Read a full review of The Maltese Falcon here. For a full list of books available from the SWIFT Book Club, look here.

Posted on behalf of –  Dana Abbey, MLS Consumer Health Coordinator National Network of Libraries of Medicine University of Colorado Denver

William completed the Boston Marathon at the age of 67. Now, in his late-80s he continues to enjoy hiking, skiing and running.  Mildred, 73, hits the step machine after complete knee replacement surgery and daily increases her walking distance. These are just two of the inspirational stories on the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) NIHSeniorHealth website . Often times these stories cross my mind as I watch the seconds painfully ticking away on the treadmill timer. However, William and Mildred’s dedication, along with the other 26 engaging exercise stories, keep me motivated to exercise for life.

People aged 65 and up numbered 37.3 million in 2006 (12.4% of the population) and are expected to represent 20% of the United States population by 2030.  Fifty-three percent of next generation seniors (50-64) and twenty-one percent of seniors 65 and up have gone online to search for health information.  With the growth of our aging population, it’s imperative to have accurate, authoritative online resources to make informed health care decisions. Here are a selection of resources that focus on the unique needs of seniors and caregivers.
NIHSeniorHealth was developed by staff from the NLM and the National Institute on Aging to provide seniors and caregivers with reliable aging-related health information.  The site debuted in 2002 with three health topics, and now includes 43 health topics, health videos, Medicare basics for caregivers,  a trainer’s toolkit to help older adults learn to search online health information, and links to tips on making websites senior friendly.  The site has many senior-friendly features allowing users to easily increase the text size, change the page color for higher contrast, or activate the “talking” function that reads text aloud. NIHSeniorHealth has received numerous awards and recognition including the 2009 bronze medal from the National Mature Media Awards and the Industry Innovators Award from the International Council on Active Aging. If you, or you know of someone 60 years or older who exercises regularly, consider sharing your exercise story to inspire others.
The National Institute on Aging provides information on healthy aging, care giving, dietary supplements, and diseases in both English and Spanish. It also provides links to other National Institutes of Health and other government websites. This Institute conducts scientific research to understand the nature of aging and extending one’s healthy active years. In addition to health information, the site has a searchable database of over 300 national organizations that provide help to older adults.
The U. S. Administration on Aging provides links to connect older persons, caregivers and professionals to federal, national and local programs – including the Eldercare Locator to find help with transportation, meals, home care, and caregiver support services. You can link to the Locator directly at http://www.eldercare.gov.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a section just for seniors at . Topics include health issues – such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes – drug information, medication errors, health fraud, and nutrition.
USA.gov, the award-winning official portal to all things government has a wealth of resources for seniors. In addition to health information and caregiver resources, this site provides information consumer protection; end-of-life issues; education, jobs and volunteerism for seniors; laws and regulations protecting seniors; financial, retirement, and tax information; and travel and recreation tips and discounts.
Medicare’s official site provides information on comparing prescription drug plans, health plans and hospitals. In addition, you can learn about planning for long-term care, Medicare eligibility, find resources for caregivers, and locate Medicare forms.
Nursing Home Compare is a tool containing detailed information about past performance of every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country. Sites receive ratings on health inspections, nursing home staffing, residents quality measures (health, physical functioning, mental status, general well being), and fire safety inspections.
For more information, or to schedule a presentation:
Dana Abbey, MLS
Consumer Health Coordinator
National Network of Libraries of Medicine University of Colorado Denver – Health Sciences Library 12950 E. Montview Blvd., A003 Aurora, CO 80203 303-724-2110 dana.abbey@ucdenver.edu

We all know that Web 2.0 tools are essential for communicating and creating in today’s fast-paced world. If there are tools that you or your staff want to learn more about, or if you just need to brush up on the basics, please visit the Colorado Libraries 2.0 website.

Colorado Libraries 2.0 is a FREE learning program to help library staff become familiar with Web 2.0 tools. The program is designed in modules associated with categories of tools:

1. Communication
2. Collaboration
3. Visual Communications
4. Personal Learning Environments (PLE)
5. Productivity Tools
6. A capstone project – Your PLE

Additional modules will be available in 2010.

Join with others from your library to get the most from the program !

Colorado Libraries 2.0 was created by Reach – Leading Learning in Libraries – a group of library staff members committed to sharing continuing education opportunities with others.

Two people meet in nonfiction and fall in love. A boy finds salvation in his local library and becomes the first in his family to attend college. A suburban mother of four relies on the library’s expert reference service to start her own business, and later is named “Entrepreneur of the Year.”

Come visit the State Library’s booth at the CAL exhibit hall to share YOUR story! You can write it, type it, or tell it (we will have flip cameras). Read fantastic stories of your colleagues and celebrate the many ways libraries transform lives.

Need more reason? Submit YOUR story and become eligible to win one of these fabulous prizes!

• A “flip” digital video camera
• Library stories journals
• A tricked-out messenger bag
• Summer Reading Fun Pack

State Library at CAL schedule (PDF)

• * Share with you the latest services and resources we can offer Colorado libraries
• * Hear how libraries have transformed your lives

CSL at CAL 2009 – Schedule (PDF)

Posted on behalf of Dana Abbey.

Did you know that adults in the U.S. average 11.5 prescriptions per year, and persons over 60 average 15.6? Pillboxbeta, provides an easy way to visually identify an unknown tablet or capsule medication based on imprint, shape or color.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is developing two free online tools to assist in identifying and tracking prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.

The site, currently under development, is designed for consumers, emergency physicians, first responders and Poison Control Centers. Pillboxbeta   contains 5,693 records – 779 have images. In addition to pill images, the site provides links to medication content and labeling as found in the medication package inserts; MedlinePlus for easy to read summaries; PubMed for medical literature describing research; clinical trials; and, literature on substances that might pose possible health effects to nursing infants. The NLM is working with the Food and Drug Administration and drug manufacturers on a large-scale photography project, so look for more images to be available in the near future. This site, as with all other NLM databases, does not accept advertising.

Personal medication records can help to educate and empower consumers and improve patient safety and health quality. MyMedicationList is a prototype Web application being developed by the NLM that helps users manage and track their prescription and over-the-counter medication lists.  The program has two options for display: text and pictogram. The pictograph view is a great feature for those with low literacy – medications can be associated with images and instructions for use.  The list can be printed, emailed or brought to medical appointments.  This web tool is not connected to a health institute or organization, is advertisement-free, and is stored locally on the user end. Multiple lists can be created, allowing all family and household members can keep track of their individual medications.

When disposing of unused, unneeded, or expired medications:
•    Remove from original containers
•    Mix prescription drugs with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter, and put them in impermeable, non-descript containers, such as empty cans or sealable bags
•    Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet unless the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs doing so
•    Look for community pharmaceutical take-back programs that allow the public to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal

For more information on prescription, over-the-counter medications and supplements, visit MedlinePlus at www.medlineplus.gov.

Registration entitles you to the following free materials:

• *A program manual which contains children’s and teen activities, as well as a disc with graphics for both programs;
• * A basic kit of children’s incentive materials which includes posters, bookmarks, certificates, and stickers (will be sent in spring 2010); and
• * A basic kit of teen incentive materials which includes posters, bookmarks, reading records, and temporary tattoos (the teen basic kits are available to the first 100 registrants only, and will be sent in spring 2010).

NOTE:

1. Public libraries must register by library jurisdiction and not by individual branches. Please appoint one person to register for all branches in your jurisdiction, and request sufficient materials for all.
2. Please ensure that you have completed your reports for the 2009 summer reading program and for the 2009 mini-grants (if you received one). Libraries that have not completed these reports will not be eligible for 2010 materials.

As the Colorado Association of Special Libraries (CoASL) will be going into its third year in existence with a change in leadership at the annual CAL conference, let’s look back at what we’ve accomplished in the past year.

Bringing our membership together has been a goal this year. To this end, the Association began a low-traffic listserv back in December 2008. While this is definitely a work in progress, most of our members have opted to subscribe to the list! Also, CoASL hosted a number of association-wide meetings this year, beginning with the CAL conference back in November 2008.

In February, we visited the Colorado Railroad Museum Library, and had the opportunity to explore the riches of the railroading history of our state. A (very successful!) Spring Workshop was held in April at the American Alpine Club Library facility. We were blessed with a nice enough day to hold some of our day’s events outside! Bringing the year (almost) to a close, we held our most recent meeting at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science’s Library.

Many, many thanks to all of the host libraries and to the CoASL membership for hosting our meetings, and attending them!

Be sure to vote before October 21^st! We have a great slate of officers lined up for the 2009-10 year, with Jenny Stevens from the USGS Library coming in as our President, and Victoria West-Pawl from CSU-Global as our incoming President-Elect. We look forward to seeing you at the conference!

Looking for a better way to manage your web site content?  Want more advanced functionality and/or social networking features?  Drupal is  an award-winning, open source content management system being used by  major corporations worldwide and is now being widely adopted by the  library community.  Learn more about the pros and cons of Drupal and how libraries are using it to make their web presences more effective and efficient.  Discover library-specific add-ons (modules) that can  make your new Drupal site even more extensible.

There is no charge for  this webinar.  Pre-registration is not required. Click here for more information and to participate.

After viewing this webinar, attendees will be able to:
•    Explain Drupal to other staff members
•    Identify various pros and cons for using Drupal in a library setting
•    Be familiar with library-specific contributed modules for Drupal
•    Identify features that are native to a core Drupal installation

Join us for this introductory webinar on a new application for  managing your library’s website content.

Speaker:  Laura Solomon, MCIW, is the Library Services Manager for the Ohio Public Library Information Network and the former Web Applications Supervisor for the Cleveland Public Library. She has been doing web development and design for over ten years, in both public libraries and as an independent consultant. She also authored a statewide web site usability study in 2004 that evaluated the site of every public library in Ohio. She specializes in developing with Drupal, as well as in web code and accessibility standards. As a former children’s librarian, she enjoys bringing the “fun of technology” to audiences and in giving libraries the tools they need to better serve the virtual customer.

If you are unable to attend the live event, you can access the archived version the day following the webinar.  Check the archive listing.