Border Health Project Reception Announced
Date: 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (575) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu
The Border Health Information and Education Network (BIEN!), a consortium of seventeen public libraries,
academic institutions and health organizations in Dona Ana, Luna and Otero counties, will meet on
Friday, January 19, at the New Mexico Department of Health Public Services building at 1170 N. Solano.
Interested members of the public and campus community are welcome to attend a reception scheduled from
4:15 to 5:00 p.m.
BIEN! was formed two years ago for the purpose of creating a partnership between libraries, academia and
health organizations to promote health consciousness and a healthy lifestyle among the residents of the tricounty
region. The consortium members were aware of the critical need for health and medical information
in this area. Out of the desire to make quality health information more available to residents, BIEN! submitted
a proposal to the National Library of Medicine (NLM). A $204,000 grant was awarded in June 2000
for the purpose of launching the project, naming the NMSU Library as the lead agency. Sylvia Ortiz, the
Head of Reference at NMSU’s Branson Library, is the project coordinator and principal investigator. For
more information on the reception or the BIEN! project, please contact Sylvia Ortiz at 646-7481, or
project staff members Judith Pearson or Molly McGetrick at 646-3078.
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