms, and in the area above the Information Services desk.

Fifth Floor
Fifth Floor

The fifth floor has long been a destination for quiet study. Now, the area overlooking Ravens Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards has new tables, all with power and enhanced lighting. A new study area on the east side of the building features individual study pods and informal, round tables. Fifth floor study room tables have been upgraded, and comfortable rolling chairs have been added throughout the floor.

Fifth Floor
Fifth Floor

Plans for the building furniture refresh have been in the works for nearly two years – starting with a survey that gauged students’ preferences for functional furniture and optimal study spaces.

We hope you enjoy the new furniture and upgrades!

HS/HSL’s Open Access Publishing Fund Pilot for Early-Career Researchers

The HS/HSL’s Open Access Publishing Fund is designed to improve access to research produced at UMB. The fund also aims to advance UMB research by the following means:

  • Promoting publishing by early-career researchers
  • Enabling authors to retain their copyrights
  • Accelerating the online availability of peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles generated by UMB researchers
  • Raising campus awareness about the benefits of open access

The fund will reimburse 50 percent of the cost of article processing charges for Open Access (OA) journals up to a maximum of $3,000 for early-career researchers. There is a limited budget for this pilot project. Reimbursements will be made on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.

Who is eligible?
This fund is designed to promote open-access publication by early-career researchers. It is open to the following individuals at UMB:

  • PhD students
  • Postdoctoral researchers or fellows
  • Faculty at the rank of assistant professor or equivalent

What articles are covered?
Reimbursement is available for article processing fees in open access journals, which are journals that do not charge a fee for access to their content. There are various types of OA models. This fund covers fees only for journals that are fully OA. Eligible journals include the following:

  • All journals in the Directory of Open Access Journals that allow authors to retain distribution rights
  • Journals that are members of the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) or demonstrate adherence to its Code of Conduct
  • Journals that have a publicly available standard article fee schedule
  • Journals that have a policy to substantially waive fees in case of economic hardship

For more information and to apply, please visit the HS/HSL’s Open Access Publishing Fund page.

Become an All of Us Researcher

All of Us Research Hub

The HS/HSL’s Center for Data and Bioinformation Services supports UMB researchers interested in using the All of Us Researcher Workbench.

The All of Us Research Program, part of the National Institutes of Health, is a historic effort to collect and study data from a diverse cohort of more than one million participants living in the United States. The All of Us Research Hub stores the health data from the All of Us Research Program and is now accepting applications from researchers to access the Researcher Workbench tools and protected dataset.

Through a Data Use and Registration Agreement with the All of Us Research Program, UMB researchers with an eRA Commons* account are now eligible for access to the Researcher Workbench and Registered Tier Data. The Workbench provides a comprehensive suite of tools for viewing and analyzing this data, including Workspaces for project organization, user-friendly Cohort Builder and Dataset Builder tools, and Jupyter Notebooks for data analysis in R and Python, along with an electronic phenotype library of pre-built cohorts for certain common conditions, example projects, and code snippets to help get you started.

For guidance on completing the application and registration process, visit the HS/HSL guide or contact J-P Courneya and Amy Yarnell (data@hshsl.umaryland.edu) at the Center for Data and Bioinformation Services at the HS/HSL. For more information on the available data, please visit the All of Us Data Snapshots page, explore the publicly available Data Browser, or read about the data curation process.

*If you are a researcher who does not have an eRA Commons account, please work with CITS . Once your account is established, you may apply for access to the Researcher Workbench.

NNLM SEA 2019-2020 Annual Report

NNLM SEA 2019-2020 Annual Report

Read all about it! The Network of the National Library of Medicine, Southeastern/Atlantic (NNLM SEA) has published a new visual annual report to highlight the many accomplishments of 2019-2020. Below are just a few of the achievements of NNLM SEA staff from the past year:

  • Awarded $765,112 to 62 project awards to help expand access to quality information and address local health information problems across the SEA Region.
  • Collaborated with the American Library Association to fund technology improvements in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following hurricane devastations in 2019.
  • Taught 135 in-person and online class sessions to 5,986 participants.
  • Collaborated with Library Carpentry to offer workshops to build software and data skills within library and information-related communities.
  • Launched a successful engagement project with the Healthy Book Spine Poetry Contest in the SEA Region.
  • Welcomed the New Freedom Farm as the 2000th member to the SEA Region.

To read more about the 2019-2020 accomplishments, programs, and partnerships of NNLM SEA, we invite you visit the full annual report.

The HS/HSL Wants Your COVID-19 Stories for UnMasking a Pandemic: Stories from UMB during COVID-19

Fragile by Kathy Strauss
Fragile by Kathy Strauss, UMB School of Medicine. Fragile is a monotype of a spine with an inked figure with red embroidery, done on mulberry paper.

We have been living through an unprecedented historical event for the past seven months; during that time, we have transitioned to a new normal – online learning, teleworking, virtual meetings, and social distancing. Our personal and professional lives have changed profoundly, and we all have stories to tell and experiences to share. Like the flu pandemic of 1918, the COVID-19 pandemic will be studied, and our collective experiences will tell UMB’s story. The HS/HSL is collecting these COVID-19 stories and uploading them into the UMB Digital Archive so that future researchers can study the pandemic. Be part of UMB’s collective story through our project UnMasking a Pandemic: Stories from UMB during COVID-19.

Since we launched the project this summer, it has received five submissions showcasing the emotions and experiences the UMB community has faced during this difficult time. Three of the submissions are artworks created by faculty and staff, while two are written reflections about faculty and student experiences during the pandemic. All submissions are freely available in the UMB Response to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Collection of the UMB Digital Archive, under the title Stories from UMB during COVID-19.

The project is still collecting stories, photographs, blogs, videos, and more, from across the UMB community about the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the campus community at all levels of affiliation are encouraged to participate. The HS/HSL is interested in receiving items of personal reflection, creative work, or anything that documents your thoughts, emotions, and experiences during this incredible time.

To participate, please visit the project’s website and fill out the survey to submit materials. If you have any questions or would like to submit physical items to our collections please contact, Tara Wink, Historical Collections librarian and archivist.

Meet Your Librarian

Meet With 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 Help With Your Research on our website to see all the ways librarians can support your research, teaching, and class projects.

To contact the librarian for your school, visit our Professional Expertise page.

HS/HSL Website Refresh

HS/HSL Website Refresh

The navigation and organization of the HS/HSL website have been refreshed to improve the user experience. This is not a major change but small improvements based on feedback obtained through a usability study and HS/HSL staff review. Check out the new menu bar and dropdowns. Scroll down the page to see a few more enhancements.

Thanks to the students, faculty and staff who participated in the studies to improve the website!

Statistics Dashboard

Data Dashboard

See what we have done during COVID-19! Whether working from home or in the library building, we are focused on providing services that support research, clinical care, access to critical resources, and advancing education. Check out our statistics dashboard to see how the HS/HSL is working for you.

The Library Genie is Returning Nov. 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 that 3 library wishes were granted.

  • You asked for more sanitation options. We added sanitation wipe dispensers on the 1st and 2nd floors, a hand sanitizer station at the elevators, and now have multiple blue UMB point-of-use sanitation carts throughout the Library with gloves, wipes, and hand and spray sanitizer.
  • You asked for better lighting and power. New LED lights have been added to tables on the 2nd and 5th floors with extra power outlets for your devices.
  • You asked for more comfy furniture options. We heard your call and installed a variety of pods, booths, tables, and rolling padded chairs on the 2nd and 5th floors to optimize your experience in the Library.

The Library Genie will be accepting wishes from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30.

  • How can the HS/HSL help you during this time of uncertainty and change?
  • How would you like to see the Library’s space designed so that it meets your needs?
  • What about resources and services the Library could provide?

HS/HSL Won UMB’s Ultimate Mileage Battle Summer Edition

Award

Faculty and staff at the HS/HSL won UMB’S Ultimate Mileage Battle Summer Edition with the highest daily average steps and received a virtual trophy! We walked, ran, biked, and even dusted off yoga and Tae Bo videos to log 10,989.30 daily average steps. Team members enjoyed encouraging each other through Microsoft Teams, often giving each other tips for logging steps on rainy days or offering a virtual high five when someone accomplished a personal goal. We noticed ourselves making healthier choices and enjoyed some lively competition with other UMB teams. The HS/HSL hopes to carry on these activities with a continued step challenge within the Library!

Staff News

Retirement

Robin Klein, MSLS

Robin Klein, MSLS, retired on August 1, 2020, after nearly 20 years at the HS/HSL. Robin came to the Library as our electronic resources librarian (one of the first) before electronic resources became the norm. She transitioned to special projects, research, and assessment librarian and became the go-to person for data, surveys, and reports. She was invaluable at the university level, working with data and strategic reports; the HS/HSL’s strategic report became a model for the campus. She retires to spend time with her wife, Glenna, and many cats and causes. Robin, we will miss you, all the best!

Awards & Recognition

Colette Beaulieu and Emily Gorman, MLIS, both had original photography accepted into UMB’s 1807: An Art and Literary Journal.

Emily Gorman, MLIS, AHIP, received the second place Research Award from the Medical Library Association Research Caucus for her poster “Comparing Three Models for Librarian Office Hours in a School of Pharmacy,” presented at the 2020 Medical Library Association (MLA) annual meeting.

Erin Latta received the Mid Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association (MAC) 2020 MAC Award for Outstanding Health Sciences Library Paraprofessional.

MJ Tooey, MLIS, AHIP, FMLA, and Tony Nguyen, MLIS, received the MLA President’s Award for their work on the Medical Library Association’s reorganization plans.

Tony Nguyen received the MAC 2020 Marguerite Abel Service Recognition Award in recognition of his exemplary service to the Chapter during the past year.

Publications & Presentations

Emily Gorman, MLIS, AHIP, presented her paper “Increasing Student Engagement Using an Amazing Race-Style Competition” and her poster “Comparing Three Models for Librarian Office Hours in a School of Pharmacy” at the MLA 2020 annual meeting.

Emilie Ludeman, MSLIS, Katherine Downton, MSLIS, Yunting Fu, MLS, and Andrea Shipper, MSLIS, presented their paper “An Analysis of Local Systematic Reviews: A Mixed Methods Study” at the MLA 2020 annual meeting.

Alexa Mayo, MLIS, AHIP, and Katherine Downton presented their poster “Gear Up for Citizen Science: Developing a Health-Focused Online Course” at the MLA 2020 annual meeting.

MJ Tooey delivered the keynote address “Pursuing and Growing Leadership: We Can All Be Leaders” at the American Association of Law Libraries Leadership Academy.

MJ Tooey presented the virtual session “A Unified, Intentional, and Evolving Approach to Research Support” at the Coalition for Networked Information’s spring meeting.

Lauren Wheeler, MSLIA, and Mary Ann Williams, MSLS, presented their poster “What Did the Doctor Say? A Health Literacy Workshop Helps Health Care Providers Improve Patient Communication” at the MLA 2020 annual meeting.

May 2020 – Volume 14 – Number 3

Special Issue: COVID-19 Library Response

The HS/HSL in the Time of COVID-19

M.J. Tooey
M.J. Tooey, executive director

Our last issue of Connective Issues came out just about the time we were being sent home in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time we stepped foot in the HS/HSL was March 13. I quickly wrote a column acknowledging the Library’s closure. At the time of this writing, we are heading into our eighth week of work-from-home.

We are focusing this issue of Connective Issues on the HS/HSL’s work in the time of COVID-19. When we left on March 13, we had some ideas about the types of things we could put in place to operate remotely – working and partnering with, and even supporting, our user community and, most of all, each other. We’ve made things up as we go in this swiftly changing landscape. And we have learned a lot. I have never been prouder of the team at the HS/HSL. They have been creative, hard-working, committed – finding ways to balance new technology, home life, and family, and inventing new approaches daily. Through it all, they have been kind to each other.

We have also never been prouder to be part of the UMB community. There has been steady, considered guidance, a concern for safety, and a true feeling we are all doing important work to combat this pandemic.

As we move forward we have a lot to think about. Our world has shifted in a huge way. What have we learned? What have we done well? What could we have done better or more creatively? I think our strategic plan will need to be tweaked.

And so, this issue showcases some of our progress, our challenges, and the ways we have confronted, and even embraced, this new normal.

Offsite and Online – HS/HSL By the Numbers During COVID-19

By the Numbers

Supporting research and inquiry

  • New systematic review collaborations – 6
  • Literature searches – 19
  • Research consultations for faculty – 10
  • Reference questions answered – 281
  • Consent Form Reviews – 9

Supporting clinical care

  • 3D Printing –
    • 806 ear savers
    • 28 face shields
  • Full text articles for UMMC staff – 24

Advancing education

  • Student consultations – 43
  • Course reserves processed – 79
  • Classes taught – 6

Supporting access to critical resources

  • Website visits – 124,422
  • COVID-19 page visits – 2,485
  • Free databases added – 12
  • ILL requests filled for UMB community – 2,449
  • ILL requests filled for other libraries – 1,544
  • Older journal titles now online – 429
  • Items added to the Digital Archive – 442

Communications

  • Sharing and Preserving History
    • Blogposts – 9
    • Social media – 16
  • HS/HSL Services and Resources
    • Blogposts – 7
    • Social media – 23

A Special Acknowledgement

Thank You!

The HS/HSL is grateful to the team of essential staff who have kept the Library going while most of us are away. We are thankful to the Environmental Services team, Maintenance, Campus Security, and our mailroom staff for ensuring that we have a clean, safe, and functioning Library to return to.

UpToDate Available Off Campus

UpToDate

UpToDate, licensed by the University of Maryland Medical Center, is now available for off-campus use. To get started with off-site access, users should register for an UpToDate account. From on campus, or via this link (UMID and password required), you can access UpToDate. Once on the UpToDate website, you can register for an account.

An UpToDate account will allow you to access the website and the app (available free for iOS and Android). Your account will also allow you to earn CME credits.

Once you create your account, you will need to access UpToDate at least once every 180 days from the hospital’s network or via the link from the Library to maintain your access.

Victory 3D Printing for Health Care Personnel

3D Printed PPE

Health care personnel the world over are facing the dangers of a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPE includes items such as isolation gowns, eye protection, facemasks, N95 respirators, ventilators, and more. In response to the global supply crisis, agencies like the CDC and FDA are recommending the use of improvised PPE to fill the gap until official supplies are more readily available.

People all around the world are leveraging a wide range of tools and materials to make improvised PPE. Academic health sciences libraries with makerspaces are particularly suited to contribute to this effort. Not only are such libraries likely to have 3D printers and other fabrication tools, they are also likely to have a connection to the frontlines of local responses to public health crises.

The University of Maryland Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL) has been contributing 3D printed parts for various local PPE needs:

  • A Baltimore-wide effort to make durable improvised PPE available to health care providers at minimal cost. The organizers solicit people with 3D printers and sewing machines to print face shield parts and sew face masks. Organizers then sanitize, assemble, and package them for distribution.
  • The Infectious Disease department at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Multiple PPE designs have been prototyped and reviewed for usage.
  • All 10,000+ personnel at the university hospital. All hospital staff wear face masks for extended periods of times. It is causing broken skin and irritation behind their ears. 3D printed ear savers can alleviate this issue.

The HS/HSL is not alone in this effort. Here are just few institutions doing similar work:

Your Librarians – Here for You!

Librarians

Our building may be closed, but your librarians are working hard.

Have an idea for research? Stumped by a class assignment?
Schedule an appointment to meet with a librarian.

Need online materials for your courses?
For help finding available online materials or alternatives, contact our Information Services staff.

Curing COVID-19? Working on a research or grant proposal?
Request expert help with your literature search, data management plan, or identifying possible journals for publication.

Developing a systematic review?
Faculty librarians are a valuable addition to systematic review teams. To learn more about systematic reviews and request librarian collaboration, visit our Systematic Review Service guide.

Messy data bringing you down?
We can help you use tools like R and Open Refine to get your data neat and tidy and ready for analysis. Submit a consultation request here.

Want to share your data?
The UMB Data Catalog is the place to facilitate discovery of your data by providing a searchable and browsable collection of records describing datasets generated by UMB researchers. For more information, contact us.

Preserving your work for posterity?
Would you like your work to be maintained with a permanent URL and accessible across the Internet? If so, then help build the UMB Digital Archive. If you have questions about the Archive, please email us.

Finished with those textbooks you borrowed earlier in the semester?
You can return library books at the book drop located to the left of the Library’s main doors.

For more information about the ways we can help you during our building closure, visit our Virtual Library page.

Access HS/HSL Resources Easily, On or Off Campus

On Campus
If you are on campus – in a UMB building or using the campus VPN – your IP range will allow you to access journals (and many e-books) that the HS/HSL subscribes to without needing to log in with your UMID and password. Just be sure to start at the library website.

Off Campus
If you are off campus, go to the HS/HSL homepage and click the blue Off-Campus Access button in the upper right-hand corner. Then log in with your UMID and password to enable full-text access before beginning your research.

Google Scholar
  • Using Google Scholar off campus? A quick settings change will allow easy access to full text:
    • At Google Scholar, click on the 3 parallel lines icon in the upper left to expand the menu.
    • Select Settings to view the Setting menu.
    • Select Library links.
    • Type Maryland into the search bar and click the search button.
    • Select Health Sciences and Human Services Library, Univ of Maryland (Find It @ HS/HSL) and click Save.

When you run a search in Google Scholar, your results list will display full-text links on the right for content the Library subscribes to.

Coming Soon! Collecting COVID-19 Stories at UMB

We are in the midst of a historic event; each and every one of us is experiencing history.  As with the flu pandemic in 1918, researchers and historians years from now are going to want to know about the COVID-19 pandemic and individuals’ experiences during this event.  The HS/HSL is already collecting UMB’s response to the pandemic through the UMB Digital Archive.  However, it is also important to capture the everyday stories and experiences of UMB’s students, faculty, and staff from across the schools and offices.  To accomplish this, the HS/HSL is gearing up to survey the campus.  The survey will ask for photographs, creative works, reflections, videos, and other artifacts capturing the personal experiences of our campus community.  These items will eventually be added to the UMB Digital Archive.  Individuals are also encouraged to donate physical items, such as handwritten journals, to the Historical Collections Department.

Interested in learning more?  Contact Historical Collections Librarian and Archivist, Tara Wink, and check out these similar projects at other archival institutions:

  • UNC-Chapel Hill’s COVID-19 Collection Project
  • University of Pittsburgh’s COVID-19 Collection Project
  • Heinz History Center’s COVID-19 Collection Project

New Collections in the UMB Digital Archive

In response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, we have created two new collections in the UMB Digital Archive.

  • UMB Response to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    Documenting UMB’s extraordinary response to the COVID-19 pandemic creates an important legacy for future generations. This new collection is pulling together materials from across UMB. It includes announcements, letters/memos, news items, videos, and more. If you have materials that should be included in the Archive, please email us.
  • UMB Coronavirus Publications
    Open access articles authored by UMB faculty and staff about COVID-19 and other coronaviruses are being captured real time in this collection.

University System Libraries Work Together!

USMAI

The University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) is a consortium of 17 libraries across the State of Maryland.  Even as each library responded to meet local pandemic needs, they were working together to ensure our interconnected system of shared materials and expertise was simplified to meet user needs. Within a few days due dates were extended to a common date, our systems marked libraries as "closed" so users would not accumulate fines, and our Interlibrary Loan departments went virtual, continuing to meet user needs. USMAI continues to monitor the situation, adjusting as necessary and remaining responsive to changing needs across the USMAI.

Explaining COVID-19 Using Plain Language

Plain Language

Recent news stories related to populations who are being hit hardest with COVID-19 have brought to light the need for information written in such a way that it is easily understood by anyone (aka plain language). This can be a challenge when trying to convey complex health issues and terminology at a fifth to eighth grade reading level. Finding such information in another language can pose another hurdle.

Below are few selected resources that can help. Please contact Mary Ann Williams or Lauren Wheeler for assistance in finding additional resources to help you increase the knowledge and compliance of your patients, family members, and friends during this global pandemic (the spread of a disease in every country in the world).

Resources for Specific Population:

To learn more about plain language and health literacy, see the Library’s Health Literacy Resources guide.

NNLM SEA Hosts the Book Spine Poetry Contest

Calling all Maya Angelous, Pablo Nerudas, and Claude McKays!

In celebration of National Poetry Month, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) Southeastern/Atlantic Region (SEA) hosted a book spine poetry contest throughout the month of April. In this fun, at-home activity, participants stacked up book titles to create a health related poem and shared their creations with NNLM SEA social media. Poems submitted throughout the month covered a wide variety of health topics, including vaccinations, support for healthcare workers, mental health, sleeping smarter, public health, healthy eating, and staying safe during the pandemic.

Check out some of the great poems created by your HS/HSL librarians and staff, including M.J. Tooey, Alexa Mayo, Everly Brown, Michele Nance, Colette Beaulieu, and Emily Gorman.

Dr. Milford “Mickey” Foxwell, Jr., Receives the Theodore E. Woodward Award

Theodore E. Woodward Award

Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the HS/HSL was proud to honor Dr. Milford “Mickey” Foxwell, MD, with the HS/HSL’s highest honor, the Theodore E. Woodward Award. The Woodward Award is named for Dr. Ted Woodward, a longtime and ardent supporter of the HS/HSL. It is awarded to an individual who enthusiastically and meaningfully supports the work of the Health Sciences and Human Services Library. Mickey certainly fits the bill with his longtime passion for our historical collections. As the award committee stated,

While the award is not necessarily given for support of the historical collections, your love of the University of Maryland’s Medical School, its history, and your wise counsel to both Rich Behles and Tara Wink regarding historical materials has underpinned much of our thinking regarding the Health Sciences and Human Services Library’s collection and preservation of historical materials. Recent donations of materials from your personal collection, especially class notes, has enriched our understanding of medical education, and will benefit scholars for years to come.

Tara Wink, historical librarian and archivist, spent days combing through Mickey’s rich collection. We eventually added 135 volumes (one from 1559) and 29 volumes of valuable lecture notes, including ones from Nathaniel Potter and Elisha Debutts, both School of Medicine founders. Treasures!

Circumstances prevented us from presenting the award to Mickey in person or even hosting our usual celebratory event. However, the award, along with several celebratory letters from admirers and former Woodward awardees, was mailed to him at his home on the Eastern Shore.

Congratulations, Mickey!

Historical Insights: COVID-19 and the 1918 Spanish Flu

The situation in Baltimore has been so serious that the health authorities have been obliged to apply drastic measures to limit the spread of the disease. All schools, colleges, theatres, moving picture parlors, concerts, public meetings and churches have been closed. Hospitals have been closed to visitors and their activities have been materially diminished, as most of the nurses and of the resident staffs have been affected with the disease. In the city, and also in the counties, the physicians have been overwhelmed with work and people have been unable to obtain the services of doctors and nurses in not a few instances. In common with other institutions the University of Maryland was obliged to discontinue its classes.

It’s possible to read this quote and think it was written about Baltimore today, yet it describes Baltimore 102 years ago, when the city and University were in the throes of another deadly pandemic.  The world 102 years ago was drastically different than today’s world.  1918 marked the final year of World War I – a deadly four-year conflict believed at the time to be “the war to end all wars.” The war spurred advances in both military and civilian technology and mobility – advances that facilitated the spread of a particularly virulent flu across the globe.

The 1918 flu was known as the Spanish Flu because Spain, having maintained neutrality during World War I, was the only nation reporting cases of the illness.  As a result, Spain was wrongfully assumed to be the starting point for the flu.  In 1918, people, mostly troops, were more easily moving all over the world through railroads, planes, ships, and submarines.  People were also communicating in relatively new ways: via radio and telephone.  The circumstances surrounding the war created a world more connected than ever before, yet a world weakened by wartime production, destruction, and strain.  A perfect storm for the 1918 influenza virus.

Today, like 1918, the world is also experiencing unprecedented technological advances.  Today we are not in the throes of a world war, yet the world is interconnected like never before.  People travel the world with relative ease and speed through the availability of passenger airline flights and cruise ships.  We can also communicate in ways never imagined in 1918.  Today, instead of fighting a visible enemy in a world war, we fight an invisible one: COVID-19.  This pandemic, like the “Spanish Flu”, has affected every part of the world and bears eerie similarities to the 1918 pandemic.

The 1918 flu hit in three phases: the first hit the United States in March 1918, the second and deadliest hit in September 1918, and the third in December 1918.   Like COVID-19 today, the second phase shut down entire cities, including Baltimore.  When the flu arrived in Baltimore in September 1918, the initial response, in an effort to support the war effort and maintain morale, was to continue business as usual.  People believed the virus was no different than those experienced in the past, but as more and more people fell victim, the city health commissioner, Dr. John Blake, enacted more and more restrictions, shutting down businesses, schools, and places of worship for roughly a three-week time period.

School of Pharmacy Senior Class History, Terra Mariae Yearbook, 1919

The University of Maryland, Baltimore was not immune to these restrictions.  In 1918 the University of Maryland included the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Law, as well as the Nursing Training School—which was under the guidance of the University Hospital—and the College of Arts and Sciences located at St. John’s College in Annapolis.  The fall semester began with placement testing for students in Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy in late September 1918, and classes began October 1, 1918, roughly the same time that the flu was introduced into Baltimore City.  At the beginning of the fall term, male students were inducted into the Student Army Training Corps (S.A.T.C.) a program that allowed the students to continue to learn their professions while also training as soldiers to join the war effort.  Across the schools, students seemed to have the same opinion of the S.A.T.C., finding it an unwelcome interruption to their studies.  The class histories in the yearbooks regularly comment on the terrible food in the “mess hall,” claiming it “jeopardize[d] their stomachs with such things, as diseased macaroni, stewed potatoes in a pathological condition, etc.”  The 1919 Senior Class Dental History provides an excellent overview of the student’s new schedules.  All class histories welcome the end of the S.A.T.C. when the war ended in November 1918.

By October 9, 1918, all coursework and training across the University was stopped by order of Dr. John Blake.  At the University, students in the nursing program and in the School of Medicine were called upon to assist in the hospitals connected to the University—University Hospital, Mercy Hospital, and Maryland General Hospital—and private practices around the city as cases of the flu grew and greater numbers of doctors and nurses succumbed to the virus.  Newspaper articles from that time reported that the hospitals were often overflowing with patients and forced to turn the sick away.

'The Spanish Flu' by Richard W. Schafer, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Class of 1921

“The Spanish Flu” by Richard W. Schafer, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Class of 1921, from the 1919 Mirror Yearbook.

When the school reopened in early November 1918, at least ten students and faculty had succumbed to the flu.  Others were severely affected by the flu or confined to hospital beds for several weeks or months.  Dr. Richard W. Schafer, historian of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (merged with the University of Maryland in 1924) Class of 1921, drew on his experience as a flu victim to pen a humorous poem for the 1919 Mirror Yearbook. John W. Felton, historian of the School of Pharmacy Class of 1919, eloquently remembered the flu and its effect on his class and school as follows:

The next great drawback to work was the Spanish Influenza epidemic, which invaded this country early in the Fall, taking a large number of lives, and causing great sadness and sorrow. It was feared and dreaded by all, as it was no respector of rank, and many of the most influential and useful citizens as well as our best-loved friends were taken away. It became so bad and spread so rapidly that the schools, churches, theatres and public gatherings and amusements were ordered closed until the worst of it had passed. As a result of this the University of Maryland was closed for three weeks, thus setting us further back in our work. Many of our classmates contracted the disease, and one of our beloved members, Manuel J. Sans, of Cuba, and also Dr. Miller, who was to be our Quiz Master in Pharmacy and Chemistry, fell victims to the disease and died shortly after taken ill. The deepest sympathy went out among the students in the loss of our beloved classmate and eminent Professor.

Still other students remembered the flu as nothing more than a handicap to their studies, an unwelcome nuisance that cut short their winter break, or an “enforced vacation”.

Generally speaking, the history of the 1918 flu pandemic at the University of Maryland, Baltimore is a short one.  The school only closed during the fall, and there is no mention of additional closings during the third phase.  The Bulletin of the School of Medicine, the main publication of the school at the time, covers the flu in only one article, while several articles, letters, and notations address World War I.  It appears the War and the S.A.T.C. presence on campus had a much larger impact on the school than the flu.  The school’s coverage of the flu mirrors press coverage of the 1918 flu, as well.  In general, the press covered the war far more thoroughly than it did the flu, even though the flu, having killed 675,000 people, was far more dangerous and deadly than the war, which killed 116,516.

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again shut down many businesses, schools, houses of worship, and other gathering places in Baltimore City.  Once again, the University of Maryland, Baltimore is not immune to this pandemic.  Today many of our students, faculty, and staff find themselves off campus in the midst of a semester. The 2020 class histories, if written today, would reflect frustrations similar to those of 1918 of a disruption in coursework and scheduling, as well as an unprecedented disappointment as traditional commencement celebrations and events are cancelled.  Yet unlike students, faculty, and staff in 1918, we have access to twenty-first century technology that allows us to continue learning, working, and researching. Once again UMB students, faculty, and staff are finding ways to fight an invisible enemy while helping one another and our community.

 

Staff News

Tara Wink, MLS, was elected chair elect of the Mid Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.

Amy Yarnell, MLS, was accepted to ACRL’s ResearchDataQ editorial board. ResearchDataQ is a collaborative platform where librarians can ask and answer questions related to research data support in academic libraries.

Brian Zelip, MSLIS, MA, joined the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) Virtual Projects Section Advisory Committee.

March 2020 – Volume 14 – Number 2

COVID-19 and the HS/HSL

Libraries don’t like to close. We pride ourselves on being there for our communities during times of crisis. We know we are often seen as safe havens. At the HS/HSL, we know our physical space is beloved by our community; however, in this time of COVID-19, we know we have a critical role to play in slowing the spread of the disease by helping to “flatten the curve.” Two of the most effective ways to slow down the spread of the disease are “social distancing” and disinfecting – personally and in the workspace. We could not guarantee or enforce the required social distancing, nor could we ensure the proper cleanliness or disinfecting of our public spaces, our study rooms, restrooms, or public computers. Our excellent team here at the HS/HSL deserves to be protected as well, as do their families and communities where they live. Contrary to popular opinion, our library family does not live at the Library. Therefore, we have worked diligently to make sure our resources and the majority of our services are available virtually. Please visit our website and click on the COVID-19 banner to see the wide variety of services and resources we have available. Test us. Make sure we are providing the support we promise. And give us feedback – positive AND constructive.

We look forward to welcoming you back to the building when this is all over. Stay healthy.

Some odds and ends…

M.J. Tooey
M.J. Tooey, executive director

Recently, I read a couple of things I think are worth sharing with our 131 dedicated Connective Issues readers.

The Person You Mean to Be:  How Good People Fight Bias by Dolly Chugh
I was recently involved in an online book club discussing this. Lately, I have been weary, not of the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but with the constant focus without solutions. I learned from PYM2B (that’s how we abbreviated it) that it all starts with individual work and self-awareness and introspection. We are all works in progress. However, without our own personal commitment, we cannot hope to institutionalize this important work. Eminently readable, the book provides excellent examples of how people grow from believers to builders; and that diversity is the gateway, with inclusion being the pathway. Very thought-provoking for this work in progress.

Reforming Research Assessment: A Tough Nut to Crack by Alison Mudditt
For decades, the research community has relied on the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) as the publication standard for academic excellence. Over the past decade, this has eroded somewhat through the introduction of altmetrics and article-level impact. About a month ago, the Center for Open Science (COS) released the Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Factor, a methodology relying on eight modular standards for assessing journal quality. There are a number of high profile signatories and supporters. Will it have a major impact? Hard to tell. However, it is an interesting read for any potential authors.

2020 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition
For years, I have read and enjoyed the Horizon Report because it looks at trends and impacts at the intersection of education and technology. While UMB is not a four-year educational institution, the trends affecting how we teach and learn are universal. Social forces, such as demographic changes. Technological forces, such as AI. Economic forces, like climate change. The impact of online education on higher ed, and political trends, such as decreases in higher education funding — all of these topics are discussed thoroughly and thoughtfully. An excellent read … annually.

Journal Backfiles

Most of our current subscriptions only allow online access to articles that were published from when journals began to offer online access—usually the mid-1990s. This means that researchers who want a copy of an article that was published before electronic publishing began have to find it in the library stacks or request it through document delivery or interlibrary loan.

Most publishers, however, have digitized earlier volumes of their journals and make these “backfiles” available for a one-time purchase. These journal backfiles provide easy access to older literature both on- and off-campus through the Library’s webpage and search tools such as OneSearch, PubMed, Scopus, and CINHAL.

The Library was given special funding to support the acquisition of journal backfiles. This year we will purchase the LWW Total Access Archive (about 280 titles), the SAGE Journals Clinical Medicine backfile (about 120 titles), the Journal of the American Dental Association 1913-1994, and three neuroscience titles from ScienceDirect. Over the next few years, we hope to add other backfile collections to make this important older literature easily accessible.

Library Genie 2019 Survey Results

Library Genie 2019 Survey Results

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

The Genie heard your calls for disinfecting wipes, coffee & snacks, lighting, and more. Some of these ideas are being investigated, and others are on their way. Look for more of your favorite rolling chairs, new furniture on Floors 2 and 5, better quiet floor signage, and sanitation stations. We are evaluating what can be done to add more public computers and address bathroom sink issues. The Library Genie is creative and is always watching for opportunities to make visiting the HS/HSL a super experience for you.

Lactation Center Opens in HS/HSL

HS/HSL Lactation Center

The HS/HSL Lactation Center, located in Room 311, is now available. To register to use the room, please fill out the online form.

There are currently nine Lactation Centers on the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. Any nursing mother who is a UMB affiliate (faculty, staff, student, or their breastfeeding spouse/domestic partner) can use this service offered by the Wellness Hub. The Wellness Hub supports a mother’s choice to breastfeed her baby while pursuing her graduate or professional degree. Please contact lactation@umaryland.edu for further information about the Maternal Support Services offered on campus.

The HS/HSL Celebrates Black History and Women’s History Months

February and March honor two groups whose history is commonly underappreciated: African-Americans and women. Through February and March, the HS/HSL celebrated our own African-American and women graduates and faculty through a series of blog posts.

Black History Month began with a post briefly outlining African American history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).  Sadly, UMB, like so many other institutions of higher education, has a harsh history with African-Americans.  They were denied admittance under federal segregation laws until the 1950s, when several African-Americans, like Esther E. McCready, UMSON, Class of 1953, and Donald W. Stewart, UMSOM, Class of 1955, filed lawsuits against school.  Today, African-American students represent 18 percent of the UMB student body.  African-Americans have also served as deans or become influential faculty at several UMB schools.

Similarly, Women’s History Month began with a post outlining women’s history at UMB, and included an exhibit in the Weise Gallery, The First Women of the University of Maryland, Baltimore.  The exhibit highlights some of the first women in UMB’s history, including the first graduates and deans. The blog focuses on other influential women at UMB and, together with the exhibit, celebrates the women’s successes and acknowledges how their accomplishments have opened doors for today’s students.

You can read the February and March posts at the HS/HSL Updates page.

Do You Haiku? Do You Love the HS/HSL?

Haiku

A haiku is a short impressionistic form of Japanese poetry. In the West, haiku has come to mean a short 17-syllable form of poetry written in a 5-7-5 pattern. National Library Week is April 19 to 25. April is Poetry Month, so why not combine the two? The HS/HSL will be sponsoring a Love Your Library Haiku Contest, so sharpen your poetry brain and stay tuned for details in the Elm and Campus Weekly, and on the HS/HSL website and in social media. To inspire you –

Love your library
For whatever the reason
We love you – welcome!

In groups or alone
Standing desks – every floor
Study, and knowledge grows

HS/HSL Factoid: NLM Grant is UMB’s Longest Running Grant

Since 1983, the Health Sciences and Human Services Library has received $55.5 million to support the outreach and education efforts of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in the Southeastern and Atlantic regions. It is the longest running grant received at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

NNLM Staff Attend 2020 Summit

NNLM Staff Attend 2020 Summit

On February 4 and 5, HS/HSL librarians joined 86 colleagues from around the country in Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 2020 NNLM Summit.

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) is a network of eight health sciences libraries across the country that advance the progress of medicine and improve public health through funding, training, community outreach, and partnerships. As the headquarters for the Southeastern/Atlantic Region, HS/HSL is committed to providing regional and national leadership for core programs and initiatives of the NNLM.

To help develop a coordinated approach to national initiatives, attendees of the 2020 Summit participated in panels, workshops, and small breakout sessions that allowed for meaningful conversation between NNLM staff of similar interest areas. Discussions on citizen science, research data management, communication, public health, cultural humility, and partnerships with public libraries formed new connections between staff and helped direct the path of key NNLM initiatives.

Through panels, breakout sessions, and extended conversations, staff left Salt Lake City and the 2020 NNLM Summit with stronger relationships with colleagues from around the country and a focused vision for the future of NNLM.

NLM Associate Fellows Visit the HS/HSL

NLM Associate Fellows Visit the HS/HSL

Pictured (Left to Right): Louise To, Eden Kinzel, Sharon Han, Breanna Cox, and M.J. Tooey.

On December 18, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) associate fellows visited the HS/HSL. At the Library, the fellows learned more about the daily activities of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM), and about the challenges and opportunities facing academic medical libraries. Each of the fellows had an opportunity to meet with HS/HSL faculty to learn more about library operations and see how their work aligns with the work of the academic medical library.

New Access to Historical Collections

The HS/HSL’s Historical Collections house not only rare books, which are discoverable through the library catalog, but also manuscript collections and archival records. In an effort to provide better access to these unique collections, finding aids are now available through the Digital Archive.

But what is a finding aid? The Society of American Archivists Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology defines a finding aid as follows:

“noun 1. A tool that facilitates discovery of information within a collection of records. – 2. A description of records that gives the repository physical and intellectual control over the materials and that assists users to gain access to and understand the materials.”

In other words, a finding aid is something that helps researchers understand what a collection contains, how it can be used, and its provenance.  Archives and special collections departments use finding aids to share what is held in the collection.  Finding aids are the archival equivalent of a library catalog book record.

To date, there are twelve finding aids available in the digital archive, with topics ranging from medical and dental history to Library and University history, as well as local Maryland history. The Finding Aids include the Dr. James Carroll, Yellow Fever Commission Letters, which follow Dr. Carroll’s time in Cuba as a researcher on the cause of Yellow Fever. Other useful collections with finding aids include The Barnett-Potter-Goldsborough Family Correspondence, which contain correspondence from Dr. Nathaniel Potter, a founder of the School of Medicine; The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Letters, with letters from influential faculty and deans of the school; and the Women’s Auxiliary Board of the University Hospital Records, which details the business of this influential fundraising organization.  Several additional finding aids relate to the history of the Library and include papers from a few of the Library’s directors.

Although some of these finding aids may include links to online collections, for the most part, the finding aids describe physical collections within the Historical Collections Department.  Finding aids do not take the place of using the physical collections; instead they help researchers use the collection.  To see or use the collections, please contact the Historical Collections librarian and archivist, Tara Wink, to schedule an appointment.

The twelve existing finding aids represent a small sample of the materials in Historical Collections.  Additional finding aids are forthcoming as more collections are processed and described.

Love Data Week

Love Data Week

From February 10 to 14, the HS/HSL celebrated Love Data Week, an in-person and social media event to raise awareness of issues related to data. Love Data Week takes place annually around Valentine’s Day and is celebrated by academic institutions, repositories, research centers, and others who work with data.

In fulfillment of this year’s theme – Get to Know the Data Professionals at Your Institution – representatives from the Library had info booths at each of the UMB schools and at the SMC Campus Center throughout the week to promote the data services offered at the HS/HSL. We finished our celebration on Friday with a “Byte of Data” doughnut and coffee break in the Library, and an afternoon of workshops on various data-related topics. In addition to our in-person events, we had an online data “scavenger hunt” that encouraged people to interact with us on social media, share their data re-use stories, and find UMB datasets in open repositories.

Overall, the week was a great success. Over 150 people came out to our events and participated in our scavenger hunt. Everyone who participated was entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of three $50 Amazon gift cards. The winners of the contest were Ronald Schoenberger (SON), Sanju Gurung (SON), and Lazokat Komilova (SOD). We hope to make Love Data Week an annual tradition!

Innovation Space Expands Tool Offering with Messy Cart

A new cart located in the HS/HSL Innovation Space, referred to as the “Messy Cart,” provides a range of tools to assist in your creative endeavors. The following items are currently available (with more on the way!):

  • Small hand tools
  • Virtual reality gear
  • Electronics gear
  • Craft supplies
  • Safety supplies

All resources are available for use on-premises, first-come, first-served.

Love Data Week

Library Plaza Upgrade

The HS/HSL Plaza upgrade construction is now complete, and spring plantings will soon be added. The scope of the project is an ADA upgrade to remove the stepped area and create a ramped path of travel to the HS/HSL building.

Staff News

Emily Gorman, MLIS, Cynthia Boyle, PharmD, FAPhA, and Patricia Ross, PharmD, BCACP, received the Laboratory and Teaching Excellence Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s Laboratory Special Interest Group.

December 2019 – Volume 14 – Number 1

Good Luck with Finals and Happy Holidays!

In the Bleak Midwinter…

M.J. Tooey
M.J. Tooey, executive director

Is there anything more depressing than darkness at 5:00 in the afternoon? Short cold days. Coats, scarves, mittens, boots. Hot cocoa. Yummy soups. Cookies. And of course, a warm welcome in the HS/HSL! As with almost everything in life, where there is a downside there is also an upside. And so it goes at the HS/HSL.

Again, this year there was a budget shortfall for our journal collection. This year the deficit was around $300,000. While Academic Affairs and the HS/HSL were able to come up with $150,000, we still had to cut hundreds of journals. You can read more about it later in this issue; however, this ongoing erosion of our journal collection does not bode well for research and education at UMB.

On the positive side, we have had such a fun fall semester. Our new first floor layout is a hit and our gate count is through the roof! A remodel of the second floor will take place this spring. The 1807 Exhibit was outstanding. We had a very successful “I  the HS/HSL” contest in October, with a very clever video as our winner – see the article later in the issue. We always get great ideas for the Library from the Library Genie. And our Future of Research event on November 20 was a great success. You can read all about it in this issue.

And so 2019 draws to a close. Looking back on the year, I think the positives have outweighed the negatives. I hope your year has been the same, with good things outweighing bad. May 2020 bring you happiness and success, however you measure it. Wishing you only the best!

#iheartumbhshsl Contest

I Heart UMB HSHSLWe celebrated National Medical Librarians Month with a social media contest to award a $100 Visa gift card for the most creative entry.  We appreciate all of those who contributed to #iheartumbhshsl, but there could only be one winner, and that was School of Dentistry (SOD) student Greg Poku-Dankwah.  He submitted a snappy original song and dance video in homage to the Library.  We cannot stop singing it!  We asked Greg a few questions about his video.

What was your inspiration to make the video?  “The prize, of course, but I am in here almost every day. I love the library, I even have my own spot on the second floor.”

How long did it take you to make the video? “About 30 minutes.”

Did you have any help?  “Well, I procrastinated until the last day, none of my friends were around, so I had to ask random strangers. I disturbed a few people on the quiet floors, but a fellow SOD student was happy to help.”

Take a listen to our new theme song!

 

Greg receiving his prize

M.J. Tooey presented winner Greg Poku-Dankwah with his prize.

We also hosted a student snack break to cap off the month. Students enjoyed 150 soft pretzels with cheese or mustard, popcorn, and blazing hot apple cider.

Student snack break

HS/HSL Second Floor Renovations Coming Spring 2020

Coming SoonWe have exciting news to share about the Library’s second floor. Look for new carpet and paint on the north side of the second floor, new tables and chairs in the tower, large group tables and more banquettes in the open study area. All tables will have access to power. There will also be new carpet and different chairs in the second floor study rooms. Chairs are arriving in February!

Big Changes are Coming to PubMed

VisualDxIn spring 2020, the PubMed.gov database will transform into a modern hub with a fast, reliable, and intuitive search that connects people to the world’s leading sources of biomedical information. The new interface will continue to provide the search features you rely on and integrate enhanced navigation and display tools, including a built-in citation button, the ability to share articles via social media, and a responsive mobile experience.

Once the new PubMed is the default, all links to PubMed will be redirected and run in the new system. This includes searches from the MeSH Database, the NLM Catalog, Clinical Queries, the Single Citation Matcher, and the Batch Citation Matcher. Following the launch, users will continue to have access to the old PubMed system for several months.

If you would like to test out the new PubMed in preparation for the spring 2020 launch, you can visit the PubMed Labs test site. The system is constantly being updated and improved, so your feedback and suggestions as you explore the site are greatly appreciated. To make sure you still see links to the full text of articles through the library’s subscriptions, you can install the LibKey Nomad browser extension. This browser extension for Chrome will display a PDF download button on any website where it can detect available journal articles, including journal websites and library databases.

Journal Cuts

While journal prices have increased on average 7 to 10 percent a year, the HS/HSL’s resources budget has remained essentially flat for the past decade. This means that every summer faculty librarians spend time evaluating the HS/HSL’s journal collection based on data (cost per use) and the need to ensure we provide a balanced collection addressing and supporting UMB’s mission. Each year we identify journal subscriptions that we will have to cut to keep our spending within budget. For the past few years, fortunately, we have received one-time funding that has allowed us to avoid cancellations.

This year, however, a budget shortfall makes it necessary to take apart one of our large journal packages. One way many libraries, including the HS/HSL, have extended their budgets is by participating in publishers’ offers of bundled packages or “big deals.” Under this model, libraries commit to maintaining their current subscriptions with a publisher. In exchange, for a relatively modest fee, the publisher will allow the library access to many more of its titles. The HS/HSL currently participates in big deals with Elsevier, Wiley, and Sage, giving the UMB community access to considerably more journals than single subscriptions would allow. However, steady increases in journal prices while the Library’s resources budget remains flat have made our continued participation in all of these deals unsustainable.

The Wiley package was identified as the least well-performing on a cost-per-use basis. Consequently, the package is being “unbundled,” as have the Springer and Taylor & Francis packages in the past. This means that Wiley titles were evaluated on a cost-per-use basis along with all of the other non-bundled titles. In order to keep within its budget, the HS/HSL is not renewing over 1,100 titles.

The cancellation of the Wiley package was a difficult decision to make. Without the favorable pricing that comes with participation in the publisher’s bundle, the UMB community will lose access to over 1,000 Wiley journals, including 376 that had 20 or more uses last year. But the HS/HSL must remain within its resources budget.

Access to the cancelled journals will be lost on January 1, 2020. Individual articles from any journal not subscribed to by the HS/HSL are available through Interlibrary Loan.

If the HS/HSL resources budget remains flat and journal costs continue to rise, we will unfortunately need to make more cancellation decisions next year.

Crystal Balling the Future of Research

The Future of Research

Adrian Mulligan, Elsevier’s Research Director, Customer Insights introduced the Research Futures Report.

On November 20, more than 90 people came to the SMC Campus Center to hear researchers and research funders look into their crystal balls and envision the research landscape over the next decade. Co-sponsored by the HS/HSL, the Welch Library at JHU, the Institutes for Clinical and Translational Research at both UMB and JHU, and Elsevier, The Future of Research event was based on a report and survey conducted by Elsevier with Ipsos Mori entitled “Research Futures: Drivers and Scenarios for the Next Decade”. An overview of the report by Adrian Mulligan of Elsevier set the stage for the day’s discussions.

Panels of experienced researchers, early career researchers, and funders explored the report’s findings and speculated on alternative scenarios. The audience got involved through real-time polling using actual questions from the survey. Their reactions, questions, and responses were lively and thought provoking. At the end of the day, an interactive session at about the perfect research world, barriers to achieving it, and support needed to propel researchers towards success got everyone moving around.

The Future of Research

M.J. Tooey moderated an afternoon session at the event, “What Does Success Look Like for the Future of Research?

Over lunch, Dr. Jessie DeAro from the National Science Foundation gave a keynote address on the importance of diversity on research teams. Dr. DeAro gave a new slant to the idea of diversity in research by delving into the some of the challenges and rewards of having teams that are diverse in terms of not only culture, gender, or ethnicity, but also of individuals’ roles in the research process.

Following the event, panel members and attendees had the chance to mix, mingle, and continue their discussions at a reception in the HS/HSL’s Gladhill Board Room.

HS/HSL Flu Clinic 2019 Recap

In October, the HS/HSL partnered with the School of Pharmacy and Walgreens Pharmacy for our second annual flu clinic. This year, the clinic inoculated 265 campus members over two days.

HS/HSL Flu Clinic 2019Like last year, attendees appreciated having a convenient place to receive the flu shot on campus. The clinic also gave pharmacy students an opportunity to practice inoculating patients with guidance from faculty and professional pharmacists.

Feedback from the campus community was overwhelmingly positive:

“What an amazing service to offer on campus! The clinic was run extremely well and was very organized.”

“It couldn’t have run more smoothly! It was excellent in every way.”

We look forward to running the clinic again in 2020!

Thank You, #citeNLM Editors!

#citeNLM Edit-a-thonBuilding on the success of three past events, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) continued its efforts to improve consumer health information on Wikipedia with its fourth #citeNLM Edit-a-thon, held on November 20, 2019. Using trusted National Library of Medicine resources, like PubMed, MedlinePlus, and Genetics Home Reference, editors from around the country worked to add citations to existing Wikipedia articles related to mental health, including gender dysphoria, compassion fatigue, aquaphobia, and Peter Pan syndrome. In total, the 108 editors at 9 unique events made 244 edits, edited 98 articles, created 4 new articles, and added 548 references for the #citeNLM campaign.

To learn more about Wikipedia and stay up to date on future edit-a-thons, visit the NNLM Wikipedia project page at nnlm.gov/wiki. You can also follow the campaign on Twitter with the hashtag #citeNLM to ask questions, see photos and conversations from past events, and share your Wikipedia experience.

2019 Highlights of the NNLM SEA

Over the past year, the staff at the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM), Southeastern/Atlantic (SEA) collaborated with other regional offices to develop national programs that support the initiatives of the National Library of Medicine. By enhancing our collaboration, we were able to launch a number of programs that benefit our network members:

  • Wikipedia Edit-a-thons – This provides an opportunity to engage communities in addressing societal needs and accelerate biomedical science, technology, and innovation. SEA staff collaborated with WebJunction to help public librarians plan and offer Wikipedia Edit-athons at their libraries as well.
  • Consumer Health Curriculum – In collaboration with the Public Libraries Association, the NNLM developed curriculum to enhance the skills of public librarians and help them provide consumer health information to their library’s users. Additionally, the staff increased the number of public libraries as network members by 152%.
  • All of Us Community Engagement – In support of the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, the NNLM fosters community engagement by offering reading club book kits, toolkits tied to national health observances, and the Game of Health—all of which help health consumers become more aware of health topics and their family health history.
  • Research Data Management – Through NNLM RD3: Resources for Data-Driven Discovery NNLM SEA is collaborating with other regional medical libraries to train librarians in research data management.
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – NNLM SEA promoted the launch of a webinar series to understand the various subordinated and marginalized intersectional identities and claim responsibility for our privilege.

Over the past year, the NNLM SEA staff exhibited at over 31 conferences and community events reaching over 10,000 attendees. Additionally, the NNLM SEA has supported over 300 educational sessions that reached almost 14,000 attendees over the past year. As we look forward to 2020, we hope to offer programming tied to the launch of the new PubMed, collaborations to offer Library Carpentry workshops, and outreach to community based organizations that support the HIV/AIDS populations.

Gallery Display – Visions of Nature from the Students of Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Art

Visions of NatureEarlier this year, students from Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Art and their art instructor, Martin Goggins, visited the Weise Gallery as one of the stops on a campus walking tour led by Brian Sturdivant, director of UMB Strategic Initiatives and Community Partnerships. At the time, the Gallery was showing Nature’s Spring Sonata, an exhibit of paintings by Maryland first lady, Yumi Hogan.

Hogan’s art inspired the students to create the collection of works in our current exhibit. The students’ artworks include both formal studies of nature, as well as abstract renderings—visions of the natural world in which observation becomes intuition.

As they were creating these works, the students were learning about the impasto process, a technique that involves applying thick layers of paint or pigment that stand out from the surface of the work. Some of the students have incorporated impasto elements in their art. Their colorful, imaginative works will be on display in the Library’s first floor Weise Gallery through January 24, 2020.

De-stress Puzzle Fest at HS/HSL

De-stress Puzzle FestFinal exams are a stressful time! HS/HSL offers students the opportunity to take a short study break by collectively working a on a 1000-piece puzzle. The puzzle is available in the Innovation Space on the Library’s first floor, near the main elevators.

Advice from Historical Collections to Survive Holiday Eating

The holidays are rapidly approaching, which means lots of parties and lots of food.  And for many of us, lots of overeating. To help you prepare for the ailments that can occur from attending these parties, Historical Collections is highlighting advice from a recent book donation.  The book, The Library of Health, published in 1920, was donated by Kathryn Lothschuetz Montgomery, retired associate professor and chair of the Department of Partnerships, Professional Education, and Practice at the School of Nursing. According to its extended title, the volume provides a “complete guide to prevention and cure of disease, containing practical information on anatomy, physiology and preventive medicine; curative medicine, first aid measures, diagnosis, nursing, sexology, simple home remedies, care of the teeth, occupational diseases, garden plant remedies, alcohol and narcotics, treatment by fifteen schools of medicine, beauty culture, physical culture the science of breathing and the dictionary of drugs.”  

Below are some helpful definitions and treatment suggestions for common food ailments from the 1920 volume.  We at the Historical Collections do not endorse trying any of these treatments:

Cramps in Stomach.—Make mustard poultice, with white of egg instead of water, and apply same to bowels, and give Squibbs’ Mixture. Hot water bags often afford relief. Paregoric and also laudanum relieve pain, but must be used with great caution.

Diarrhoea.—Take half ounce of blackberry root and boil in pint of water about fifteen minutes, strain and give teaspoonful every hour or two until relieved; or fluid extract, dose five to ten drops in a little water; one-half to one teaspoonful of paregoric in water.

Other remedies are:
1. An infusion of chamomile, prepared by steeping four to six heads of chamomile flowers in a cup of boiling water for an hour, and giving a teaspoonful hourly. Avoid solid food until bowels are all right.
2. Tablets of chalk mixture, of subnitrate of bismuth, or of pepsin; paregoric, laudanum.
3. Give starch injection with half a teaspoonful of laudanum for adult; for child only a few drops, and one drop of the wine of ipecac every hour, especially if vomiting be present, or half a grain of gray powder (mercury and chalk) every hour or two.
 4. A good blackberry cordial, such as the following, is often found to be a preventive and specific for summer complaint, diarrhoea, etc.:

Ripe blackberries 2 quarts
Sugar, white 1 pound
Cloves and allspice 1/2 ounce of each

Boil all together.  When cold, press out and strain the juice and add a pint of good brandy. This makes a pleasant drink, and may be taken in quantities from a teaspoonful to a wineglassful every two to four hours. Be careful not to take too much astringent medicine and thereby check the diarrhoea too suddenly.

Heartburn.—Give five drops of the tincture of nux vomica half an hour before each meal.

Indigestion.—An exclusive diet of fruit for several days is found efficacious in most cases of indigestion. This diet is excellent in dyspepsia and constipation.

Indigestion, Acute.—Dyspepsia, heartburn, a functional derangement of the stomach with pain, a sense of distension and gas, regurgitation of food, headache, and frequently perspiration. Regulation of the diet is of great importance, and for the acute symptoms bismuth 10 to 20 grains, essence of peppermint, one-half teaspoonful in water, bicarbonate of soda, and if pain is severe one or two teaspoonfuls of paregoric in hot water. The after treatment consist in keeping the bowels open and you may take the following:

Subnitrate of bismuth 2 1/2 drachms
Fluid Extract cascara 4 drachms
Compound tincture cardamom 6 drachms
Glycerine 4 drachms
Peppermint water 4 ounces

Sour Stomach—Heartburn.—Symptoms.—This common and distressing complaint results simply from undue acidity of the stomach caused by errors in diet or by dyspepsia. It produces a burning sensation in the stomach and under the breast-bone, often accompanied by nausea.

Treatment.—Take the following mixture, after meals, when the trouble occurs:
Baking soda ½ teaspoonful
Water ½ cupful

Sick Stomach.—Tablets of lime water; tablets of subnitrate of bis- muth; aromatic spirits of ammonia.

To read more from the 1920 volume, see the Library of Congress’ digitized version.  Or stop into Historical Collections on the fifth floor of the HS/HSL to see the impressive volume for yourself! 

Historical Collections wishes everyone a healthy and safe Holiday Season!

Staff News

New Staff

Amy Yarnell, MLS, joined the HS/HSL in November as the data services librarian. She comes to us from Indiana University – Bloomington where she earned her MLS with a specialization in digital humanities. She is excited to join the Services team and looking forward to helping the campus community with their research data needs.

 

Publications & Presentations

Meg Del Baglivo, MLS, Patricia Hinegardner, MLS, and Na Lin, MLS, presented an ALCTS webinar entitled “Research Data Discovery: Developing a Data Catalog.”

Meg Del Baglivo, MLS, and Steve Douglas, MA, MLS, AHIP, presented their poster “Providing Access to Electronic Medical Journals: It’s Not Just Flipping a Switch” at the annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association in Durham, NC.

Emily Gorman, MLIS, AHIP, and Gail Betz, MSLIS, are among the co-authors of “A Comprehensive Review of Methods to Measure Oral Oncolytic Dose Intensity Using Retrospective Data,” published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.

M.J. Tooey, MLS, AHIP, FMLA, taught her CE course “Leadership Considered” at the annual meeting of the Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association in Savannah, GA.

M.J. Tooey and Alexa Mayo, MLIS, AHIP, presented “Building a Foundation for a Culture of Resilience” at the annual meeting of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) in Phoenix, AZ.

Lauren Wheeler, MSLIS, and Mary Ann Williams, MSLS, presented their poster “Rising Up to Users’ Needs: Redesigning a Health Literacy Workshop for Health Professionals” at the annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association in Durham, NC.

Mary Ann Williams, MSLS, was an invited speaker at the annual meeting of the Local Health Information Coalition of Harford County, MD. Mary Ann’s talk was entitled “Health Literacy: It Takes a Village.”

Tara Wink, MLS, was a presenter at the session “Accidental Partnerships: Making your Serendipitous Collaborations More Strategic” at the Library Marketing and Communications Conference in St. Louis, MO.

Interesting HS/HSL Fact…

Interesting HS/HSL FactAs of 2019, if you add up all the years of professional service of the 26 librarians currently on staff, the total comes to almost a half millennium of expertise—449 years, to be exact!
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