Communities of Interest generate discussion and ideas

Following the two concurrent breakout sessions, the New England Region Communities of Interest initiative sponsored an open forum. The NER staff were making it a priority to let the non-RML library leaders in the front line of their hospital institutions introduce themsellves and the context of each community of interest.The point was also made that these communities are for all kinds of professionals with the same concerns.

Healthy Communities focuses on formal and informal approaches working with community-based organization and facilitating partnerships. Deb Clark is the leader on this initiative.

Health Literacy focuses on the communication of information and the critical skills needed for personal and community empowerment.   Caroline Marshall is the the leader on this initiative.

Kate Cheromka is the leader on the HealthIT initiative, forces that are dramatically changing the health care setting and its information systems to incorporate mandated implementations for an Electronic Health Record (EHR) and or a Patient Health Record.

eScience is also a community of interest, and Javier Crespo explained the momentum of interest building in eScience. An eScience Portal for New England Librarians has been developed to foster learning and collaboration in eScience

Lauri Fennell spoke about the Healthcare Workforce Community of Interest. There is lots of activity and interest in new roles for the healthcare workforce, as well as funds for training for new professions in community colleges.