For 2016-2021, NN/LM MAR will be focusing outreach efforts to reach new populations and organizations providing health information services that will benefit from access to the NN/LM and NLM’s evidence-based biomedical and health information resources. These include: public health workers; community health workers; patient educators; extension professionals; staff at Area Health Education Centers, rural health clinics, and Federally Qualified Health Centers; health sciences librarians; librarians and staff at public libraries, K-12 schools, community colleges and other 2 and 4 year colleges and universities; seniors; soldiers, veterans and military families; community- and faith-based organizations; and minority, underrepresented, refugee and immigrant populations.
As you can imagine, this is a tall order! Therefore, as in the past contract cycle, we are assembling advisory groups to guide our efforts in reaching constituents of these target populations.
MAR Special Advisory Groups (SAGs) for 2016-2021 are:
* Academic will focus on librarians, faculty, students and staff at university health centers at community colleges, and other 2- and 4-year colleges supporting health sciences programs, as well as other disciplines where NLM resources are useful, such as health and science education, library science, emergency management, and environmental health.
* Consumer Health will focus on reaching consumers through library staff at public libraries and schools, school nurses, K-12 health and science educators, and staff at community- and faith-based organizations.
* Health Sciences will focus on health sciences librarians and consist of appointed representation from regional MLA chapters and other health sciences library groups.
* Hospital Services will focus on hospital librarians, and others providing biomedical and health information services in the hospital setting including nurses, patient educators, continuing medical education coordinators and others.
* Health Professionals and Public Health Workers will focus on health professionals without access to a medical library, with an emphasis on those working in minority and underrepresented communities, public health workers; community health workers, extension professionals, and staff at Area Health Education Centers, rural health clinics, and Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Much of our programming and outreach is directed in response to feedback from our advisory groups. SAG members are generous professionals representing the diversity of our region and target populations. They unselfishly volunteer their time and expertise to enthusiastically endorse the NN/LM mission. SAG members are active partners in the development, assessment and advancement of health information programming throughout our region.
SAG members:
* Advise MAR staff on programs to improve health professionals’ and consumers’ awareness of and access to biomedical and health information resources, with an emphasis on NLM resources;
* Assist MAR staff in assessing health information needs by monitoring activities in their state, regional area, and profession;
* Identify partner organizations, training and funding opportunities to promote NLM resources;
* Serve as ambassadors throughout the region and among their constituencies in furthering the goals of and encouraging participation in NN/LM and NLM programs
SAG membership is rotating, with members serving 1 or 2 year terms. Meetings are held virtually on a quarterly basis.
If you are interested in being more involved in informing MAR programs, consider volunteering to serve on one of our SAGs. Applications are being accepted through June 24.
