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Archive for the ‘Technology and Libraries’ Category

Ready, Set, Go: Easy-to-Use Online Tools to Create Effective “How-To” Tutorials (TechTime session)

Monday, July 28th, 2014

MAR offers 1 MLA Continuing Education (CE) credit per session—details will be provided at the end of the session.

Presenter:      Andrew Youngkin, Emerging Technologies / Evaluation Coordinator, NN/LM Southeastern/Atlantic Region (SE/A)

Date / Time: Wednesday, July 30, 2014 / 11 am – Noon (ET)

Where:             https://webmeeting.nih.gov/techtime/

Online / No Registration Required

Summary: This presentation will feature a select group of easy-to-use, (mostly) free online tools to plan and create online tutorials (aka, screencasts). Key features of these online tutorial creation tools will be demonstrated and best practices for screencasting, including voice-over narration and
storyboarding, will be discussed.

NCBI Webinar: Using the New NCBI Variation Viewer to Explore Human Genetic Variation

Monday, July 28th, 2014

On August 13th, NCBI will host a Webinar entitled “Using the New NCBI Variation Viewer to Explore Human Genetic Variation”. This presentation will show you how to find human sequence variants by chromosome position, gene, disease names and database identifiers (RefSNP, Variant region IDs) using NCBI’s new Variation Viewer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/ja14/brief/ja14_ncbi_reprint_webinar.html

NCATS Announces the Toxicology in the 21st Century (Tox21) Data Challenge 2014 Competition

Monday, July 28th, 2014

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) has announced the Toxicology in the 21st Century (Tox21) Data Challenge 2014 competition.

The goal of the challenge is to crowdsource data analysis by independent researchers in order to develop computational models that can better predict chemical toxicity. It is designed to improve current toxicity assessment methods, which are often slow and costly. The model submission deadline is November 14, 2014. NCATS will showcase the winning models in January 2015. Registration for the challenge and more information is available on the web site.

Tox21 scientists are currently testing a library of more than 10,000 chemical compounds in NCATS’s high-throughput robotic screening system. To date, the team has produced nearly 50 million data points from screening the chemical library against cell-based assays. Data generated from twelve of these assays form the basis of the 2014 challenge. For more information on the Tox21 Modeling Challenge and Tox21 Program, contact Anna Rossoshek.

Seeking the next Head of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) at NLM

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2014

We are pleased to share with you the recruitment announcement for the next Head of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine,
commonly referred to as the national Network Office (NNO):

The Head of the National Network Office of the NN/LM serves as a national leader in developing collaborations among the varied types of libraries in the Network, including health sciences libraries, and academic and public institutions, to improve access to and the sharing of biomedical information resources.  The NNO Head is responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and advising on all aspects of providing biomedical information, for outreach to groups experiencing health disparities, and for providing access to medical information in national and international emergency and disaster situations.  The NNO Head advises on public health information policy issues, as related to programs conducted throughout the Network.   This is an exciting time for an incoming Head because plans for the 2016-2021 Regional Medical Library contracts are underway.

The very short posting time of July 22July 31 reflects the government’s effort to hire talented people quickly.  Please see the postings on USAJobs.gov and follow the instructions to apply.  One posting is for “Status Candidates” (Merit Promotion and VEOA Eligibles) and the other is for for “All US Citizens.”

The jobs will also be linked from “Careers @ NLM” on the NLM home page:  www.nlm.nih.gov.

In addition to an interesting, challenging work environment, NLM has a great location on the campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland.  NIH is a short Metro ride from Washington, DC and a short walk from Bethesda’s thriving restaurant and retail district.  As a supervisory librarian at the GS15 level, the position has a salary range of $124,995-$157,100, and reports to the Associate Director for Library Operations, Joyce Backus.

If you have questions about this job, please contact Zenaida Olivero, PHR, (301) 435-5716, or Oliverozm@mail.nih.gov.

Dianne Babski

Deputy Associate Director of Library Operations
National Library of Medicine

Discovering TOXNET Class

Friday, July 18th, 2014

Free Online TOXNET® Class Offered This Fall by the National Library of Medicine Training Center (NTC)

 

The National Library of Medicine Training Center (NTC) is offering an online, asynchronous class called “Discovering TOXNET” from October 20 – November 14, 2014.

 

Discover TOXNET and other NLM environmental health databases through videos, guided tutorials, and discovery exercises. The class is taught online in 13 independent modules.

 

TOXNET is a web-based system of databases covering hazardous chemicals, environmental health, toxic releases, chemical nomenclature, poisoning, risk assessment and regulations, and occupational safety and health. The independent modules cover TOXLINE, ChemIDplus, TRI, TOXMAP, Hazardous Substances Data Bank, IRIS, Haz-Map, LactMed, WISER, CHEMM, REMM, LiverTox, and more.   You’ll learn about the resources through videos, guided tutorials, and discovery exercises.

 

Who should take the class?

Health sciences librarians and health or environmental sciences professionals interested in unlocking the information in TOXNET and the other environmental health and toxicology resources.

 

How much time?

You will work on your own time over a period of 4 weeks to complete the modules that are of interest to you. There is one required module; the remaining modules are optional. This class is offered for variable MLA Continuing Education credit. Each module will be offered for 0.5 to 2.0 credit hours, for a total of up to 12 hours. Credit will not be awarded for partial completion of a module. Total credit awarded will be based on completed modules with a minimum of 1.0 credit hours.

 

What happens during the class?

This course is offered asynchronously through Moodle; you will work at your own pace. Each module consists of guided interactive online tutorials AND/OR tutorial videos as well as discovery exercises. Instructors will be available to answer questions and provide assistance throughout the course.

 

The modules are:

  1. Introduction to TOXNET: 0.5 hour (Required)
  2. TOXLINE: 1.0 hour
  3. ChemIDplus: 2.0 hours
  4. Integrated Risk Information System & Risk Assessment: 1.0 hour
  5. Hazardous Substances Databank: 1.5 hours
  6. Toxic Release Inventory: 1.0 hour
  7. TOXMAP: 1.5 hours
  8. Household Products Database: 0.5 hour
  9. LactMed: 0.5 hour
  10. Haz-Map: 0.5 hour
  11. WISER & CHEMM: 1.0 hour
  12. REMM: 0.5 hour
  13. LiverTox: 0.5 hour

 

How do I register?

Space in the class are limited, so don’t delay!  Register now at:

http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/classes/class_details.html?class_id=809

 

For questions, contact the NTC at ntc@utah.edu.

New Features Added to ChemIDplus

Friday, July 18th, 2014

ChemIDplus is a dictionary of over 400,000 chemicals (names, synonyms, and structures). It includes links to NLM and other databases and resources, including ones to over 100 federal, state and international agencies. ChemIDplus Lite is designed for simple searching on name or registry number. ChemIDplus Advanced helps users draw their own structures and perform similarity and substructure searches. ChemIDplus records are updated daily. The following new features are now available:

A new “3D” button on search results pages provides calculated three dimensional structure models for over 300,000 chemicals and 645,000 variations.  Users can adjust the rotation speed, the image type (ball and stick, space fill, wireframe), and 3D angle of viewing; dragging the image changes its orientation. Right clicking on the structure box provides other control options such as color, style, measurements, and computation.  The open source JSMol program is used for viewing these models.  Another feature offers 3D when viewed with Red/Cyan, Red/Green or Red/Blue glasses, allowing for unique visualization of a molecule with depth perception.

The ChemIDplus structure box now uses quick-loading Marvin for JavaScript (free; requires IE9 or above). The Marvin Applet version is also available in a pull-down for legacy browsers.

ChemIDplus is now IPhone IOS and Android OS friendly. Buttons collapse to neatly fit the phone screen, and the structures can be displayed.

Save the Dates! Nov. 3-4, 2014: Bioinformatics Classes at WNYLRC in Buffalo, NY

Friday, July 18th, 2014

Save the Dates!

Two separate and distinct all-day classes in Bioinformatics will be offered on Monday, November 3, and Tuesday, November 4, 2014, at the Western New York Library Resource Council’s new location: 4950 Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY 14225.

Diane Rein from the University at Buffalo Health Sciences Library will be the instructor.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Foundations of Bioinformatics and Searching

http://cech.mlanet.org/node/564

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Translational Bioinformatics

http://cech.mlanet.org/node/587

Registration information and updated course descriptions will be forthcoming.

Grace Di Virgilio, MLS, Coordinator

Hospital Library Services Program

Western New York Library Resources Council

WNYLRC – a Member of the NY 3Rs Association

4455 Genesee Street, Suite 120

Buffalo, NY 14225-1928

Library Technology Reports Issue on Tablets & Mobile Devices

Friday, July 18th, 2014

This is a call for proposals of case studies to be included in an issue of Library Technology Reports (published by ALA TechSource) focusing on the strategic and intentional integration of tablets and mobile devices into library services.  This issue will be edited by Rebecca K. Miller, Heather Moorefield-Lang, and Carolyn Meier, and will be published in Summer 2015.

In past publications (available here: http://tabletsinlibraries.tumblr.com/book), we have explored how libraries are integrating tablets and other mobile devices into library services, highlighting best practices and effective methods.  However, now that libraries have had a few years to experiment with these technologies, we are interested in exploring the question of how libraries strategically integrate these technologies into their services.  Case studies selected for inclusion in this report will demonstrate effective practices for intentionally integrating technologies in any areas of library services.  These practices may include, but are not limited to:  front-end or need assessments, cost-benefit analyses, user experience research, and summative and formative evaluations.  We will accept 4-6 case studies, and expect that each case study will total around 3,000 words.

In order to submit a proposal, please send a 1-2 paragraph summary of your case study–which should include a description of your project, the methods you used to gather data about the project, and the decision that your library made based on the data–along with a current CV highlighting relevant experience and publications.  Proposals and accompanying material should be submitted by August 15, 2014 to: tabletsinlibraries@gmail.com.  We will notify authors of the editors’ decision regarding their proposal(s) by September 1, 2014.

Ultimately, we hope that this issue of Library Technology Reports will help readers be able to

Think more critically about the technologies that they want to integrate into their libraries

Identify and use new methods for gathering and analyzing data related to integrating technologies into their libraries

Make sound investments in and decisions about the time and resources spent on integrating technologies into their libraries

Anticipated timeline of project:

August 15, 2014:  Deadline for submitting proposals for contributed chapters to editors

September 1, 2014:  All contributors notified of acceptance or rejection of chapter proposal

November 1, 2014:  Full contributions (around 3,000 words) due to editors

December 1, 2014:  Editors send revisions to authors

January 15, 2015:  Revised chapters due back to editors

February 1, 2015:  Authors receive final suggested revisions from editors

March 1, 2015:  Final manuscripts due to editors

March 2015:  Editors assemble manuscript and finalize entire report

April 1, 2015:  Editors deliver final manuscript to ALA for publication

Questions can be directed to all editors via email: tabletsinlibraries@gmail.com

This information is also available on our project website: http://tabletsinlibraries.tumblr.com/post/91111099979/call-for-proposals-new-issue-of-library-technology

Rebecca K. Miller

Assistant Director, Learning Services

University Libraries, Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001

(540) 231-9669

millerrk@vt.edu

http://rebeccakatemiller.com/

Visualization Literacy

Friday, July 18th, 2014

With an increase of technology tools available for data reporting and visualization, sometimes it’s challenging to know how to best use them to clearly communicate the intended meaning of data. The concept of visualization literacy and a broader theme of visual literacy are often not included as part of the instructions guiding people in the steps to create their own visualization design.

A recent entry by Andrew Kirk on the blog of Seeing Data, a research project in the United Kingdom studying how people understand big data visualizations shown in the media, offers a great review of 8 Articles Discussing Visual and Visualization Literacy that are freely available and well worth a read to better understand both visual and visualization literacy. Their featured articles include resources ranging from the importance of Visual Literacy in an Age of Data to How to Be an Educated Consumer of Infographics, and Seeing Data has asked that you share additional ones with them via blog comments or their Twitter social media account @SeeingData.

Ready, Set, Go: Easy-to-Use Online Tools to Create Effective How-To Tutorials (TechTime session)

Friday, July 11th, 2014

MAR offers 1 MLA Continuing Education (CE) credit per session—details will be provided at the end of the session.

Presenter:      Andrew Youngkin, Emerging Technologies / Evaluation Coordinator, NN/LM Southeastern/Atlantic Region (SE/A)

Date / Time: Wednesday, July 30, 2014 / 11 am – Noon (ET)

Where:             Online / No Registration Required

Summary: This presentation will feature a select group of easy-to-use, (mostly) free online tools to plan and create online tutorials (aka, screencasts). Key features of these online tutorial creation tools will be demonstrated and best practices for screencasting, including voice-over narration and
storyboarding, will be discussed.
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