Table of Contents: 2016 MARCH–APRIL No. 409
NLM Awards 2016-2021 Regional Medical Library Cooperative Agreements. NLM Tech Bull. 2016 Mar-Apr;(409):b6.
[Editor's Note: This is a reprint of an announcement published on the NLM® Web site on April 1, 2016. To be notified of announcements like this subscribe to the NLM-Announces email list.]
On April 1, 2016, the National Library of Medicine awarded five-year cooperative agreements to eight institutions to serve as Regional Medical Libraries (RMLs) and five National Coordinating Offices in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM). The agreements begin May 1, 2016. The Network consists of the eight RMLs, five National Coordinating Offices, nearly 112 resource libraries (primarily at medical schools), over 2,200 local health science libraries (primarily at hospitals), and more than 1,300 public libraries and community-based organizations.
Since its original authorization by Congress in the 1965 Medical Library Assistance Act, the NN/LM has worked to equalize and enhance access to health information throughout the United States. The Network is vital in NLM outreach efforts to health professionals and the public to increase awareness of, facilitate access to, and provide training in the use of NLM Web-based information services, coordinate basic Network services such as interlibrary loan, and work to improve the supporting infrastructure for health sciences libraries. The goal is to provide access to accurate and up-to-date health information to health professionals, patients, families, and the general public, irrespective of their geographic location in an evolving information landscape.
Advances in the Internet and mobile technologies have brought about enormous changes in the way people seek and use health information, in the biomedical research, and in the publishing and scholarly communications of that research. Traditional resource sharing has been transformed by the widespread application of digital technologies in collection, development and access, the proliferation of e-journals, and large scale availability of full text journals in archives such as PubMed Central. Biomedical big data initiatives, such as the NIH Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) and the Precision Medicine Initiative, will facilitate the discovery and support of new knowledge and engagement among a diverse community, including health care providers, researchers, public health workers, data scientists, funders, publishers, libraries, and the public. Information seekers expect instant and free access. They also expect information and social networking tools that promote open access to knowledge sharing and knowledge creation. The NN/LM will play an important role in bringing the tools and resources needed to take advantage of this new environment to these diverse communities.
During the previous (2011-2016) contract period, the RMLs awarded more than 1,100 subcontracts and other awards to NN/LM members. The RMLs, in collaboration with subcontracted NN/LM members, were responsible for more than 6,600 training events and other outreach activities that reached more than 97,300 health professionals, librarians and members of the general public.
Information about the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and the Regional Medical Libraries is on the Web at https://nnlm.gov. The National Library of Medicine, a component of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, is the world's largest library of the health sciences. Information about all NLM programs and services is on the Web at https://www.nlm.nih.gov.
Region 1 - Middle Atlantic Region
University of Pittsburgh
Health Sciences Library System
Pittsburgh, PA
States Served: DE, NJ, NY, PA
Region 2 - Southeastern/Atlantic Region
University of Maryland at Baltimore
Health Sciences and Human Services Library
Baltimore, MD
States Served: AL, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA,WV, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Region 3 - Greater Midwest Region
University of Iowa
Hardin Library for the Health Sciences
Iowa City, IA
States Served: IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, ND, OH, SD, WI
Region 4 - MidContinental Region
University of Utah
Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library
Salt Lake City, UT
States Served: CO, KS, MO, NE, UT, WY
Region 5 - South Central Region
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Gibson D. Lewis Library
Fort Worth, TX
States Served: AR, LA, NM, OK, TX
Region 6 - Pacific Northwest Region
University of Washington
Health Sciences Library
Seattle, WA
States Served: AK, ID, MT, OR, WA
Region 7 - Pacific Southwest Region
University of California, Los Angeles
Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library
Los Angeles, CA
States Served: AZ, CA, HI, NV, and U.S. Territories in the Pacific Basin
Region 8 - New England Region
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Lamar Soutter Library
Worcester, MA
States Served: CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT
NN/LM Web Services Office (NWSO)
University of Pittsburgh
Health Sciences Library System
Pittsburgh, PA
NN/LM DOCLINE Coordination Office (NDCO)
University of Maryland at Baltimore
Health Sciences and Human Services Library
Baltimore, MD
NN/LM Training Office (NTO)
University of Utah
Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library
Salt Lake City, UT
NN/LM Evaluation Office (NEO)
University of Washington
Health Sciences Library
Seattle, WA
NN/LM Public Health Coordination Office (NPHCO)
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Lamar Soutter Library
Worcester, MA
