Providing consumer health information is an important component of the overall mission of the National Library of Medicine; therefore, NLM has expanded membership in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) by adding a new category - Affiliate Member. The object of the Affiliate Member program is to provide easier access for consumers to the information services available through NLM.

This new category encompasses libraries and information or resource centers or other organizations that are called on for health information by their patrons, but which do not meet all the criteria for full member participation. While a number of types of organizations will fit this definition, the most obvious one is public libraries, and they have been the focus of our initial recruiting endeavors. Our regional recruiting efforts will be conducted on a state-by-state basis. Public libraries in New York State have already received invitations, and quite a few have sent in applications. The rest of the region will be contacted during the first quarter of 2002.

While no Member library, large or small, is expected as a matter of course to provide services directly or indirectly to a public library, we are looking forward to welcoming many new Affiliate Members and to fostering cooperative ventures that will benefit consumers of health information. We hope you will join us in this new venture. Anyone with questions should feel free to call me in the RML office, 212-876-8793 or 1-800-338-RMLS.