Attachment 4 Project Purpose.pdf

ATTACHMENT 4

Project Purpose, Feasible Alternatives, and Related Projects

The Medical Library Assistance Act (MLAA) of 1965 (P.L. 89-291) established a program of grants and contracts to assist in developing the services of medical libraries and facilitating the dissemination and utilization of information related to health sciences. Included in the original law and all subsequent amendments was a program to assist in the development of a national system of Regional Medical Libraries (RMLs), each of which would have resources of sufficient depth and scope to supplement the services of other medical libraries within the region served.

Under the leadership of NLM, the RMLs are expected to assist NLM in developing its products and services and in carrying out strategies for marketing and distributing them. The RMLs are also expected to provide NLM with feedback concerning how information is being used, suggestions for improvements to existing products and services, as well as new ideas for products and services. In all of these areas, the RMLs are expected to involve other libraries in the network to the greatest extent possible. Programs should be designed to facilitate communication between NLM, the RMLs and network libraries, as well as the individuals they serve.

The Project Officer certifies that the NLM program has conducted a review of existing projects in order to avoid any duplication of effort. She has determined that no existing projects can satisfy the requirement.

The focal point for all policy, administrative, and programmatic matters pertaining to the National Network of Library of Medicine (NN/LM) is the NN/LM Network Office, which reports directly to the NLM Associate Director for Library Operations. The NN/LM Network Office coordinates all NN/LM activities both within Library Operations and throughout all of NLM. Any significant activity which is initiated with any of the regions is cleared through this office. No other organizational entity within NLM has authority to recognize or fund any institutions as NN/LM Regional Medical Libraries. Therefore, there is no overlap of functions, projects, or in-house efforts. The Statement of Work included in the RFCA is a unique program activity request for each regional area.

Within the Statement of Work, the emphasis is on each NN/LM leadership and management role in maintaining a level of programs and services necessary to continue the structure of the network which has been carefully built over the past 37 years.