LHD Academy of Science Receives Funding for the National Librarian; AoS Announces Development of National Librarian Team
Washington, DC — The Local Health Department Academy of Science (LHD AoS) is proud to announce the funding received for the National Librarian, a new national initiative designed to strengthen support for states and local jurisdictions participating in the Academy’s collaborative data-sharing network.
The National Librarian, funded by ELC funding, will organize, curate, and connect thousands of survey tools, community-health assessments, and data-collection resources across the country. Its mission is to make it easier for state and local health departments to collaborate, compare data, and improve measurement practices in real time.
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National Recognition from CDC’s ELC Program
Dr. Alvin Shultz, Branch Chief at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) program, recently commended the Academy:
“I’m very pleased I was able to learn about the Local Health Department Academy of Science when I visited the 2024 NACCHO meeting. I sincerely appreciate the presentations provided to my ELC staff, and I’m very optimistic about further collaborations. While AoS does not solve every problem, I do believe it has a role as a cost-effective tool for state and local public health collaboration and coordination.”
Dr. Shultz further noted that several state ELC recipients already sponsor AoS licenses and that his team has begun mentioning AoS to all state recipients as a resource they may consider supporting through ELC cooperative-agreement funding.
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How the National Librarian Works
The National Librarian Team will provide ongoing support, training, and coordination to Local and State Health Departments. This includes facilitating conversations around shared software for standardized data collection and coordinating subject-matter experts to strengthen survey and assessment design.
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What This Means for Participating States
State Librarians can expect:
Greater access to local-survey examples and best practices.
Improved navigation of existing data and measurement resources.
Opportunities to collaborate and exchange knowledge with peers nationwide.
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Next Steps
The LHD AoS National Librarian Team is currently in development. More information on training, access, and participation will be announced soon.
To get your State and Local Health Department involved, please contact info@lhdacademyofscience.org