The Library’s newest service, Text a Librarian, allows you to send a text message to 434-226-0008 to communicate with us. You’ll find this number listed on our “Ask a Librarian” web page, along with other ways to contact us, including instant messaging, e-mail, phone, and, yes, in person!

Coverage hours for this service are 8 am – 6 pm, Monday – Friday. Text messages may be sent during off hours, but may not be responded to until the next business day.

For More Information
Contact Andrea Horne , Associate Director for Information Services, at (434) 924-9985. Or, give it a try: send a text to 434-226-0008.

~ Andrea Horne

A collection bin is available in the Library lobby. Please consider helping the worthy organizations that feed the hungry and homeless people who live in our community.

Items of particular need are:

Peanut Butter
Canned Meats
Canned Tuna
Pastas/Rice
Canned Fruits or Fruit Cups such as Peaches, Pineapples and Pears
Canned Vegetables such as Peas, Corn and Green Beans
Apple, Grape, or Pineapple Juice Boxes
Strawberry or Grape Jelly
Pork and Beans
Soups such as Chicken Noodle, Vegetable and Tomato
Spaghetti Sauce
Beef Stew
Chili with Beans

For more information, contact Jonathan Lord (434) 924-0059

Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale, one of the most well-known figures in medical history, is the focus of the current exhibit. The exhibit is on display between September 18 and October 21 in the Library’s lobby.

Renowned for her professionalization of and advocacy for nursing, Nightingale was also instrumental in mobilizing the British public for healthcare reform. In her quest to better convey the dreadful conditions in military hospitals and the resultant death toll, she devised new ways to show descriptive data, leading to hospital improvements.

This exhibit presents the accomplishments and long-term influence of Florence Nightingale, with artifacts from the Alexandria Hospital School of Nursing Collection in the library’s Historical Collections. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Nightingale’s groundbreaking publication “Notes on Nursing: what it is, and what it is not.”

Co-curated by Addeane Caelleigh, School of Medicine, and Sonya Coleman, Historical Collections and Services.

More Information
Contact Sonya Coleman,Historical Collections Specialist at (434)982-0576.

~ Sonya Coleman

You can connect your netbook or laptop to the monitor and enjoy easy viewing on these bright, large displays. The monitors also support wide format laptops. And, they are located in our corner carrels, making them prime locations for group work.

For More Information
Contact Bart Ragon, Associate Director for Library Technology and Development, at (434) 243-6058.

~ Andrea Horne

Ann Duesing, at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise

Ann, what exactly does an Outreach Librarian do?

Outreach programs vary but as the Outreach Librarian for far southwest Virginia, I provide information resources and services to health organizations, professionals, students, patients, consumers, librarians, and community coalitions.  Our program has always emphasized partnership building to better understand and serve the information and health issue needs of this region.

You were recently invited to become a member of the founding faculty of the Healthy Appalachia Institute at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. Can you tell us about the Institute and your role with it?

The mandate of the Healthy Appalachia Institute (HAI) is to end poverty, advance educational opportunity, encourage prosperity, promote health, ensure access to health care and improve access to health outcomes in Central Appalachia. For this purpose, HAI brings together educators, community leaders, researcher and scholars from the social sciences, medicine, humanities, and art to generate ideas and replicate solutions. I see my role as one of continuing to develop and sustain collaborative partnerships to address health care issues and to provide access to health information services and resources.

You have been an Outreach Librarian at Wise since 1995. Can you mention one of your favorite projects you have been involved in over the years?

Yes, a favorite is the Mountain Laurel Cancer Coalition and its Resource and Support Center housed at the Mountain Empire Older Citizens (MEOC) Area Agency on Aging. The Center opened in 2002. The Mountain Laurel Coalition and Center (MLCC) provide a wide array of services for cancer patients including education, information, travel to treatment support, and referrals to other agencies as needed. The UVA Cancer Center currently provides funding for the MLCC Director and also for a new Patient Navigator (in Charlottesville) for Southwest Virginia cancer patients traveling there for treatment.

Who inspires you?

Marilyn Maxwell, Executive Director of Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Area Agency on Aging has been an inspiration to me since meeting her in 1998. Throughout her tenure as MEOC Director she has developed and sustained programs that enhance the quality of life for Southwest Virginia citizens from the elderly to the children through intergenerational programs. I am amazed by her energy, her caring and her connection to and love for the community. I have been privileged to work with her on many projects. She has made the work truly meaningful and always great fun. Marilyn enjoys life to the fullest and overcomes all obstacles thrown into her path.

What do you like to do in your time away from your job?

I am a caregiver for my mother who is 93 years young and keeps me engaged in gardening, patio building and shopping excursions. She has had some serious health issues and those experiences have provided insight into the difficulties of navigating the health care system. In fact they have influenced my development of a class to be taught at the national meeting of the Medical Library Association in Washington, DC in May of 2010. The class is entitled Caregiver and Patient Tools for Navigating the Healthcare System and Health Information Resources and will hopefully make a positive contribution by assisting those who must make the health care journey.

On the lighter side…I remain an avid shopper, antiques browser, day spa aficionado and consumer of dark chocolate!

More Information
Ann Duesing, College at Wise Outreach Librarian  (276) 328-0168

~ Patricia Vaughn

What topic is the hottest? Right now it’s the class that Bart Ragon, Associate Director for Library Technology & Development, leads on popular social networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Google tools. Other hot topics are about creating posters using Powerpoint and making the best of your Google searches.

All sessions are held from noon to 1pm on various dates throughout the month (check the schedule). Please bring your lunch…yes you can eat in the Library! You can also purchase a lunch at Outtakes, which is located in the Link just outside the Library’s entrance. CU@theLibrary!

More Information
Contact Andrea Horne, Associate Director for Information Services, at (434) 924-9985.

~ Dan Wilson

• request a UVa-affililiated colleague sponsor their access
• come to the Library and we will enable access for a one or seven day period

Visit the Library’s how-Do-I pages for instructions on guest wireless set-up.

More Information
Contact Ellen Ramsey, Technology in Education Consulting Manager(434) 924-9962

~ Ellen Ramsey

Luckily, we know that questions can come up at any time. We’ve collected some of the most frequently asked questions along with the answers. Our How Do I? pages provide quick, step-by-step instructions to questions commonly asked at the Library.

Locate information on:

• setting up your UVa email on your Blackberry
• exporting PubMed citations into RefWorks
• using the Cited Reference Search feature in Web of Science, and lots more

Next time you have questions; try finding the answers from the How Do I? pages. You can find the How Do I? pages under the Find Training tab on the Library Home page.

More Information
Contact Ellen Ramsey, Technology in Education Consulting Manager(434) 924-9962.

~ Kelly Near

Gretchen Arnold

Like all other departments in the University, the Health Sciences Library has experienced budget reductions in state funding. Since 2008, and including the just recently announced 2.5% additional cut for this year, the Library’s budget has been decreased by $531,497. We are managing these cuts through a variety of strategies which include leaving positions open and reducing spending in other areas.

One of the most important expenditures we make is on our collections of books, journals and electronic resources. Our current collections budget is $1,890,988 which is 39% of our total budget. For the last several years, we have kept our collections budget flat, which in reality is a decrease because the average increase in scientific and medical journal pricing is 6 – 9% each year.

We are fortunate in that we share funding for some major purchases with the University Libraries and a consortium of state universities and colleges. In addition, we are extremely fortunate to have endowment income specifically targeted to collection, mostly books. This gives some flexibility that we would not have otherwise. However, the fact remains that we will have to make cuts in our collections in order to meet our targets.

We will make these cuts in a systematic and strategic manner. We will reduce print collections and rely further on electronic only. In addition, we will closely analyze the usage and costs of databases and journals to determine the best cost/benefit strategies. When we have questions, we will seek the advice of members of our user community.

On a positive side, you can be assured that the strong service ethic of the Library remains high. We are committed to ensuring all of our users receive the assistance they need, and in the most efficient way possible.

As the Health System continues to expand, we understand that online resources must be available 24/7. We know that our website is our virtual “front door” and will continue to make investments in our Web presence to  enhance access to our resources and services. Our library “chat” service continues to grow and we will look at other new technologies to expand our services. Innovation will be a key strategy to meet the challenges we face.

Sincerely,

Gretchen Arnold
Library Director

Day of Caring 2009

CDH severely compromises lung growth and development, necessitating early neonatal intensive care.  Even with the best of care, an infant with this defect faces a 50% chance of survival.

The library team worked on two projects, assembling infant handprint kits and ribbon cards.  The kits will be given to families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the University of Virginia Hospital as well as to Breath of Hope expectant parents.  The cards, featuring aqua blue ribbons and information about Breath of Hope, will be used to promote CDH Awareness Day (March 31^st).

Helping the “Breath of Hope” foundation gave the library volunteers a way to connect to and care for a mission beyond the library walls and the world of journals and books.

For More Information
Contact Nadine Ellero, Intellectial Access Librarian, at (434) 924-9998.

~ Nadine Ellero