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National Network of Libraries of Medicine Sponsors Virtual Wikipedia Edit-a-thon

McGill University librarians participating in the NNLM Wikipedia Edit-a-thon

Did you know that people consult Wikipedia more often than trusted National Institutes of Health and National Library of Medicine resources to look for health information? Studies even suggest that our healthcare providers and students in health professions turn to Wikipedia for much of their health research. Recognizing this, a group of National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) coordinators recently organized a virtual Wikipedia Edit-a-thon to improve citations and pages on various health topics. Our goal was to work towards making Wikipedia a more reliable evidence-based resource by incorporating citations from trusted resources like PubMed, MedlinePlus, Genetics Home Reference, and the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. We held a public, virtual training session with a physician and active WikiProject Medicine editor, Dr. James Heilman. Dr. Heilman explained through the importance of providing evidence-based citations to Wikipedia and showed attendees how to add citations, and improve existing content. Continue reading

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HSLS Participation at the Medical Library Association’s Annual Conference

HSLS librarians were active participants in the Medical Library Association’s Annual Meeting held Atlanta, GA, from May 18-23.

Paper Presentations

Carrie Iwema, Coordinator of Basic Science Services, presented “Creating New Research Services: Library Support for Electronic Lab Notebooks.” Co-author was Melissa Ratajeski, Coordinator of Data Services.

Rose Turner, Research and Instruction Librarian, presented “Exploring the Role of DistillerSR in Successfully Completing Systematic Reviews.” Co-author was Mary Lou Klem, Research and Instruction Librarian.

Lightning Talks

Carrie Iwema, Coordinator of Basic Science Services, presented “Programming for Biology: Learning the Language to Meet the Needs of Biomedical Researchers.” Co-authors were Melissa Ratajeski, Coordinator of Data Services, and Ansuman Chattopadhyay, Assistant Director for Molecular Biology Information Services.

Melissa Ratajeski, Coordinator of Data Services, presented “Leading the Data Discovery Charge: A Cross-Institutional Collaboration to Index Research Data.” Co-authors were Carrie Iwema, Coordinator of Basic Science Services, Joel Marchewka, Web and Application Programmer, Angela Zack, Knowledge Integration Lead, et al.

Special Content Session

Kate Flewelling, NNLM MAR Executive Director, and Elaina Vitale, NNLM MAR Academic Coordinator, presented “Training, Program Ideas, Health Information Resources, Funding,” as part of a special symposium for public librarians.

Other Conference Activities

Barbara Epstein, HSLS director, concluded her year as MLA President by chairing the Board of Directors’ meeting, the MLA Business Meeting, and several other sessions. She also delivered her presidential address, titled “Engaging the Future.”

Michele Klein Fedyshin, Research and Clinical Instruction Librarian, and Andrea Ketchum, Research and Instruction Librarian/Scholarly Communication Liaison, co-chaired the MLA Ad Hoc Committee to Review Core Clinical Journals meeting.

Kate Flewelling, NNLM MAR Executive Director, was elected to the MLA Nominating Committee. Her one year term began at the end of MLA 2018. She also completed a three-year term as Section Council liaison to the Membership Committee.

Carrie Iwema, Coordinator of Basic Science Services, was a panelist for the Data Catalog Collaboration Information Session, and attended committee meetings as the Education Steering Committee liaison to the Education Annual Programming Committee.

Melissa Ratajeski, Coordinator of Data Services, chaired the Chapter Council meeting, attended the MLA Board of Directors’ meeting as a member, and was a panelist on the Data Catalog Collaboration Information Session.

Elaina Vitale, NNLM MAR Academic Coordinator, was appointed to the Broering Hispanic Heritage Grant Jury. Her one-year term began at the end of MLA 2018.

~Jill Foust

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AHRQ National Guideline Clearinghouse Guidelines Website to Close

The AHRQ National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) website will not be available after July 16, 2018, because federal funding to support this resource was eliminated. AHRQ is soliciting expressions of interest from stakeholders interested in carrying on NGC’s work. It is not clear at this time, however, when or if NGC or a similar resource will be online again. Summaries of new and updated evidence-based clinical practice guidelines will continue to be posted until July 2, 2018. For any questions, please contact Mary.Nix@ahrq.hhs.gov.

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NNLM Member Named “Mover and Shaker”

Karen Parry, Information Services Manager, East Brunswick Public Library

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region (NNLM MAR), based at HSLS, has over 1,000 organizational members, including academic and health sciences libraries, public libraries, schools, community-based organizations, and public health departments. In March, a librarian from a National Network of Libraries of Medicine member library was named one of Library Journal’s 50 “changemakers who are transforming what it means to be a librarian.”

Several years ago, Karen Parry, Information Services Manager at the East Brunswick Public Library in New Jersey, started an innovative service at her library. “Just for the Health of It” assists patrons in finding high quality health information and partners with local health care providers and others to provide health programming at the library. In 2017, the East Brunswick Public Library and fellow NNLM members Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Saint Peters University Hospital were recognized by the New Jersey Hospital Association for their effort to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate health information to underserved populations. Continue reading

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HSLS Staff News

The HSLS Staff News section includes recent HSLS presentations, publications, staff changes, staff promotions, degrees earned, etc.

News

Carrie Iwema has been promoted to Coordinator of Basic Science Services and was renewed for membership in the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) at the Distinguished Member level.

Julia Reese has joined the HSLS staff as a Library Specialist for the Technology Help Desk. She holds a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh.

Publications

Author names in bold are HSLS-affiliated

M.A. Gebara, N. Siripong, E.A. DiNapoli, R.D. Maree, A. Germain, C.F. Reynolds, J.W. Kasckow, P.M. Weiss, Research and Instruction Librarian, et al., published “Effect of Insomnia Treatments on Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” in Depression and Anxiety. May 21, 2018.

A.A. McDonald, B.R.H. Robinson, L. Alarcon, P.L. Bosarge, H. Dorion, E.R. Haut, J. Juern, F. Madbak, S. Reddy, P. Weiss, Research and Instruction Librarian, et al., published “Evaluation and Management of Traumatic Diaphragmatic Injuries: A Practice Management Guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma” in The Journal Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, April 2, 2018.

Presentation

Elaina Vitale, Academic Coordinator, NNLM Middle Atlantic Region, presented “Opioid Use Awareness and Health Information Resources” for the Nassau County Library Association in Uniondale, NY, on May 30, 2018.

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Classes for June 2018

HSLS Classes

Getting Systematic About Systematic Reviews (webinar), Monday, June 4, 2-3 p.m.

Painless PubMed*, Tuesday, June 12, 8-9 a.m.

PechaKucha Basics for Presentations, Wednesday, June 13, 4-5 p.m.

Electronic Lab Notebooks: Introduction to LabArchives, Thursday, June 14, 12-1 p.m.

EndNote Basics, Tuesday, June 19, 3-5 p.m.

ORCID Author IDs: Boost Your Discoverability, Thursday, June 21, 1-2 p.m.

Introduction to the Pitt Data Catalog, Friday, June 22, 10-11 a.m.

Painless PubMed*, Wednesday, June 27, 3-4 p.m.

PowerPoint for Conference Posters, Thursday, June 28, 12-2 p.m.

Molecular Biology Information Service

Intro to RNA-Seq & CLC Genomics, Wednesday, June 6, 1-4 p.m.

Advanced RNA-Seq & CLC Genomics, Wednesday, June 13, 1-4 p.m.

RNA-Seq & Galaxy, Wednesday, June 27, 1-4 p.m.

Classes are held on the first floor of Falk Library (200 Scaife Hall) in Classroom 1 and Conference Room B, and on the upper floor of the library in Classroom 2. All classes are open to faculty, staff, and students of the University of Pittsburgh. They are also open to UPMC residents and fellows, who will need to show their UPMC IDs.

Classes marked with an asterisk (*) qualify for American Medical Association Category 2 continuing education credit.

Class schedules are subject to change. Please consult the online class calendar for the most current information.

Customized classes can be developed for your department, course, or other group.

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Keep Calm and Ask a Librarian

www.keepcalmstudio.com

A typical health sciences student might approach the Falk Library Main Desk with these questions: “I’m embarrassed to ask, but how do I find this book?” or “How do I search PubMed to locate articles on my topic?” Congratulations intrepid library user—you asked for assistance! Less common, and more challenging are users so intimidated about navigating the library that they do not ask for help.

We want to reach out to anyone who feels ‘library anxious’ or reluctant to approach our helpful, accessible library staff. Library anxiety is described as “an uncomfortable feeling or emotional disposition, experienced in a library setting, which has cognitive, affective, physiological, and behavioral ramifications…characterized by feelings of…tension [and] fear…which debilitate information literacy.” Continue reading

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Director’s Reflections…Advocating on Capitol Hill

Barbara Epstein
HSLS Director
bepstein@pitt.edu

As President of the Medical Library Association (MLA), I am a member of the Joint Legislative Task Force of MLA and the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries. Every year, this group treks to Washington, DC to visit congressional offices. We meet with legislative aides (and occasionally representatives and even senators) to advocate for legislation that is important to our organizations, namely funding for the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as well as legislative and federal initiatives to increase public access to the results of federally funded research.

This year, our visits took place on April 4. I visited the offices of Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, and Representative Mike Doyle (PA 14), whose district includes the University of Pittsburgh. We were very pleased to thank them for their support of the generous funding to NLM and NIH in the recently passed FY18 budget legislation, and we explained how the $3 billion increase to NIH and $21 million for NLM will create jobs, provide hope to patients across the country, widen the opportunity for breakthroughs in biomedical research and support our nation’s continued global leadership in sciences and technology. Continue reading

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Iconic Annotated Medical Bibliography Is Now Online

The medical bibliography commonly known as Garrison-Morton originated as a checklist of texts illustrating the history of medicine. It was published by Fielding H. Garrison in 1933. Leslie T. Morton revised, updated, and annotated the checklist, and then published it as A Medical Bibliography in 1943. Each consequent edition brought this resource up to date, the last time in 1991 when Jeremy Norman assumed responsibility for the project. He saw the future of this bibliography in some electronic form even before the fifth edition was published (“The Future of the Garrison-Morton Bibliography,” Health Libraries Review, 1987, 4, 130-131).

Norman realized his idea in 2014 when he started to work on the current iteration of the bibliography, Jeremy Norman’s History of Medicine and the Life Sciences. He introduced not only the new format, but converted the bibliography into an interactive database freely available on the Internet. Because entry numbers had become established references, Norman preserved the decimal numbering system for original entries (1-6810), but any new additions simply get a new consecutive number (6811-onward).

He revised the scope of the bibliography by adding new subjects: molecular biology, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, homeopathy, ethnobotany, and graphic medicine. He expanded coverage of physicians’ travel and voyages, zoology, and veterinary medicine, and started to include electronic resources. There are more than 3,500 new entries since the last print edition. Many older ones have significantly revised annotations, updated birth and death dates, or new subject assignments. Norman also added the links to other sites pointing to authors’ biographies and digital facsimiles of the works.

The original arrangement of entries by class and chronology is partially lost in the online version. However, the inclusion of introductions and tables of contents for the previous versions gives the user some idea of the original arrangement. In addition, browsing the database with the help of indexes is more versatile. The site allows perusal by subject, author, year or place of publication, and by entry number. In addition to using the subject index to explore the resources, each entry has a list of related subject terms, which is another way of finding works on the same topic. The results are displayed in chronological order whether you use the subject, author, or place of publication browse.

~Gosia Fort

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Therapy for the ‘Dog Days’ of Exams

Many university campuses offer pet therapy programs to reduce stress and promote student well-being, particularly around exam times when stress levels rise. Research exists to show the short-term psychological benefits of such therapy sessions. Therefore, HSLS recently collaborated with our 2nd year medical student well-being taskforce to pilot Falk Library as a location for dog therapy. In February and March, HSLS offered three dog therapy sessions, scheduled around study for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 medical board exams. Total attendance for all sessions reached nearly 60 and informal feedback was extremely positive, prompting us to offer another session open to all health sciences students in April, coordinated near final exams.

Although we did not measure blood pressure or heart rate, or conduct formal interviews with the students to assess feelings of well-being, we did measure our success through positive interaction, laughter, and smiles and plan to continue pet therapy programs in the future.

HSLS would like to thank Rick Oberndorf and Nancy Olson, the pet handlers, who volunteered their time to this effort.

~Renae Barger

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Treasures from the Rare Book Room: Doctor Rogers’s Oleum Arthriticum

The Gout Collection at Pitt is the legacy of Gerald Rodnan (1927-1983), a former professor at the School of Medicine. Among its many rarities is a small leaflet, Doctor Rogers’s Oleum Arthriticum or Specific Oil for the Gout, published in 1735.

John Rogers was a respected apothecary in Stamford, Lincolnshire, and a licensed physician. He came upon a successful combination of oils in 1729. After testing it on himself, he treated several local fellow gout sufferers. William Stukeley, a physician and scholar well known in London circles, observed the success of Rogers’ medication. He gave an account of it to the Royal Society in London in 1733 (A letter to Sir Hans Sloan […] of the Royal Society about the cure of the gout…) and wrote Treatise of the Cause and Cure of the Gout (1734). The endorsement was powerful.

Doctor Rogers’s Oleum Arthriticum is an advertisement of the oils written in the form of letters between two gentlemen: one from London who successfully used Rogers’ treatment, the other from Dublin who learned about the cure from Stukeley’s book and decided to self-medicate based on Stukeley’s powerful endorsement. The letters are followed by additional directions for a regimen, in which Rogers recommends to vomit, bleed, and purge to enhance the work of the oils. He also includes information on pricing and the distribution of the medicine.

The unassuming leaflet bound in a simple contemporary paper hardcover has a handwritten dedication to Gerald P. Rodnan from Stewart C. Reed on the inside back cover and the collector’s bookplate on the inside front cover. It is very scarce, as most ephemeral prints are. Only four libraries in the United States appear to own a copy. What makes our item unique is the author’s handwritten note added on the last page. The printed statement Nor will I allow them to be sold at two Places in the same Town is crossed out and a new note added at the bottom: All Persons are free to buy these to sell again – J R.

The book can be seen in the Rare Book Room by appointment. For more information, please send an e-mail to techserv@pitt.edu

~ Gosia Fort

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HSLS Staff News

News

Julia Dahm has been appointed to the position of Coordinator of Technology Integration Services. This position facilitates HSLS’s cohesive technology framework including leadership of Falk Library’s Technology Help Desk, patron-based technology education and training initiatives, online learning technology back-end administration, internal and external media creation, and leads HSLS’s traveling exhibit program.

Presentations

Presenter names in bold are HSLS-affiliated

Kate Flewelling, Executive Director, NNLM Middle Atlantic Region, presented “National Network of Libraries of Medicine and the Collaborative Summer Library Program: A New Partnership” at the Collaborative Summer Library Program Annual Meeting, in Denver, CO, on April 10, 2018.

R. Jun Lin presented “Positive Effect of Nimodipine on Vocal Fold and Facial Motion Recovery Following Injury—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” at the American Laryngological Association Annual Meeting on April 18, 2018. Co-authors were Michele Klein Fedyshin, Research and Clinical Instruction Librarian, Lauren Terhorst, and Clark A. Rosen.

Erin Seger, Health Professions Coordinator, NNLM Middle Atlantic Region, presented “Resources to Address the Needs of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers” at the 2018 Pennsylvania Public and Community Health Annual Conference, in Lancaster, PA, on April 3, 2018.

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Classes for May 2018

HSLS Classes

Introduction to Tableau for Data Visualization, Monday, May 14, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

EndNote Basics, Tuesday, May 15, 9-11 a.m.

Introduction to the Pitt Data Catalog, Thursday, May 17, 2-3 p.m.

Painless PubMed*, Friday, May 18, 9-10 a.m.

Advanced PowerPoint for Presentations, Monday, May 21, 1-2:30 p.m.

Searching for Dollars, Wednesday, May 23, 4-5 p.m.

Painless PubMed*, Wednesday, May 30, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Locating and Citing Research Data, Thursday, May 31, 3-4 p.m.

Molecular Biology Information Service

Pathway Analysis, Wednesday, May 9, 1-4 p.m.

Continue reading

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Introducing the Pitt Data Catalog for Dataset Sharing and Discovery

Pitt Data Catalog, a project by the Health Sciences Library SystemSharing research data can bring many benefits, including greater visibility for data creators, a more transparent research process, and opportunities to identify potential collaborators. But what about datasets that are stored on a lab server instead of in a data repository, or that should only be shared with vetted researchers? The Pitt Data Catalog is a new platform at HSLS designed to help Pitt health sciences researchers share and discover their otherwise hard-to-find datasets, while keeping ultimate control over the data in researchers’ hands.

“The Pitt data catalog has the potential to improve research collaborations and accelerate the impact of research being conducted in the schools of the health sciences. I strongly encourage each researcher to work with HSLS to make your datasets discoverable through the catalog in accordance with the FAIR Data Principles: Making Data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.” Dr. Arthur Levine, Senior Vice Chancellor for the Health Sciences

Unlike data repositories like Dryad or Zenodo, the Pitt Data Catalog does not host any data files. Instead, each dataset included in the catalog is described in a metadata record that includes information about the dataset’s authors, subject domain, and data creation process, as well as instructions for accessing the dataset itself and links to associated publications. Some data catalog entries describe publicly-available datasets, so their records link directly to the data in a repository. Other entries that describe privately-held datasets may direct a visitor to e-mail the corresponding author, or link to a data-access application form. Each record is created in collaboration with the researcher to ensure accurate and comprehensive information.

If you have datasets you would like to have described in the Pitt Data Catalog, please contact the HSLS Data Services team at HSLSDATA@pitt.edu or through our dataset inclusion form. We’ll schedule an in-person or phone consultation to learn more about your datasets and discuss the most appropriate terminology to describe your data. After we create a draft of your dataset’s record, we’ll send it to you for final approval. If you have updates after the record is published, just contact us to make changes; we may also contact you to make sure our information is still current.

HSLS Data Services staff are happy to give demonstrations for individual health sciences researchers, departments, or labs. If you would like to investigate whether the Pitt Data Catalog would be a good match for your datasets, please reach out and we will gladly explore its possibilities with you.

The University of Pittsburgh, Health Sciences Library System, is a member of the Data Catalog Collaboration Project and has customized this data discovery tool in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under cooperative agreement number UG4LM012342 with the University of Pittsburgh, Health Sciences Library System. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

~Helenmary Sheridan