Medical Library Services Program Funds Available

Do you have interlibrary loan requests that are filled by Upstate Medical Center and other health sciences libraries including the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) resource libraries?

If yes, the Medical Information Services Program (MISP) is for you!

MISP provides a pool of funds made available by the New York State Library and administered through SCRLC and the other Empire State Library Network Councils. MISP funds can help you pay for such requests.

The MISP program:

• improves access to medical and consumer health information to benefit the residents of New York State;
• makes the resources of the NNLM network directly accessible by libraries in the ESLN regions (note: local and regional health information resources should always be accessed first).

All types of libraries and library systems are eligible to use MISP funding. Priorities include medical, clinical and consumer health information for libraries in not-for-profit institutions that deal with direct patient care, are active participants in regional resource sharing, and that receive adequate library support from their parent institution or funding body.

"How do I actually use or request MISP funds?" you may wonder.

Occasional Requests: If you have an occasional request that ends up at a health sciences/resource library, send the invoice to SCRLC for payment. You can send it to us by mail or email. If emailing, send the invoice to Danna Harris at dharris@scrlc.org.

Frequent Requests: If you have several requests a year being filled by the NNLM resource libraries, you may want to set up an Electronic Funds Transfer Service (EFTS) account with the Medical Library Association.

To set up an EFTS account please visit the following link: https://www.mlanet.org/page/efts-general-information. ChristineBrown (cbrown@scrlc.org) can help you through this process; the folks at MLA are also available.

Note that the $275 activation fee for each account can be paid using MISP funds.

If you do set up an account, SCRLC can monitor your account and replenish funds if you are running low.

NNLM Region 7: SCRLC is part of NNLM Region 7. The University of Massachusetts Medical School, Lamar Soutter Library serves as Region 7's Regional Medical Library (RML). They provide programs, services, and support for NNLM members in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Visit https://www.nnlm.gov/about/regions for information on the NNLM regions. 

Resource Libraries in other NNLM Regions: MISP funds can be used to pay for medical/health requests even if they are out-of-state or beyond Region 7. Requests filled by the National Library of Medicine are also eligible for MISP. 

For more information, contact Christine Brown at cbrown@scrlc.org.