FOCUS & SCOPE

The MicrobeLibrary (ML) is a peer-reviewed, digital media center for undergraduate microbiology sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology, a professional, life science society with more than 38,000 members in the United States and abroad. The scientific scope of the library covers the microbiological sciences as outlined in the ASM curriculum guidelines updated by the ASM Task Force on Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Microbiology Education in 2011. The guidelines span six overarching concepts — evolution, structure and function, pathways, information flow, systems, and impact of microorganisms. All content is peer reviewed for scientific accuracy, instructional value and visual and/or audio clarity. The primary target audience is microbiology educators, although some sections may be appropriate for students.

The library's mission is to:

• Promote good pedagogy in microbiology,
• Foster scholarly teaching, and
• Enhance understanding about the microbial world.

The library features five sections:

• Gallery (formerly the Atlas Collection) is a collection of images, videos, and animations that can be used to enhance lecture or lab presentations. Individual items include brief legends that describe the items and how they were obtained. A collection of items around a central theme (e.g., Gram stain and MacConkey agar) includes a title for the collection and a title and short description for each item (e.g., figure title and legend).
• Visual Media Briefs (formerly the Visual Collection) consist of high-quality, short communications with digital images, animations, and videos about the microbial world. Briefs include introduction, methods, discussion, and reference sections. Briefs describe the item and how it was obtained (e.g., cultured and isolated), its significance and/or use, magnification, and references. Visual Media Briefs are similar to short research communications (or briefs) in scientific journals.
• Laboratory Protocols are information briefs about standard laboratory tests and include the procedural steps as well as the purpose, theory, history, safety considerations, tips and comments, and references.
• Critical Thinking Question Bank is a collection of multiple-choice questions that go beyond rote memory and regurgitation of content to requiring critical thought. The level of critical thinking is designated minimally at level three (application) in Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Levels.[1] Designed especially for interactive learning using audience response systems, the questions are of value for pre- and post-tests or traditional exams, and may be used in the classroom or laboratory or online in blended- and distance-learning experiences. (Coming in summer 2012)
• Alternatives to Lecturing: A Pilot Program for MLTV is a collection of short video clips showcasing innovative and engaging pedagogical tools related to teaching microbiology. MLTV is a proposed channel of YouTube videos that are scientifically accurate, pedagogically sound, and visually and audibly clear — warranting “ML Approval” stature. The videos may be produced by ASM or the public at large. The first set of YouTube videos will inform and demonstrate effective approaches to teaching based on research about how people learn science.

Both the Gallery and Visual Media Briefs include:

• Stained microscopic images of microorganisms in culture and from clinical, environmental, and industrial sources using all types of optics;
• Electron micrographs of microbial and cellular structures;
• Macroscopic images of colonial morphology;
• Time-lapsed photography of microbial and cellular interactions; and
• Animations of microbial and cellular processes.

The MicrobeLibrary welcomes submissions to our collections. Please visit the Submit section to learn more about the details and requirements for contributing resources and having submissions reviewed for inclusion.

ML COMMITTEES AND STAFF

The success of the MicrobeLibrary and the collection of quality resources is due to the diligence and hard work of many volunteers in the ASM educator community. MicrobeLibrary operation and review of materials is managed by one ASM Editorial Board and five Collection Editorial Board Committees.  They are:

ASM MicrobeLibrary Editorial Board

The ML Editorial Board is responsible for maintaining, expanding and evaluating the MicrobeLibrary web site. The Committee also oversees the review committees for the Visual Media Briefs Collection, Gallery Collection, Laboratory Protocol Collection, Critical Thinking Question Bank Collection, and ML-TV Collection.  The Committee seeks to enrich, empower, and promote undergraduate microbiology educators by providing support to authors and users of library materials. The 2011-2012 Committee Members are:

Erica Suchman, Chair, Colorado State University
Susan Bagley, Michigan Technological University
Rebecca Buxton, University of Utah Salt Lake City 
Anne Hanson, University of Maine
Jennifer Herzog, Herkimer County Community College

Visual Media Briefs Collection Editorial Board Committee

Susan Bagley, Section Editor, Michigan Technological University
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Rebecca Buxton, University of Utah
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Gary Kaiser, The Community College of Baltimore County
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Luti Erbeznik, Oakland Community College Highlands Lake
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Patrick J. Cummings, Johns Hopkins University
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2011-2012 Visual Media Briefs Ad hoc Reviewers

Tammy Renee Brackett, Alfred State College
Naowarat Cheeptham, Thompson Rivers University
Madhusudan Choudhary, Sam Houston State University
Lindsey Donner, University Nebraska Medical Center
Wendy Dustman, University Georgia
Ann Findley, University of Louisiana at Monroe
Amy Horneman, Baltimore VA Medical Center
Jan Hudzicki, University of Kansas Medical Center
Michael Hyman, North Carolina State University
Jeanne Kagle, Mansfield University
John Lennox, Pennsylvania State University
Paul Lepp, Minot State University
Suzanne Lindley, Limestone College
Christine Litwin, Medical College of Georgia
Lawrence McGill, ARUP Laboratories
Kristina Obom, Johns Hopkins University
Judy Penn, Shoreline Community College
Eric Seagren, Michigan Technology University
Louise Teel, Uniformed Services University
Scott Wright, Weber State University

Gallery Collection Editorial Board Committee

Jennifer Herzog, Section Editor, Herkimer County Community College
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Diane Hartman, Baylor University
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JL Henriksen, Bellevue University
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Jeanne Kagle, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
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Jennifer Taylor, Colorado State University
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Laboratory Protocol Collection Editorial Board Committee

Anne Hanson, Section Editor, University of Maine
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Archana Lal, Independence Community College
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Min-Ken Liao, Furman University
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Patricia Shields, University of Maryland
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2011-2012 Protocol Project Managers

Gelatin Agar, Thomas Edison dela Cruz, University of Santo Tomas
Decarboxylase Test, Roxana Hughes, University of North Texas
Starch Agar, Archana Lal, Independence Community College and Naowarat Cheeptham, Thompson Rivers University
Carbohydrate fermentation, Karen Reiner, Andrews University

Critical Thinking Question Bank Collection Editorial Board Committee

Gary Kaiser, Section Editor, The Community College of Baltimore County
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Samantha Elliott, St. Mary's College of Maryland
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Anne Hanson, University of Maine
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Erica Suchman, Chair, Colorado State University
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MLTV: Alternatives to Lecturing Collection Editorial Board Committee

Mark O. Martin, Section Editor, University of Puget Sound
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Jennifer Herzog, Herkimer County Community College
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ASM Staff

Amy Chang, Director, Education Department
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Kelly Gull, Manager, Faculty Programs
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Michelle Slone, Coordinator
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PARTNERS AND FUNDING

MicrobeLibrary is a founding partner in the Bioscience Education Network (BEN) collaborative managed by AAAS, which is a part of the National Science Foundation’s National STEM Education Digital Library.

• BiosciEdNet (BEN)
• NSF’s National STEM Education Digital Library

The MicrobeLibrary is supported by the American Society for Microbiology, a professional scientific society of 42,000 members worldwide. Support to develop MicrobeLibrary has been available from the National Science Foundation and the Foundation for Microbiology.