Our main message this year, "We're still here for you," has rung true as we provided more virtual consultations than ever, delivered instruction remotely, filled reference requests from digital collections, prepared exhibits for the Wigton Heritage Center, and kept business moving seamlessly since the May 2019 closure of our physical space. Our virtual services are now helping us as we work remotely during this time of COVID-19. We eagerly anticipate the planned fall 2020 opening of the newly renovated library. As a partner with many teams involved in the renovation, we have represented UNMC student, faculty, and staff wishes and needs and answered concerns. Throughout the next several months, we will continue to fine-tune the look and functionality of places and spaces that you will enjoy on the sixth, seventh, and eighth floors of a refreshed Wittson Hall.  

In this issue, we will tell you more about working with us and using library resources during the renovation, and while many of us are dispersed and working remotely.  

Best wishes for a healthy and beautiful spring, 

Dean McElroy 

The renovation of the library is in full swing, and we’re planning to re-open in time for the fall semester. Students will be welcomed with 24/7 access and a significant increase in quiet, individual study spaces. Two large cement panels have been removed from the front of the building to make way for windows, allowing natural light into all three floors of the library.

The 16 study rooms the library had are being replaced by 42 individual and 12 medium rooms adding much-needed study spaces to campus. The medium rooms will hold one to four people, and each will contain a monitor for screen sharing. All study rooms will have a whiteboard on at least one wall.

The Writing Center will have a dedicated space, and additional reflection rooms are being added. Two large conference rooms and a classroom will be available with distance learning capability. A sonography lab and Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Training (VERT) lab dedicated to the College of Allied Health Professions will move to more accessible areas on the sixth floor.

The McGoogan Library Makerspace will be the place for UNMC students, faculty, and staff to experiment, build, prototype, and be creative. The open, inviting space will be outfitted with 21st-century technology and a layout that facilitates collaboration and hands-on learning--all visible through interior windows. Near other resources and technology in the library, the makerspace will bring attention to innovation by offering technology and project materials that support creative doing and learning, informal thinking, and ideation. Among these will be four 3D printers, a 3D scanner, mini- and close-up cameras, a preservation station, and other technology and materials. Programming offerings will complement curricular and extracurricular work at UNMC and promote the building of a peer network of leaders who can approach problems with creativity and curiosity. Library staff will provide orientations and workshops regularly for those who are new to 3D printing and 3D scanning. The makerspace builds on the library’s community involvement in 3D design competitions, student outreach and research presentation, and instructional and clinical activities.

The renovated library will also feature, for the first time, centralized services for faculty. Located on the main floor of the McGoogan Library, the Faculty Commons will serve all UNMC faculty, including clinical physicians at Nebraska Medicine, Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, and other institutions who have joint appointments at UNMC. Features of the Faculty Commons include:

The library will continue to cheer on all who are partnering with us on the renovation efforts as we look forward to our nearing completion date!

Education and Research Services (E&RS) librarians are available to answer questions on library-related resources, provide library orientation and customized classes, and develop online learning tutorials and guides. The E&RS librarians are liaisons to colleges and departments across the Omaha, Scottsbluff, Lincoln, Norfolk, and Kearney campuses, and assist in supporting the educational, research, and clinical needs of UNMC.

Additionally, an E&RS librarian will:

Librarians are available to meet with students, faculty, and staff online through Zoom or Skype. Contact an E&RS librarian for more information on available services.

An Open House was held on February 26 in collaboration with HDR and UNMC Facilities to showcase potential furnishings within the renovated McGoogan Library. Visitors were asked to complete an online survey on their mobile device as they explored the furniture, ranking items in various categories according to preference. Furniture categories included chairs for short sits, study room chairs, comfort chairs, ottomans, tables, booths, and task lights. Enthusiasm filled the air as students and others put the furniture to the test in various ways – imitating posture and style while studying or relaxing.

The furniture testing experience generated many positive comments. The quality of the furniture was evident, with some of the visitors inquiring about how to obtain a particular piece for their home use. A highly favored chair in the comfort chair category was described as "sitting down upon a cloud." Another person described one study chair as a "life-changer." HDR will use survey data to determine priority for placement within the library, bringing in an assortment of furnishings to accommodate users with varying preferences. The library would like to thank all who participated in the Open House. Stay tuned for the final results!

Over the past several months, the McGoogan Library welcomed six new staff members coming to us from around the country. The Special Collections and Archives team has grown with the additions of Carrie Meyer, Darby Reiners, and Maria Shellman. Carrie is the new Head of Special Collections and Archives. She comes to UNMC from The Durham Museum, where she was Chief Curator for more than 11 years. Darby, the new Archivist and Public Historian, came from the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas, while Maria is an Archives Associate from Pennsylvania. They all agree UNMC has impressive historical collections, and they are excited to work to make them more accessible to the community.

 

Brian Maass, Jess King, and Kelly Gonzalez are new to the Education and Research Services department. Brian is the Digital Technologies Librarian and is excited to try new ideas in the Makerspace. Jess is an Education and Research Services Librarian from Ohio. She is a liaison to departments in the College of Public Health. Kelly joined the AskUs team from an academic library in Pennsylvania. She's excited to help the UNMC community access the physical collection and anatomical models once the renovated library opens its doors later this year.

Heather Brown was appointed to the Faculty Senate Recruitment and Retention committee.

Rod Cope retired after 35 years of service.

Emily Glenn was appointed to the position of Annual Meeting Advisor to the MidContinental Chapter of the Medical Library Association.

Emily Glenn was appointed to the Association of Academic Health Science Libraries (AAHSL) Research Services Committee.

DiAnna Hemsath began her appointment as the Web Liaison for the Science, Technology and Healthcare Section of the Society of American Archivists (SAA).

DiAnna Hemsath was nominated to SAA's Science, Technology and Health Care section steering committee.

Christian Minter was accepted into the Omaha team of the Reproductive Wellbeing Shared Learning Collaborative.

Christian Minter joined the Leadership Omaha Selection Committee for 2020- 2021.

Cindy Schmidt co-authored several articles: " The interactions between anticonvulsants and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant agents: a systematic review "; " 1692: Survival outcome in nonhuman primate sepsis models: Is it representative of human sepsis? " and " Driving ability and safety in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review ."

Cindy Schmidt was elected junior member of the ICON Executive Board.

Ben Simon started his new position as Library Associate in Interlibrary Loan. Ben previously worked on the AskUs team as a Library Technician.

Danielle Westmark was accepted, with a full scholarship, to the Simmons University Inter-Professional Informationist (IPI) 2-year certificate program.

Danielle Westmark was appointed to the IPE Curriculum Committee.

McGoogan Library of Medicine

Email - askus@unmc.edu

Website