Save the Date: HealthCampNYC

SAVE THE DATE

HealthCampNYC: Using Collective Knowledge to Improve Health Literacy and Community Health

Friday, May 14
Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library

HealthCampNYC is a regional health unconference for librarians, literacy professionals, public health professionals, medical professionals, community-based organizations and people interested in sharing with and learning from each other.

Participants at HealthCampNYC will be expected to share their work, skills and knowledge as active participants. In the rich tradition of unconferences, attendees will determine and manage program topics and sessions. Sessions may include (but are not limited to): how-to workshops, debates, or problem-solving sessions. This collaborative environment presents unique opportunities for learning, sharing, and relationship-building.

For more information: http://healthcampnyc.wetpaint.com/

HealthCampNYC is hosted by Brooklyn Public Library with support from The Health Education and Literacy for Parents (HELP) Project and New York Academy of Medicine Library. This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. NO1-LM-6-3501 with New York University.

Please feel free to share this info and the Save the Date flier with anyone who might be interested.

PLA 2010 in Portland, OR

Are you going to the PLA conference next month?

Check out these programs that my colleagues (including fellow graduated PULSE trainees) and/or I will be presenting at PLA -

Revitalizing Communication and Professional Development Through Unconferences: The Brooklyn Public Library and Darien Public Library Experiments
Thursday, March 25 at 2pm-3:15pm

DIY Usability Study: Is Your Library People Focused?
Friday, March 26 at 8:30am-9:45am

How Libraries Can Work to Promote Genetic Literacy in the Community: Brooklyn Public Library's Human Genome Project Community Conversations (HGPCC) Initiative
Friday, March 26 at 2pm-3:15pm

STEP UP! Timely Outcomes-Based Model for Helping Job Seekers
Friday, March 26 at 2pm-3:15pm

If You Didn't Work Here, Would You Come Here?
Saturday, March 27 at 8:30am-9:45am

Check out the PLA 2010 programming schedule for more info.

DOHMH Public Health Library Internship

Take a look at this internship opportunity at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Public Health Library. I interned at this library about three years ago and had a really great experience.

DOHMH Public Health Library Internship Announcement

The Public Health Library of the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene is offering an unpaid internship opportunity for library students. We are seeking a motivated, action-oriented student to assist the library staff in providing direct library services to the researchers of the agency and to assist in any special projects assigned. The Public Health Library, overseen by the Bureau of Public Health Training, also provides classes on information retrieval and bibliographic management to agency staff. Candidates would need to be able to assist during library's operating hours (Monday through Friday from 9 to 5pm). Students interested in health science, public health, or government librarianship are encouraged to apply. Please send resumes to Gloria Willson, Library Director, at gwillson [ at ] health.nyc.gov or fax to 212-447-8239. To learn more about the Public Health Library, please visit - www.nyc.gov/health/library.

Dewey: Stick with it, let it go, or work with it

There has been a lot of discussion about libraries using or not using Dewey. Take this Library Journal article: The Dewey Dilemma, for example. Part of the article focused on the Darien (CT) Library and how they use a combination of Dewey and subject categories; "We wanted to retain the findability of Dewey while encouraging and enabling browsing" - Kate Sheehan, knowledge and learning services librarian.

The article mentions some good points such as children's books where the question usually involves finding a book on a particular topic for a particular age/grade. From my experience, patrons usually want a story book (fiction) on that particular topic for a particular age/grade. This makes it even more challenging because fiction is organized by the author's last name. It doesn't even involve Dewey at all.

Sometimes patrons tell me that they don't like the system that we use, that all they want to know is where the [insert subject/topic] books are without having to ask someone, especially having to wait in line at the reference/information desk.

Also, I know that many libraries are pushing for great customer service, but how good is that customer service if people are feeling lost, confused, and sometimes even frustrated?

So what do you think? Should we use Dewey, not use Dewey, use a combination of Dewey and something else?

October is National Medical Librarians Month

Looking for quality health or medical information and perhaps not having much luck? Why not ask your medical librarian?