Thursday, June 28, 2012

Case Study No. 0412: Libby Maguire and the Counter-Entropy Squad

Counter-Entropy Squad (revised)
5:29
Episode 1

Now Showing in the Library!

If you missed the premiere party of the Counter-Entropy
Squad, you can still catch it on our display screen, located in the Library Commons, where it will continue to run in rotation with our other announcements. This short, original, animated film depicts a clinical medical librarian "superhero" attending Pediatric rounds who is able to call up pertinent medical information in a flash - a very useful super power indeed!

Episode #1 of a projected series, the 4-minute short is the brainchild of Loretta Merlo, Manager of Circulation at the WCMC Library. It was inspired by a comment made by emeritus professor Dr. Roger Greif, a long-time supporter of the library and, even at 92, an avid library user, who characterized the Library staff as "fighting entropy." Dr. Greif attended the premiere, which was part of our National Medical Librarians Month celebration, as our guest of honor.

To see photos of the premiere celebration, log on to our Facebook page and become a fan of the Weill Cornell Medical College Library.
Tags: counterentropy Weill Cornell Medical Library Clinical Librarianship entropy Dr Roger Greif kawasaki disease syndrome
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From: lamerlowmc
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Weill Cornell Medical Library presents ...
The Adventures of the Counter-Entropy Squad
"Bringing order to a chaotic world."

The beginning of the 21st century saw the dawn of the Age of Knowledge and a world where information became both currency and product.

Knowledge workers were highly valued by leaders of institutions throughout the world, and their efforts were cultivated to ensure the creation, application and transmission of new information.

This proliferation of new knowledge, and the many ways to access it, began to increase exponentially, resulting in an information overload of proportions never before witnessed by humankind.

In 2008, the number of text messages sent and received each day exceeds the population of the planet.
6 billion searches are performed on Google each month.
The amount of technical knowledge doubles every 2 years.
3000 new books are published each day.
A week's worth of the New York Times contains more information than a person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 18th century.
The PubMed database includes over 18 million citations.
The MedlinePlus Consumer Health Site contains information from over 1,350 health organizations and has over 18,000 hyperlinks to authoritative health information.

As the Age of Knowledge spirals out of control, the world evolves towards a state of universal disorder, or entropy.

And so, a group of Librarians and Library workers emerge, so skilled in the management of information and so adept at bringing order to a chaotic world, they appear to defy the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics itself.

They became known as ... The Counter-Entropy Squad.

[scene opens with a group of doctors and nurses standing in the Pediatrics wing of a hospital]
DR. JOHNSON: I'm Doctor Johnson, the Chief Resident ... and this is Libby Maguire, our Clinical Medical Librarian.
[he points to a young female librarian (glasses, blonde hair in a bun, red blazer and skirt)]
LIBBY: Good morning!
DR. JOHNSON: Libby will be joining us on rounds at least once a week from now on.
DR. ROMERO: Great!
DR. JOHNSON: First up is Michael Li, 4-year-old male diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease. Admitted with five days of fever, rash, cracked red lips, an enlarged lymph node, conjunctivitis and swelling of the hands and feet.
DR. ROMERO: Problem list?
DR. JOHNSON: Symptoms have not subsided and he remains febrile and irritable. The family was using Motrin at home which has proven to be ineffective.
DR. ROMERO: Okay, let's take a look.
[cut to the group in Michael Li's room]
DR. JOHNSON: Good morning, Misses Li.
MRS. LI: Good morning, Doctor Johnson. Doctor Romero.
[he sits on the edge of Michael's bed]
DR. JOHNSON: Hello there, Michael! You remember Doctor Romero, right? Well today, he and I brought a whole bunch of people to see you.
[they all wave to him]
DR. JOHNSON: All these people are on our team. We're going to put our heads together today and see if we can get you all better, okay?
MICHAEL: Okay.
DR. JOHNSON: Atta boy! Now, can you sit up for me, so I can listen to your chest?
["A little while later ... " appears on screen, then cut to Romero standing outside Michael's room with the rest of the group]
DR. ROMERO: What can we do to make Michael more comfortable?
DR. JOHNSON: Can we alternate Motrin with aspirin, which is indicated for Kawasaki Disease?
DR. ROMERO: Hmmm ... I don't think so. Libby, can you check the literature?
LIBBY: Sure!
[she flashes in a burst of energy, and her glasses and hairbun are replaced with a red-and-black superhero costume and cape]
LIBBY: [to herself] Hmmm ... Now, let's see. PubMed? EMBase? The Red Book?
[she searches through her tablet computer]
LIBBY: [to herself] Wait ... Got it!
[she turns back to Dr. Romero]
LIBBY: IVIG and aspirin are used to treat the symptoms of Kawasaki disease ... as well as protect against cardiovascular complications. According to MicroMedex, concurrent use of aspirin and Ibuprofin may result in decreased antiplatelet effect of aspirin and increase risk of severe complications.
DR. ROMERO: Thanks, Libby. Due to the elevated platelets associated with Kawasaki disease, Michael should be started on IVIG and aspirin, which should reduce his fever. His Ibuprofin should be discontinued.
DR. JOHNSON: Great! Thanks.
["A few days later ... " appears on screen, then cut to Libby (back in normal attire) walking out of the elevator as Johnson sees her]
DR. JOHNSON: Libby!
LIBBY: Good morning, Doctor Johnson!
DR. JOHNSON: You'll be happy to know that Michael Li was discharged yesterday!
LIBBY: That's great!
[they both look off camera]
DR. JOHNSON: That looks like the rest of our team.
[the other doctors and nurses join them]
DR. JOHNSON: Okay, everyone. First up today, we have ...
["The End" appears on screen]

Conceived and created by Loretta Merlo with Dr. Roger Greif, Bruce Silberman, Paul Albert
Introduction by Loretta Merlo, Kris Alpi, Judy Stribling

Episode 1 - "Libby Maguire"
Written by Dr. Erika Abramson, Pattie Mongelia, Helen-Ann Brown Epstein, Loretta Merlo
Produced in Poser 7 by Loretta Merlo for the Weill Cornell Medical Library
Additional product from Daz3d, Renderosity, ZME
Special thanks to Carolyn Reid, Mark Funk, Diana Delgado, Octavio Morales

---

From cornell.edu:

WCMC Library Premieres Animated Movie, Dedicated to Emeritus Professor Dr. Roger Greif as Part Of National Medical Librarians Month Celebration
Posted on October 20, 2008

On Wednesday, October 29, at 3pm, the Weill Cornell Medical Library will culminate a month of activities in honor of National Medical Librarians Month. A highlight of the month will be the world premiere, popcorn and all, of a short, original, animated film depicting a medical librarian "superhero."

Episode #1 of a projected series entitled "The Counter-Entropy Squad" will be shown on the display screen in the Library Commons. The 3-minute short is the brainchild of Loretta Merlo, Manager of Circulation at the WCMC Library, and was inspired by a comment made by emeritus professor Dr. Roger Greif.

Dr. Greif, a long-time supporter of the library and its staff and, even at 92, an avid library user, was talking with Library Assistant Bruce Silberman when he enquired off-handedly if the library was "still fighting entropy". Bruce related the conversation to Loretta and the idea was born -- library superheroes so adept at accessing and managing information in this age of information overload that they appear to reverse the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics itself.

Dr. Greif is scheduled to attend the premiere as our special guest of honor.

For more information about the Counter-Entropy Squad premiere, please contact Loretta Merlo, Manager of Circulation Services at 212.746.1984.

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