This year FHSLA will again be holding our annual meeting virtually! Mark your calendars for March 24-25, 2022 to join us for two days of "A New Vision"!

Planning for FHSLA's annual conference is underway! This year's virtual conference will feature CEs, a poster session, "What's happening at your library?", and more! 

Cost: This conference will be COMPLETELY FREE to members who have paid their membership! 
Please reach out to Stephanie Harris (stephanie.harris@adventhealth.com) if you have had trouble getting your payment in or if you are unsure if you have already paid. 

Membership renewal information can be found at https://fhsla.org/membership.html

Posters: Participants will present their posters on Thursday, March 24th. We are looking for posters on any research or work projects you have completely recently. Do you have a poster that you will be presenting at MLA, ACRL or another conference? This will be a great opportunity to get a little practice presenting before the big meeting! 
Please send submissions and any questions to Tara Brigham, brigham.tara@mayo.edu


"What's happening at your library?": Participants can showcase what great things are happening in their libraries during this segment. Each participant can show up to 3 slides and present for up to 3 minutes. Please send submissions and any questions to Jaclyn Castek, jcastek@tgh.org


Submissions are due no later than March 10th.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing your works!
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​This February take some time to celebrate American Heart Month by taking care of something important-YOU! Taking a few moments of self care each day can benefit our hearts. In celebration of #OurHearts, FHSLA is pleased to share the following self care ideas from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
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​It may be easier than you think to “put your heart” into your daily routine. Each Sunday, look at your week’s schedule and carve out 30 minutes daily for heart-healthy practices. Take an online yoga class, prepare a heart-healthy recipe, schedule your bedtime to get at least seven hours of sleep, or make a medication checklist. Then seek out support from others, even if it’s online or via a phone call, to help you stick to your goals.
 
Here are few self-care tips to try every day to make your heart a priority:
 
Self-Care Sunday
Find a moment of serenity every Sunday. Spend some quality time on yourself.
 
Mindful Monday
Be mindful about your health and regularly monitor your blood pressure or blood sugar if needed. Keep an eye on your weight to make sure it stays within or moves toward a healthy range. Being aware of your health status is a key to making positive change.
 
Tasty Tuesday
Choose how you want to approach eating healthier. Start small by pepping up your meals with a fresh herb or spice as a salt substitute. Get adventurous and prepare a simple, new, heart-healthy recipe. Or go big by trying a different way of eating, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, which is scientifically proven to lower blood pressure. DASH is flexible and balanced, and it includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meats, beans, nuts, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
  
Wellness Wednesday
Don’t waffle on your wellness. Move more, eat a fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried, make a plan to quit smoking or vaping, or learn the signs of a heart attack or stroke. You could be having a heart attack if you have chest and upper body pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, or lightheadedness. You might be having a stroke if you have numbness in the face, arm, or leg; confusion; trouble talking or seeing; dizziness; or a severe headache.
 
Treat Yourself Thursday
Treats can be healthy. Try making a dessert with fresh fruit and yogurt. Then stretch your imagination beyond food. Host a family dance party, take a few minutes to sit still and meditate, go for a long walk, or watch a funny show. Laughter is healthy. Whatever you do, find a way to spend some quality time on yourself.
 
Follow Friday
Follow inspiring people and pages on social media, or text a friend to help you stick to your self-care goals. Remember to take care of your mental health, too. Two of the main hurdles to self-care are depression and a lack of confidence, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. If your mental health gets between you and your fabulous self, take action to show your heart some love. Reach out to family and friends for support, or talk to a qualified mental health provider.
 
Selfie Saturday
Inspire others to take care of their own hearts. Talk about your self-care routine with loved ones or share a selfie on your social media platforms. Having social support and personal networks can make it easier to get regular physical activity, eat nutritious foods, reach a healthy weight, and quit smoking.
 
Learn more about heart health and heart-healthy activities in your community, and see what others are doing for their heart health, at nhlbi.nih.gov/ourhearts or follow #OurHearts on social media.
 

The entire month of February is dedicated to the people who love whole buildings full of books. Yes, it's National Library Lovers' Month! At FHSLA, our members represent over 45 of these special places throughout the state of Florida. 

Libraries are so much more than a place to check out a book. They are a quiet place to study, explore new technologies, get help with research papers, or learn a new skill. Health science libraries specifically are dedicated to educating the next generation of health care providers, supporting current health care practitioners, and guiding the public to reliable health information. 

This February show your library some love by visiting in person or connecting on social media. Your library will love it!
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Start the new year off right by renewing your FHSLA membership! We value your membership and participation in FHSLA, and we hope that you benefit from the meetings, networking, continuing education, and professional support from the organization and its members.

Dues remain $15 ($15.75 via PayPal to cover processing fees) and you are welcome to visit our membership page: fhsla.org/membership.html to pay online or to print out the mail-in form.

Please remember online renewal involves a TWO-STEP process:
1) fill out the membership form, then
2) click the PayPal button just below the form to submit your dues.
It’s really important to complete both steps so that we know who you are!

Membership renewal is also a great opportunity to express interest in serving as a FHSLA officer or committee member. As a former officer, I can attest, working with FHSLA and the board is a very rewarding experience in a supportive environment. If you’d like to get involved, please let a board member know or check the appropriate box on the membership form and we’ll reach out to you. Also, please consider joining the Honors & Awards Committee, the Membership Committee, the Continuing Education Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Program Committee, or the Strategic Planning Committee.

Thank you for your membership and please spread the word about FHSLA to your coworkers, library students, and colleagues.

​      Susan Harnett, Medical Information Services Librarian at Borland Library, University of Florida is an active Institutional Animal Care and Use committee member; and works closely with investigators to fulfill the literature search for animal alternatives mandated by the Animal Welfare Act.  Investigators are required to perform a literature search for the 3Rs: Replacement or alternatives to animal models in research; Reduction of the number of animals needed to obtain significance; and Refinement of experimental procedures to cause the least physical pain or psychological distress to research animals. For librarians who may be new to 3R searching or who want a better understanding of this controversial issue, she recommends visiting the Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) at the National Agricultural Library.   nal.usda.gov/legacy/awic

    AWIC contains information and resources on all aspects of experimental animal welfare.  One section presents the various federal, state, local and international laws that pertain to the use of animals in research.  These are essential in understanding the evolution of animal protection laws.  Of particular interest to librarians is the section on Alternatives Literature Searching. This section discusses the rationale behind the 3R literature search, developing a search strategy and suggests appropriate databases for specialized searching.  A worksheet, animal alternative thesaurus and other resources are provided for guidance with developing searches. AWIC also contains international information and database resources as well.
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      For librarians who may want additional information and training. AWIC offers a popular workshop, “Meeting the Requirements of the Animal Welfare Act,” several times a year, with the next workshop scheduled for March 9, 2022.  Other valuable and informative workshops and tutorials are available on topics ranging from IACUCs to proper rodent restraint techniques.
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     AWIC is an invaluable resource for librarians who work with animal researchers and investigators; who might be interested in ways to expand services to the research institution; or who might be interested in pursuing a deeper relationship with their institution by becoming an IACUC member.