AHRQ Systematic Reviews Data Repository will Cease Nov 28

AHRQ Systematic Review Data Repository has added a banner announcing operations ceasing as of November 28, 2025 

Post by Jannette Bradley, Former Recipient of the WHSLA Professional Development Award!

 As a former recipient of the WHSLA Professional Development award, I am happy to acknowledge that I have completed the coursework for the Level Two Certificate in the Systematic Review Services Specialization. This specialization is sponsored by the Medical Library Association which seeks to enhance the expertise and skills of health information professionals. I used the award to fund the specialization courses. My journey, which began around 2019-2020, has been both challenging and rewarding. I have gained valuable insights into the librarian's role in systematic reviews and am excited to apply these principles when assisting my patrons.

When I started way back in the "olden times" of 2020s, it seemed there were somewhat limited resources available for librarians to enhance their skills in systematic reviews. The University of Michigan course and the course on designing search strategies offered by Washington University were among the primary options. Today, I am thrilled to see the growing number of educational opportunities in this field. This expansion allows librarians not only to strengthen their skill sets but also to elevate the quality of their contributions to research teams.

Through this coursework, I have sharpened my ability to draft complex and reproducible search strategies, an essential skill both for systematic reviews and for the wide range of literature review requests I receive day to day. I have also become more confident in clearly describing the systematic review process to researchers and students, helping them understand where a librarian’s expertise can make a measurable impact on the rigor and transparency of their review.

I am especially looking forward to using new tools in my daily work—not only for systematic reviews but also for narrative reviews, as well as for everyday research consultations. Some of the webinars I have attended during this training, for example, highlighted emerging AI-based tools designed to support various phases of the review process. Learning to critically evaluate these tools and integrate them into my workflows has given me a broader perspective on how librarians can enhance efficiency while maintaining quality and standards.

We are considering how AI tools might be thoughtfully integrated into our research workflows. Included among the courses on offer for this specialization was a session led by Gregory Laynor, “Communicating with Researchers about the Benefits and Risks of AI for Evidence Synthesis.” It was especially thought-provoking and offered useful perspectives for engaging with patrons and colleagues on this evolving topic.

Overall, this certification validates the progress I have made as a professional and represents my ongoing commitment to supporting evidence-based practice. It equips me with both foundational and advanced approaches that I will now apply in my institution when collaborating with patrons. I am grateful for the support of this award, which has allowed me to continue growing in this specialized area of medical librarianship.

JAMA: Revisited Medical Librarians 10/7/1950

 One of my delightful chaplains shared an article from 1950 in appreciation of medical librarians republished online in JAMA this week: Medical Librarians

Medical Librarians. JAMA. Published online September 11, 2025. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.18949

Check out this Real-Time Lightning Map

LightningMaps.org CC BY-SA 4.0 / Lightning data by Blitzortung.org and contributors

See lightning strikes in real-time across the planet.  

This real-time lightning map is a community project with contributors who volunteer from around the world, who are part of Blitsortung.org.  They are careful to say that it's for entertainment purposes only, and that it does not include every single lightning strike across the planet  -- but still, it is impressive!  

I am in awe of these kinds of worldwide community projects that pool data to create a bigger picture for everyone.  So much more can be accomplished when we collaborate than trying to do it alone.  

What's the difference between Blitzortung.org and LightningMaps.org

Blitzortung.org is a community of station operators who transmit their data to the central server, programmers who develop software, and people who assist anyway to keep the system running. On LightningMaps.org visualizes the gathered lightning data in different variants, for example as overlay on satellite images.

Save the Date: WHSLA Wisdom Chat Sept. 26: Ashley Zeidler will present on The Data Services Continuing Professional Education Program

Ashley Zeidler, MLIS

The upcoming WHSLA Wisdom Chat features Ashley Zeidler on the topic of Professional Growth in Data Services.

Friday, September 26, 2025  from 2-3 pm CST

In this Wisdom Chat, Ashley Zeidler, MLIS, Scholarly Communications Librarian at The Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries, will share her experience going through the 2024 cohort of the Data Services Continuing Professional Education (DSCPE) program. This twelve-week program included learning modules from RDMLA, live sessions with data science professionals, and a capstone project which allowed participants to work directly with a mentor institution. This proved to be an invaluable experience that I would encourage anyone else who is interested in data services to apply for. 

Prior to the session, feel free to view the LibGuide she created for her host institution.  

Bring any questions about the program or her experience to the Chat.

Ashley’s presentation will be followed by our usual round of sharing.

WHSLA Wisdom Chats are open to all WHSLA members in good standing.  Meeting invitations will go out in early September.  If you are a current member and did not receive an invitation, please contact Michele Matucheski, WHSLA Wisdom Chat coordinator filling in for Barb Ruggieri this year.   There's still time to join/renew your membership, if you want to attend this session.

This session will be recorded and made available for later viewing on the members only section of the WHSLA Website.  Special thank you to Paije Wilson and Ebling Library for hosting and recording the session.