Collaboration, whether within the University, throughout the state, across the nation or around the world, is a key component to the success of academic work, research, and clinical care.

Libraries and librarians have had a long-standing role in facilitating collaboration. The Library is one of the few places where faculty, staff and students gather in one physical space. Our services and expertise extend throughout the University, into the community and beyond.

One opportunity for the Library to continue its commitment to advance collaboration was the design of the current Library building – five floors with natural light, a research commons, beautiful open spaces, and 45 study rooms, many enhanced with technology. Recently, we investigated how the Library could further enrich collaborative work with technology and expert support. The result was the design of the Presentation Practice Studio.

Technology-enhanced physical space within the Library encourages group work and is playing a greater role in moving the University beyond its physical boundaries. As we envision a global community, the Library will continue to be a partner in providing the tools and expertise needed for success.

The HS/HSL is pleased to introduce our new Presentation Practice Studio, located on the second floor of the Library, above the Circulation Desk. The Studio provides faculty, staff, and students with the space and technology resources to practice, record, and develop presentations, and to refine public speaking skills.

We know you will enjoy working in the Studio, with its successful blend of technology and inviting, human-centered design.

Thanks go to the students who completed last year’s library survey on the uses of a collaboration space/studio. The response was very helpful in designing the studio and creating the space to fit your needs.

Questions about the Studio? Contact Us!

Join us on April 13, 2011, from 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m., when the HS/HSL hosts “Issues and Challenges in Faculty Research Evaluation: Creating an Environment for Research Excellence” in the SMC Campus Center. The keynote speaker will be Yvette Seger from the Thomson Reuters Scholarly and Scientific Research Group. Her remarks will be followed by a panel discussion with UMB faculty members Curt Civin, MD, Associate Dean for Research in the School of Medicine, Donna Harrington, Ph.D., Director of the Ph.D. Program in the School of Social Work, and Barbara Smith, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research in the School of Nursing. Topics to be discussed include recognizing research excellence through publication metrics and citation analysis and examining metrics for non-journal publications.

Lunch will be provided for faculty, but an RSVP is required.

HS/HSL staff members were excited to learn that they have received a 3-year, $200,000.00 National Library of Medicine Information Resource Grant to Reduce Health Disparities. Their proposal, “Empowering Student Community Advocates to Reduce Health Disparities” has three main aims:

Aim 1: Empower high school students as community health advocates.

Aim 3: Develop a replicable student health advocacy program.

M.J. Tooey, Principal Investigator for the grant stated, “While doing research to prepare our grant we discovered that some of the most successful projects to reduce health disparities resulted from working with student mentors. We want to develop a cadre of students who will have the skills to be health advocates for their families, their friends, and their communities. Finally, we hope to develop a replicable program and toolkit that can be used across the city, the region, and even the country.”

If you have a Windows (XP, Vista, or Windows 7) laptop, you can now use wireless printing in the Library. You will need to download and install a software package while you are physically in the Library and connected to the Library’s network (wired or wireless). A printer called “HSHSL 1st Floor HP4515” will be installed on your computer. This Pharos software will appear in your Add/Remove Programs list should you decide to uninstall at a later time. Once the software is installed, you can send print jobs to the first floor printing station directly from your laptop.

We hope this will be a convenient addition to our printing options. A software option for Mac computers will be coming soon.

We are pleased to introduce Emilie Ludeman, MSLIS, who, along with Katherine Downton, is a library liaison to the School of Nursing. The Library has such a wonderful working relationship with the School of Nursing that we need two full-time liaisons to provide excellent service to our Nursing faculty, students, and staff. Please feel free to contact either Emilie or Katherine.

Emilie received her Master’s of Science, Library and Information Science degree from Drexel University in 2009. Many of you may already know Emilie; she worked in the Library’s Reference and Research Department for over two years and often provided assistance at the Reference Desk. We’re happy that Emilie has chosen to remain at HS/HSL, and we value the expertise she brings to her new position.

HS/HSL liaisons work closely with their individual schools, providing instruction as guest lecturers, teaching library workshops, and offering research consultations to faculty, staff, and students. They also participate in orientations, present at conferences, work with faculty on grants, create resource guides, develop the Library’s digital collection, and contribute to UMB outreach activities.

If there is any way Emilie can help you with your teaching, information, or outreach needs, please contact her by email or phone 410.706.6852.

10. Access the Library from off campus. UMB One Card holders can access most of the Library’s databases and electronic journals using the 14-digit barcode on the back of your ID. Start by selecting a database or searching for a journal.

9. AskUs! Use the AskUs! link on our home page to chat with a Reference librarian or send an email. We will get back to you quickly with assistance.

8. Contact your Library Liaison. Every school has librarians assigned to work with their students and faculty. You can consult with them on your research needs, request instruction for your classes, or get assistance with other research, clinical, or educational questions.

7. Connect to available full text articles from PubMed. By starting your PubMed search from our database list you will be assured of linking out to full text articles. Use the blue linkout button or the FindIt button provided. These are not visible if you connect to PubMed through Google!

6. Search our online catalog. You can search for books and a variety of media at the HS/HSL and other University System of Maryland libraries. Connect to our catalog click on choose campus and select USMAI (all campuses) to search across all libraries in the system.

5. Request an Interlibrary Loan. If you need a book or journal article that we don’t have, check out our Interlibrary Loan option.

4. Register for an upcoming Library workshop. We offer a wide variety of workshops open to the UMB community to enhance your skills. Check out our current schedule. If you can’t make the date and time scheduled, you can even request another time!

3. Browse an E-Book. The HS/HSL provides access to hundreds of electronic books, including many of the major medical textbooks. Check out our collection.

2. Sign up for a RefWorks account. RefWorks, the web-based citation manager is free to UMB faculty and students. Our RefWorks guide gives you all the details and links to tutorials and help guides.

1. Download the HS/HSL toolbar. A quick download gives you easy access to link to our resources and services as well as updates from the Library.

The Library is offering several workshops during the month of April. Copyright for Instructors addresses copyright issues faced by faculty. Topics covered in the workshop include basics of copyright law, when materials can be freely used for educational purposes, and when you are required to obtain copyright permission.

Want to make better use of applications in Google? Google Scholar and Alerts in 30 will show you when it is best to use Google Scholar for scholarly research and how to set up daily, weekly, or monthly alerts on the latest web or news pages.

Workshop registration is free to all UMB faculty, staff, and students, and UMMC employees. For full course descriptions and registration and to see additional April workshops, visit our Workshop Schedule page.

The HS/HSL is pleased to announce that we are now able to offer late night study in the Library during final exams. We’ve added an extra security guard to patrol the building while another remains at the guard’s desk. You may be asked to show your campus ID badge while inside the Library as we are trying to ensure that only UMB faculty, staff, and students are inside during the late night hours. Visitors will be asked to leave at 10:00 p.m.

The Library’s Circulation Desk will remain open until midnight. After this time, we will not be able to provide services such as book checkouts or help with photocopiers, printing, etc. The hallway leading to the Southern Management Corporation Campus Center will close at 10:00 p.m. Shuttles will be available every half hour beginning at midnight to take you safely to your destination.

Extended Study Hours
Monday, May 2, 2011 – Wednesday, May 18, 2011

*Saturday extended hours represent a pilot during finals

From the SEA Currents newsletter:
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) announces the activation of the Emergency Access Initiative in support of medical efforts in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami.   The Emergency Access Initiative is a collaborative partnership between NLM and participating publishers to provide free access to full-text articles from over 230 biomedical serial titles and over 65 reference books and online databases to healthcare professionals and libraries affected by disasters. 

The Emergency Access Initiative serves as a temporary collection replacement and/or supplement for libraries affected by disasters that need to continue to serve medical staff and affiliated users.  It is also intended for medical personnel responding to the specified disaster. 
  
Other relevant resources available from NLM:

RADIATION EMERGENCIES:
Clinicians who need to learn more about assessing and managing radiation emergencies can turn to the Radiation Emergency Medical Management (REMM) website.

For a general audience, see the MedlinePlus pages on Radiation Emergencies and Radiation Exposure.

TSUNAMIS, EARTHQUAKES:
For earthquake information for responders and health professionals, see the Earthquakes-Resources for Response and Recovery page.

MedlinePlus has topic pages on Earthquakes and Tsunamis.

Our upcoming exhibit “Opening Doors” was created through a collaborative effort between the National Library of Medicine and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore. The exhibit, which and highlights the achievements of African American academic surgeons, will be on display in the HS/HSL Frieda O. Weise Gallery April 11, 2011 – June 5, 2011.

We are very proud to showcase the accomplishments of two University of Maryland surgeons: Sharon M. Henry, M.D., a professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, trauma surgeon at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, and Dr. Patricia L. Turner, an accomplished general surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons is an exhibition celebrating the contributions of African American academic surgeons to medicine and medical education. It tells the stories of four pioneering African American surgeons and educators who exemplify excellence in their fields and believe in continuing the journey of excellence through the education and mentoring of younger physicians and surgeons.

Through contemporary and historical images, the exhibition takes the visitor on a journey through the lives and achievements of these academic surgeons, and provides a glimpse into the stories of those that came before them and those that continue the tradition today.

Opening Doors is not intended to be an encyclopedic look at African American academic surgeons, but is intended to provide only a glimpse into the contributions that African American academic surgeons have made to medicine and medical education. An online web version of the exhibition is also available from the NLM web site.

This exhibition was developed and produced by the National Library of Medicine and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. Curated by Margaret A. Hutto and Jill L. Newmark.