The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiative's "Lending Library" program is a collaboration with university neuroscience departments. Brain and neuron models, posters, and related educational materials and hand-outs are provided to the university departments for outreach education in the local community. A written plan supported by the head of the department and/or an existing outreach program must be in place to become a Lending Library participant.  Currently, five institutions participate:

• University of California-San Diego (UCSD) Neurosciences Graduate Program;
• University of Wisconsin-Madison;
• University of Minnesota;
• Vanderbilt University;
• Center for Behavioral Neuroscience in Atlanta, which includes Georgia State University, Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Spellman College, Morris Brown College, and Clark University.

Some examples of educational outreach using the Lending Library program are:

• The Center for Behavioral Neuroscience in Atlanta held summer camps and a teacher workshop.
• The University of Wisconsin-Madison Neuroscience Training Program held teacher workshops and a sheep brain dissection demonstration at a local Boys and Girls Club.
• The University of Minnesota held two teacher workshops in their continuing program for middle-school teachers in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota.
• Vanderbilt University and the University of California-San Diego carry on continuous visits throughout the school year to local middle schools.

For additional information or to apply to be in the Dana Alliance Lending Library program, contact kgraham@dana.org

Feature story: Lending Library in full swing during summer 2008