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NIH Library Director’s Message—August 2019

It is my pleasure to share updates from the NIH Library with you. These are only a few of the many projects and initiatives we are working on. I will share more news and in the coming months but wanted to focus on these efforts which are happening soon or are having a significant impact at NIH. 

NIH Research Festival

We are excited to be participating in the NIH Research Festival on Wednesday, September 11. We will be showcasing technologies, resources, and services the NIH Library makes available to NIH staff. Stop by the Library in building 10 from 12 to 4 p.m. to experience innovative technologies and leave inspired by how the Library can support your research.

  • Virtual Reality (VR): Strap on a VR headset and step inside a cell or take a virtual journey through human anatomy, then stay to talk to the experts and learn how VR is being used to support biomedical research today.
  • 3D Printing: See the NIH Library’s 3D printer in action, discover how others have used it to solve their research challenges, and learn how you can make your own ideas come to life with 3D printing at the Library for free.
  • Digital Production Studio (DPS): Strike a pose in front of the NIH Library’s portable green screen and see your image transported to a new location using tools from our DPS. Check out the gear, meet our staff, and learn how you can take your video and audio projects to the next level.
  • NIH Library Information Table: Stop by our information table to learn about NIH Library resources and services including our training program, bioinformatics support, bibliometrics and data services, research assistance, editing, and translations, as well as our extensive collection of eBooks, eJournals, databases, and research tools.

We hope to see you there!

"Maximizing Value" Outreach Effort Success

Over the past year, the NIH Library has coordinated with other Office of Research Services (ORS) Scientific Resources divisions to share our “Maximizing Value” outreach efforts with NIH labs. Through a series of well-received presentations and meetings, the effort has successfully raised awareness of the value ORS provides for NIH researchers. Located within the Office of Management, ORS provides services and resources that support effective and safe research at the NIH.

The “Maximizing Value” outreach effort comes out of a collaborative study by the ORS Scientific Resources cluster which sought to identify future trends in biomedical research from senior leaders and early career biomedical investigators of the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP). The study indicated a need to increase awareness of services and resources offered by the ORS Scientific Resources cluster, which includes the NIH Library, Occupational Health and Safety, Radiation Safety, Scientific Equipment Services, Veterinary Resources, and Medical Arts. This study also pointed to the need to raise awareness of NIH’s scientific resource discovery tool, CREx.

We have been encouraged by the enthusiastic response and positive impact our “Maximizing Value” outreach is having on NIH researchers’ awareness of the services available to them. Early results suggest that beyond awareness, our lab presentations are having a positive impact on current usage of scientific resources and services, including those of the NIH Library and CREx. Moreover, with healthy response rates, anticipated future use of key Library services ranges from 86 to 93% among respondents.

Voice of the Customer

We are always pleased to receive feedback from our customers. We frequently receive appreciative messages, and this one from last month is simply too good not to share:

“Completely happy with my experiences in the NIH Library. Thanks for all you do for us!” 

If you have feedback, please let us know. We are delighted to hear when we are doing well, but we also welcome your ideas for how we can improve. Email us at nihlibrary@nih.gov.

The NIH Library in Building 10 serves the information needs of NIH staff and select Department of Health and Human Services agencies. The NIH Library is part of the Office of Research Services in the Office of the Director. NIH Library classes, events, resources, and services, subscribe to our e-news.