Dear LISTSERV MEMBERS:

Please read.  This, no doubt, will cut down NIH's response time
temporarily, and many will wonder where they went.  Is this really sane?
It took NIH almost a week to get back with me with a problem I had when I
emailed them.  I remember the good old days when I could just call NIH
and get my answer quickly.

Mike

ASKNIH:  NEW EMAIL ADDRESS

NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 32, September 26, 1997

National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health has moved ASKNIH email to a new
server. Messages sent to the previous email address will be forwarded
transparently to the new ASKNIH email address until October 17, 1997.
The "From" address in email replies from ASKNIH is the correct new
address, which is also provided under INQUIRIES in this notice.  Please
update email address books, publications, and other relevant materials.

DESCRIPTION OF ASKNIH

ASKNIH provides general information about the NIH extramural research
and research training programs.  Application kits and other forms can be
obtained from ASKNIH.  Inquiries and requests for materials may be
submitted by telephone and email.  The ASKNIH Exhibits Program brings
NIH staff to conferences and meetings of  the medical research
community.  Currently, ASKNIH is handling about 700 "live" telephone
inquiries, 400 voice mail messages, and 500 email messages
per month and provides an information booth at several national meetings
eachyear.

The five ASKNIH staffers have had extensive and varied experience
with the NIH extramural grant and fellowship programs.   Former and
current roles of the ASKNIH staff include trainee, grantee, NIH program
administrator, NIH review administrator, program analyst, public affairs
specialist, technical writer.  The staff receives training for handling
ASKNIH inquiries and to ensure that ASKNIH can provide the most
up-to-date information possible.

Some ways that ASKNIH can help are listed below.

o  ASKNIH answers general questions about the NIH research and
research training programs and the application and review procedures
for those awards.

o  ASKNIH teaches how to find and use needed information from the NIH
system of web sites.

o  For the occasions in which person-to-person contact is helpful,
ASKNIH staffers are available by telephone from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.

o  When an inquiry is not appropriate for ASKNIH, ASKNIH refers the call
or email to the appropriate office.  If ASKNIH is not certain of the correct
referral, ASKNIH will find the correct office for the inquirer, if desired.

o  ASKNIH processes voicemail and email orders for forms and
publications.  For convenience and economy, the NIH strongly
encourages the offices of sponsored programs (or equivalent, by any
name) of the applicant/awardee organizations and the NIH grants
management offices to order forms in quantities sufficient to meet
the needs of their organizations for six months or more.  Most
researchers can obtain application materials locally, from the office of
sponsored programs of their employer, or from the Grants Sector
(http://www.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm) of the NIH system of web sites
(http://www.nih.gov), more quickly than by placing an order with
ASKNIH.  However, if neither the local nor the electronic resource
is available to an individual, ASKNIH will process a small order to meet
that person's needs.

INQUIRIES

To use the ASKNIH services:

Email: xxxxxx@od.nih.gov
Telephone: 301-435-0714

For information about the ASKNIH Exhibits Program:

Ms. Judith Grover
Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources
National Institutes of Health
Rockledge II, Room 6202
Bethesda, MD 20892-7910
Telephone: 301-435-2801
email: xxxxxx@nih.gov

For information about ASKNIH:

Claudia Blair, Ph.D., Director
Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources
National Institutes of Health
Rockledge II, Room 6208
Bethesda, MD 20892-7910
Telephone: 301-435-2801
email: xxxxxx@nih.gov