The McGoogan Library of Medicine opened its doors in 1970. With the use of deferred maintenance funds, the library will be transformed in time for its 50 ^th anniversary in 2020.

The renovation process is currently underway, with exploration of design based on the vision of students and other key stakeholders, and guided by the expertise of architectural firm HDR.

Some major design features of the renovation include:

Other library features that will continue to be housed within the library after the renovation include the library’s public access terminals, an expanded E-learning Studio, the Writing Center, and the College of Allied Health Professions specialized training rooms consisting of the Sonography simulation lab, the Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Training (VERT) lab, and classrooms.

Construction is scheduled to begin during the fall of 2018. Regular updates will appear in future issues of this newsletter.

Access to evidence-based literature is paramount for any health professional. With recent funding from Children’s Hospital & Medical Center (CHMC) and the expertise of McGoogan Library’s Alison Bobal, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Collection Development and Metadata, all CHMC employees now have access to approximately 10,000 journal titles and several new literature databases. The funding additionally supports research and education services, as well as electronic delivery of articles not in the CHMC collection. Russ Buzalko, Ph.D., Director of Medical Education said, “Children’s is extremely excited by our expanded collaborations with the UNMC McGoogan Library. The new resources obtained and curated by both institutions have added to the clinical, research, and educational opportunities for our staff and approximately 2,000 learners per year.”

Evaluation of the collection and services will be on an ongoing basis to ensure that the collection is optimized to meet the needs of CHMC health professionals. 

Knowledge about our history can greatly inform our current attitudes and perceptions. For the past ten years, the Richard B. Davis, M.D., Ph.D., History of Medicine Lectureship has brought national experts to the UNMC campus to discuss the history of medicine. From the history of blood transfusions, American childbirth, teaching hospitals, Civil War medicine, and even the architectural context of UNMC’s Poynter Hall, audiences have traveled back in time to learn about the past and its influence on the present.

This year, the Davis lecture showcased another commemoration: the 100 ^th anniversary of the influenza pandemic of 1918, presented by influenza history scholar Nancy Bristow, Ph.D. The lecture can be viewed online here.

The Richard B. Davis, M.D., Ph.D., History of Medicine Lectureship is sponsored through an endowed fund provided by the late Richard B. Davis, M.D., Ph.D. (1926-2010), professor emeritus of internal medicine at UNMC, and his wife, Jean. Dr. Davis was a faculty member at UNMC from 1969-1994. He endowed this lectureship in part due to his and his wife’s long-standing interest in the history of medicine.

As British physician and Oxford professor Ben Goldacre said, “ The notion of systematic review – looking at the totality of evidence – is quietly one of the most important innovations in medicine over the past 30 years.” Systematic reviews compile, analyze, and synthesize the evidence to better inform the healthcare professional’s decision-making. An important step in the process of systematic review creation is the exhaustive literature search. Search strategies can often be multiple pages long in order to assure that all applicable journal articles are located.

The McGoogan Library of Medicine offers in-depth systematic review literature searches to faculty and staff. Librarians are specially trained to search within strict guidelines to find reliable data quickly and efficiently. The result is a comprehensive collection of relevant, objective evidence that can be applied to modern practice or used for scientific analysis. Librarians often receive co-authorship on published systematic reviews due to their significant contributed research. For more information on this service, visit the library’s systematic review guide .

A quiet space for meditation and reflection is important to wellness in our busy lives. In response to a need for a private meditation space on campus, the library partnered with the UNMC Department of Psychiatry to provide such a resource.

The Reflection Room opened in February 2017. The Reflection Room offers artwork, soft lighting, comfortable cushions and mats for relaxation or meditation, as well as a massage chair, a room divider, and soft padding on the floor. Flameless candles are available for use and relaxing music is accessible through QR codes in the room.

The room is available for students, faculty, staff, and other library patrons to carry out quiet meditation or reflection. It has seen significant use in its first year. Some of the comments we have received include:

The Reflection Room is located on the 8th floor of the McGoogan Library of Medicine in room 8016A and is open during regular library hours. No reservations are required.

In the upcoming library renovation, more Reflection Rooms will be included in the design.

Alissa Fial reviewed the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews for the February 27, 2018 issue of Doody’s Collection Development Monthly .



Emily Glenn was awarded one of the 2018 Librarians Without Borders / Elsevier Foundation / Research4Life grants from the Board of Directors of the Medical Library Association. As part of this award, Emily will provide workshops on resources for faculty, clinicians, and students at Gitwe Hospital and the University of Gitwe in the Ruhango District of Rwanda.

Emily Glenn, on behalf of the UNMC Makers and McGoogan Library, was awarded a $6,400 grant for 3D-related equipment from the Nebraska Bankers Association.

 

Teri Hartman co-presented “What is the role of an instructional designer?” during the Innovation, Development and Engagement Award (IDEA) Showcase at the Central Group on Educational Affairs (CGEA) Spring 2018 meeting.

 

Marty Magee, Instructional Design Librarian, retired March 6, 2018. She began work at UNMC in June 2002. Ms. Magee also served as the Nebraska liaison in her role as Education Coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) MidContinental Region through January 2015.

 

Emily McElroy presented on a panel for Elsevier’s annual Hunter Forum at the American Library Association’s Midwinter meeting on “Library Impact and Value across the University Landscape.”

 

John Schleicher was selected as a Fellow of the Center for Great Plains Studies.

John Schleicher was elected Chair of the Board of Humanities Nebraska.

Erin Torell was recently appointed to the position of Rare Books and Exhibits Librarian.

McGoogan Library of Medicine

Email - askus@unmc.edu

Website