Outside the Wall: Homeland Security Digital InitiativesCindy Sheffield, NBACCGreta E. Marlatt, HSDL
American Libraries Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, July 12, 2009
“Outside” the Wall: NBACC Library & Information Center
American Library AssociationAnnual Conference
July 12, 2009
National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC)
Mission: Providing the nation
with the scientific basis for awareness of biological threats and bioforensic analysis to support attribution of their use against the American public.
The DHS, an FFRDC, in biodefense strategy provides several strategic benefits:
• NBACC is a DHS-owned, BNBI-operated laboratory.• BNBI, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Battelle.• An expert and sustainable workforce with career
focus on biodefense for homeland security, approximately 120 employees.
• Attention to project-level quality, including vigilant adherence to regulatory compliance processes.
• Operational on March 5, 2007.
NBACC is a critical partner in the NICBR and NIBC at Fort Detrick
National Interagency Confederation for Biological Research
National Interagency Biodefense Campus
The Dream for NBACC’s library:unfettered access to key resources
Databases Journals
The reality of NBACC’s library
• Small budget, a fraction of the size of most research libraries.
• Small number of researchers: 4 with an anticipated growth to about 15.
• Small number of users does not mean a small investment for resources.
Potential partners
Environmental Measures Lab
Transportation Security Lab
Barriers to providing access
• NBACC is not currently on Ft. Detrick ...yet.• NBACC has a very secure network system.• NBACC does not have access to DHS
Online ...yet.• DHS Online did not offer many of the S&T
resources that NBACC needs.• DHS did not have an established budget to
increase S&T resources.
Needs Assessment
• Analyzed the references used by scientists in the field.– DHS had already conducted two Needs
Assessments.– NBACC Library conducted a Needs Assessment.
• Determined which vendors supplied the majority of journals we would need.
• Began looking at ways to make those acquisitions happen.
Desired databases(examples)
Literature review databases for searching
• PubMed• Agricola• SCIRUS• US Patents
Desired journal titles(examples)
• Infection and Immunity• Journal of Bacteriology• Journal of Biological Chemistry• Journal of Infectious Diseases• Journal of Virology• Nature• Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, USA
Creating an electronic footprint
• Establish a reasonable budget.• Identify common needs within DHS.• Collaborate to develop an agreeable purchase
plan for DHS S&T divisions.• Establish agreements with publishers.• Implement the technical requirements to
make these resources accessible to users.
Realistic goals
• Acquire key journal titles.• Provide a small-scale electronic infrastructure
to support library services.• Continue to rely heavily on previously
established Federal Library services:– PubMed– USAMRIID– OpenSource– DTIC
NBACC Library website
Recommendations for starting a collection
• Conduct a complete Needs Assessment.• Be willing to learn new skills.• Formulate relationships and develop
opportunities.• Communicate effectively.• Be flexible.• Be patient.• Be realistic.• Never give up!!!
September 11, 2001
DHS Libraries• Customs & Border Protection• Citizenship & Immigration History Center• Citizenship & Immigration Refugee & Asylum Information
Center• Immigration & Customs Enforcement Legal Office• Intelligence & Analysis Information Center• National Biodefense & Countermeasures Center• Plum Island Animal Disease Center• Federal Law Enforcement Training Center• FEMA National Emergency Training Center• U.S. Coast Guard Academy• U.S. Coast Guard Law Library
Workforce Characteristics
• Highly information intensive population: –22.7 hours per week average for
information tasks–75% don’t have enough time to
find what they need• Wide diversity of information needs• Self-serve is the preferred model:
– 87% seek information themselves
Virtual Library
• Integrated Online Catalog• Four of the 14 libraries have online catalogs in different
electronic formats,• Other libraries are at various stages of automation• Single integrated catalog will consolidate all library holdings• @400,000 print vols.
• Federated Database Service• Central Search enables users to search across 50 licensed
commercial databases. Directly links to full-text articles when available.
• Electronic Collections• 300,000 e-journals• 20,000 e-books
Homeland Security Research
• Border demarcations• First responder protection• Safety glass & building design• Infectious diseases• Standards & specifications• Case law• Languages & terminology• LOTS of internal memorandum!
https://www.hsdl.org
Background
Project began in 2002 along with the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS)
Focus is on policy, strategy and management documents
Not publicly available but widely available to those with HS related needs for research, analysis, and policy & strategy development
Individual or agency-wide access available
Military
Government
Law Enforcement
Emergency Management
Public Health agencies
Educational institutions with HS curriculum
Depositories – GPO Partnership
Others as appropriate
Who Can Access?
Funded by the DHS National Preparedness Directorate FEMA, our mission is to support local, state, tribal and federal analysis and decision-making needs and assist academics of all disciplines in homeland defense and security related research.
The collection provides quick access to important U.S. policy documents, presidential directives, and national strategy documents as well as specialized resources such as theses and reports from various universities, organizations as well as local and state agencies.
HSDL Mission & Content
Premier repository of strategy and policy related documents.
Central repository of web-enabled materials
Unique taxonomy and categorized search results
Newly added synonyms list
Tools and services to facilitate effective research and collaboration in the area of homeland security
Blog with HS related information and reports
Restricted documents collection
HSDL: Why Do You Care?
“Securing the Homeland Through the Power of Information”
Locally held content
Public repositories/databases
Agency sources [federal, state, local and tribal]
Legislative information
Organization sources
Universities, think tanks and more
Types of Content
HSDL – What’s Inside?
Advanced Search
Search Results
Blog – On The Homefront
Homeland Security Blogs
Restricted Section – FOUO Documents
Acronym Soup
USSS
TIC TCLHSEEPFEMANPR
DOD
CHDSMIPT
ICE
USCG
ICTAP
HSIN
RKBFLETC
PCII
ATTF
CBP
CBRNHSIN
CBIRF
CSI
CEMP
CERT
CIAO
CONPLAN
CDC CSEEP
TKB
RKB
DART
DFO
DOJ
EASFBI
EBSECC
ECS
EMS
ESF
FRP
FSIS
HSAS
HSPD
HSC
IAIP
ICP
IMS
JTTF
NAIC
NCERTNCP
NIMS
OEM
SHSEEP
TSA
UASI
USCIS
USCS
USFANORTHCOM
UTL
US-VISIT
WTC
Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)https://www.llis.dhs.gov/index.do
Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT)http://www.mipt.org/library
Responder Knowledge Base (RKB)https://www.rkb.us/
SEL & AEL [emergency equipment standards/lists]https://www.rkb.us/lists.cfm
Other Resources of Interest
NAL Cataloghttp://agricola.nal.usda.gov/
FEMA Libraryhttp://www.fema.gov/library/index.jsp
DTIC Onlinehttp://www.dtic.mil/dtic/search/tr/
National Emergency Training Center (NETC)http://www.lrc.fema.gov/index.html
Other Resources - Catalogs
Government Accountability Office (GAO)http://www.gao.gov/
National Criminal Justice Research Service (NCJRS)http://www.ncjrs.gov/library.html
Other Resources
PubMedhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez
PubMed Central http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/
TOXNEThttp://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/
Other Resources - Medical
Transportation Resarch Board (TRB)http://www.trb.org/TRB/publications/Publications.asp
National Transportation Library (TRIS Online)http://ntlsearch.bts.gov/tris/index.do
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)http://www.bts.gov/
Other Resources - Transportation
Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)http://www.start.umd.edu/start/
Worldwide Incidents Tracking System (WITS)http://wits.nctc.gov/
HAZDAT Databasehttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hazdat.html
HAZ-MAP Databasehttp://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/
Other Resources - Databases
Rand http://www.rand.org/
Homeland Security Institute (HSI)http://www.homelandsecurity.org/
PPRO Homeland Security DEMINhttp://ccs.tamu.edu/homeland_security/
Center for Catastrophe Preparedness & Response http://www.nyu.edu/ccpr/
Other Resources – Think Tanks
FedStatshttp://www.fedstats.gov/
Bureau of Justice Statisticshttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
Federal Justice Statistics Resource Centerhttp://fjsrc.urban.org/index.cfm
CDC Data & Statisticshttp://www.cdc.gov/DataStatistics/
Other Resources – Statistics
Ready.govhttp://www.ready.gov/
DisasterAssistance.govhttp://www.disasterhelp.gov/
USA.govhttp://www.usa.gov/
Other Resources – Government
CQ Homeland Security
Praeger Security International
Jane’s Terrorism & Insurgency Centre
Ebsco – International Security & Counter-Terrorism Reference Center
InsideDefense
WorldCat
Lexis Nexis
Newsbank
Stratfor
IHS Global Insights
Other Resources of Interest - Commercial
http://www.nps.edu/Library/Research%20Tools/Subject%20Guides%20by%20Topic/index.html