Public Information and Communication
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 17, 2004
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan,
402-471-3434, 800-307-2665
National Commission Recognizes McGoogan Library
NCLIS Award for Consumer
Health Information Resource Service (CHIRS)
The U.S. National
Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) has announced that the
McGoogan Library of Medicine of the University of Nebraska Medical Center has
been selected to receive the 2004 NCLIS Blue Ribbon Consumer Health Information
Recognition Award for Libraries for Nebraska. The Nebraska Library Commission
nominated the McGoogan Library of Medicine for this prestigious award, which
will be presented at 3:30 p.m. on October 22, 2004, during a reception at the
McGoogan Library of Medicine. Outstanding libraries in thirty‑seven states are
being recognized by NCLIS in 2004 for their contribution to health awareness and
health education.
"The purpose of the awards
is to help increase awareness of healthy lifestyles," said NCLIS Chair Beth
Fitzsimmons, of Ann Arbor, MI. "Millions of American are diagnosed each year
with chronic diseases, which in many cases could have been avoided, had the
individuals followed healthier lifestyles."
Fitzsimmons continued,
"For many individuals, we now know how to prevent or delay the onset of the
major chronic diseases, and we know a lot about how to slow the progress of
these diseases for the 175 million Americans who already live with these chronic
conditions. Libraries are a natural location for disseminating health
information, and the efforts of the McGoogan Library, and especially its
Consumer Health Information Resource Service (CHIRS), have been outstanding in
carrying out this function."
Rod Wagner, Director of
the Nebraska Library Commission, nominated the McGoogan Library of Medicine on
the basis of the program's potential impact, innovativeness, and replicability.
The Nebraska Library Commission recognizes the library's efforts in providing
accurate, useful consumer health information to the people of Nebraska. This
program exemplifies the role libraries can play in increasing awareness of
consumer health‑related issues and encouraging healthy lifestyles. Program
components include working with Nebraska libraries to improve delivery of
consumer health information to Nebraskans and providing expert medical librarian
resources to answer questions that cannot be answered at the local level. This
strengthens Nebraska consumer health information services across the state,
resulting in healthier, more well‑informed communities. By providing training
and consultation to help Nebraska public librarians deliver first‑line services
in the community, the McGoogan Library's CHIRS program serves as a resource for
all Nebraska citizens, and shares its expertise with a wide‑ranging group of
users and information providers, epitomizing the concept of knowledge
development and knowledge sharing, one of the basic tenets of professional
librarianship.
ABOUT CHIRS:
Consumer Health Information Resource Service (CHIRS) began in January 1985 as a
cooperative venture between three independent groups and agencies. The
cooperative members included the McGoogan Library of Medicine at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center, the Nebraska Library Commission, and more than 70
public libraries in the State. The original objectives of CHIRS have not wavered
since its implementation: to provide educational and consultation services to
non-health science librarians; and to serve as a health information resource
library for the state of Nebraska. The aim of the service is to provide health
information, free of charge, to residents of the state of Nebraska no matter
their location. CHIRS information is provided for informational purposes only.
It is important to always consult with your individual health care provider for
specific medical questions.
How do you access CHIRS?
Feel free to call 402-559-6221 or 866-800-5209 (toll free outside of Omaha);
email
askus@unmc.edu; or access the CHIRS website at
http://www.unmc.edu/library/consumer and click on "Contact CHIRS" to fill
out an online request form.
###
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library
Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all
Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion,
development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing
together people and information. The most up-to-date news releases from the
Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission home
page,
nlc.nebraska.gov, search on Library Commission News Releases.