Jennifer Lloyd

Get Fit!

Who remembers the President’s Fitness Challenge from grade or high school? The pull-ups were my most hated event.

president fitness challenge

President Obama has reiterated that May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. There are guidelines for adults, seniors, teens, and children. I’m willing to try the Physical Activity Guidelines, just so long as no on makes me do pull-ups ever again.

Burn the Midnight Oil

Remember the Isché Library is staying open until midnight on Fridays & Saturdays this weekend and next. Come get your study on.

LSU Docs & Live Chatting on NOLA.com

Earlier today, two LSUHSC physicians were featured in a Live Chat on NOLA.com regarding Swine Flu. Fred Lopez & James Aiken answered questions from participants for about an hour starting at 12 noon.

Exam Hours at the Ische Library

Because the Library Commons is not quite finished yet, the Isché Library will have Spring Exam hours and will be open until 12 midnight 7 days a week until May 14th.

This is Your Brain on Twitter

Twitter* is all the rage at the moment. From Oprah signing on to Ashton Kutcher & CNN competing for the most followers, but what are the implications for users at a health sciences center?

One of our fellow medical librarians (PF Anderson at the University of Michigan) has a great slidshare presentation on “Twitter in Health & Healthcare” which demonstrates the various uses of twitter for both professionals and patients.

Twitter is even being used as a form of assistive technology for brain injured adults. The University of Wisconsin Biomedical Engineering Department are developing software that allows the use of a “brain-computer interface” which allows the direct input of thoughts into Twitter.

I am HS_Librarian on Twitter.

*Twitter is a microblogging website where users can disseminate information in 140 character posts.

Create a Healthy Environment for Earth Day

As part of National Environmental Education Week and Earth Day, the National Library of Medicine is promoting its toxicology resources. These resources include: ToxMAP, ToxTown, ToxMystery, MedlinePlus, Household Products Database, and Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB). Several of these resources are part of TOXNET which provides access a host of information related to toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and environmental health. For more information on Environmental Health and Toxicology, check out the Special Information Services page at NLM.

Furniture – Sneak Peak

Here’s a quick sneak peak at the furniture that has been setup for the Library Commons.

Library Commons Progress

The Library Commons is getting closer to completion. We hear that furniture may be delivered today.

commons carpeted area

Spring Fling @ the Downtown Campus

Don’t forget the Spring Fling this afternoon; here’s a copy of Chancellor Hollier’s invitation:

I?óÔé¼Ôäód like to personally invite you and your families to our 2009 Spring Fling, our annual team-building event, on April 17th in the 500 block of Bolivar Street. We have been fortunate to receive generous donations from several sponsors to defray the cost of the event. As the end of work schedules and classes varies, the event will be held from 3:30 – 7:30 PM. There will be something for everyone ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ delicious food and drink, live music from the Boogie Men, an airbrush tattoo artist and clowns with balloons for the little ones. For those of you coming from off campus, free parking will be available in Student Lot 2 (on the corner of Perdido and Bolivar streets). We?óÔé¼Ôäóre grateful to the Campus Federal Credit Union, the Southeast Louisiana Area Health Education Center, and Acadiana Computer Systems for their sponsorship of the event. It promises to be a great time, and I?óÔé¼Ôäóll look forward to seeing you all there!

Minority Health Awareness Month

April is a popular month for health observances, including National Minority Health Awareness Month sponsored by the US Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Minority Health. Preconception is the theme for 2009 with the slogan “Ordinary couples don?óÔé¼Ôäót plan their pregnancies. Be extraordinary!”

National Minority Health Month

National Library Worker Day

Today is National Library Worker Day as declared by the ALA-APA (American Library Association-Allied Professional Association). It is a day for library staff, users, administrators and friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers. So come by and give your favorite library worker a pat on the back.

Library Worker Day logo

Originally posted on April 4th, but it turns out I got the date wrong. National Library Worker Day is on April 14th this year.

Scratch that Itch!

Nature Neuroscience has released an advance online publication of a study that has been getting press in the popular media. The study identifies specialized cells in the spinal cord which seem to be involved in the sensations of itching and scratching.

**Easter Hours in the Libraries**

The Isché Library hours for Easter weekend are:

Dental Library Hours are:

Fire Alarm Testing Tuesday Night

The fire alarm contractor will be testing the speakers and strobes on Tuesday evening, April 7th in the Isché Library. Announcements will be made before testing begins.

Ische Elevator

The Isché Elevator went down this afternoon. We do not have timetable for its repair.
~Edited~ The Elevator was placed back in service on Monday, April 13th at 1:20 p.m.