I am not exactly sure how many times I have written the “Welcome and Welcome Back” column for Connective Issues, and I am not going to check. I do know this one will be the last, as I will be retiring at the end of the year.

I have been at UMB for over 36 years and have had the privilege of leading the Health Sciences and Human Service Library since 2004. Every September, I look forward to the energy and enthusiasm that comes with the start of the academic year. This year is especially sweet as not only is it the start of my last academic year but also I feel as though we are coming out of the shadow of COVID. Seeing users return to the building and hearing the sounds of collaboration and laughter has warmed my heart.

A preview of the upcoming year shows modifications to the building renovated third floor, expansion of the Grid, a remodeled administrative suite, the new Center for Faculty Teaching and Learning); new and improved programs and services (new courses, online and onsite training, support for new government mandates around data and open access, new library faculty and staff); renewed attention – both internally and externally – to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and ongoing commitment to innovation in our work at UMB and in the community – locally and regionally. Our new strategic plan sets us on a course for all of this.

As we enter the 2022-2023 academic year, I hope you will all consider the faculty and staff of the HSHSL – and the services and resources they provide – as collaborators and partners in your academic, discovery, and outreach success. We are here with you and for you.

Welcome and welcome back!

August 29 – November 30, 2022

Monday – Thursday	6:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Friday	6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday	8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Exception to Regular Hours

• Thanksgiving Holiday, November 24 – 25, the HSHSL will be closed.

The HSHSL is here for you!  Don’t hesitate to ask for help at the Information Services desk; we’re happy to assist.  You can also reach us by email at hshsl@umaryland.edu, telephone at 410-706-7995, or chat at https://answers.hshsl.umaryland.edu/.

Here is a top ten list of common questions with links to guide you to the answer or service.

1. How do I print?
   Follow these instructions.
2. How do I order a book or article the Library does not own?
   Use our interlibrary loan service. It is free for students.
3. How do I meet with a librarian about my assignment or research?
   Request a consultation.
4. How do I reserve a study room?
   Follow the instructions on the reservations page.
5. How do I get help with citation managers?
   You can request a consultation, attend a workshop or read the citation manager subject guide.
6. How do I request a poster to be printed?
   Fill out this form.
7. How do I correctly size my poster?
   Instructions are here.
8. How do I search the Library’s books and journals?
   You can use the OneSearch box located on our front page, or check the library’s catalog.
9. How do I log in to the Library from off campus?
   Click the blue “Off-Campus Access” button in the upper-right corner of our homepage then use your UMID and password to log in.
10. How do I enter the Library before 8:00 a.m.?
    Enter the Library from the Campus Center from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., Monday – Friday.
    

Do you have a question that has not been addressed here? Contact us directly or check the Ask Us! database of questions – your answer may already be there!

The HSHSL is celebrating National Medical Librarian’s Month during the month of October.

On Tuesday, October 18 take a break and join us for hot coffee and tasty snacks between 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. in the Library’s 1st floor Weise Gallery.

The Library Genie will be accepting wishes throughout the month of October.

• How can the HSHSL best help you with your career or studies?
• How would you like to see the Library’s space designed so that it meets your needs?
• What about resources and services the Library could provide?

Submit your 3 wishes starting October 1.

We are looking forward to your ideas!

The HSHSL’s purchase of digital journal collection “backfiles” is creating an opportunity to design additional study space.  Journals now available digitally are being removed from the stacks. Once that process is complete, some of the third-floor shelving units will be removed to free up additional space for new uses. Part of this space will be used to design a light-filled study area, and the remaining portion will allow for an expansion of The Grid.  The redesign may results in some noise and disruptions on the third and fourth floors of the Library.

Look for more information as this project continues.

The project to replace the HSHSL’s plaza entrance is slated to begin in fall 2022. HSHSL administration is anxiously awaiting a project kick-off meeting to learn more about specific timeline and project details from the contractor who won the bid in August 2022. We do know that the project will take approximately 26 weeks to complete.  We also know that removing and replacing plaza pavers will affect the flow of foot traffic for those entering and exiting the building.

Look for updates and signage about foot traffic detours or other possible interruptions as the project progresses.

Are you a scientist, medical provider, or researcher who loves to share your findings with others, but feels that your audience is not engaged? The problem may not be what you are saying but how you are saying it. Science communication has the potential not only to educate and inform your audience but also to broaden your audience. If you would like to improve your communication skills, consider participating in the Network of the National Library of Medicine’s (NNLM) Region One webinar series on science communication. Our guest speaker, Dr. Dione (Dee) Rossiter, a science communication, engagement, and outreach expert, has worked with non-profits, universities, government offices, and for-profit businesses to improve their science engagement efforts by creating new and/or improving existing science communication, marketing, education, diversity, and outreach initiatives. Three sessions will be offered this fall, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET:

1. The Art of Science Communication  – September 15, 2022 (Recording Available)
2. Science-Self-Fandom: How to promote your science and your worth – October 20, 2022
3. Systemic Racism in Science Communication – November 17, 2022

Please visit the NNLM Training Schedule to register for these webinars and other training opportunities offered by the NNLM.

This article was originally published on NLM.gov on August 9, 2022.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is working to accelerate the global monkeypox response through initiatives that expand access to scientific literature, sequence data, clinical trial information, and consumer health information related to monkeypox.

NLM’s efforts follow on declarations by the World Health Organization and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary of the ongoing spread of monkeypox virus as a public health emergency. NLM is responding to the call to action by the White House Office Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and science and technology leaders from more than a dozen other nations to make monkeypox-related research and data immediately available to the public.

NLM will leverage its existing relationships with publishers that submit to PubMed Central (PMC), its digital archive of peer-reviewed biomedical and life sciences literature, to make the wide range of journal articles that can inform the monkeypox response freely available to the public. Depositing appropriate articles into the PMC Open Access collection will ensure that monkeypox-related research is readily available in both human- and machine-readable formats. Readers will be able to discover articles via PubMed and access the full text in PMC without delay. Artificial intelligence researchers can continue to develop and apply novel approaches to text mining to help answer questions about monkeypox.

In addition, NLM is prioritizing the review of monkeypox sequence submissions through its genetic sequence database, GenBank, as well as submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov, the world’s largest publicly accessible database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies.

NLM has also updated content on its MedlinePlus website to provide authoritative consumer-oriented information on monkeypox in both English and Spanish.

NLM will continue to aid monkeypox response efforts by providing support to researchers throughout the process of submitting data to NLM’s databases and electronic resources, and quickly making available research and data that can accelerate scientific discovery and improve health around the world.

No textbook teaching theories and methods can capture the essence, the richness, the truth of lived experience.  No matter how much research confirms that health disparities do exist, it never uncovers the stories, the toll on individual bodies.

The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) recently presented a webinar on the Phoenix Biomedical Library Living Library Project , which was created as a tool for teaching future medical practitioners.

Catherine Lockmiller, creator of this project, is a health science librarian at Northern Arizona University – Phoenix Biomedical Campus.

She leverages her backgrounds in the humanities, social sciences, and digital librarianship, along with her role as a health information professional, to build sustainable, long-lasting health literacies that reduce the negative impact of health disparities and social determinants arising from power imbalances and inequities in at-risk populations. She particularly focuses on achieving health equity for transgender folx. 

The PBC Living Library is similar to the broader Human Library format. However, this program differs in that it centers individuals who have had experiences of health and healthcare disparities that relate to an aspect of their identity. The project strives to establish a safe space where health science students can enter into discourse with patient storytellers and, in doing so, learn how power is distributed and potentially redistributed in the context of a patient/provider interview. By conducting the PBC Living Library in this manner, the project promotes patient agency in participatory care while preparing future healthcare providers to consider the impacts of social determinants of health and adverse power structures within the medical industrial complex.

You can learn more about the PBC Living Library Project by watching the NNLM Public Health Series webinar recording on the NNLM YouTube Channel.

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library’s first annual Book It Forward book drive, celebrating National Library Week, was a huge success! Thanks to many generous donors across campus and the support of UMB’s Community Engagement Center, the HSHSL’s Book It Forward joint committee collected 1,214 books to help the youth of West Baltimore discover the joys of reading!

At the beginning of April, collection boxes were placed at HSHSL, the School of Dentistry, the School of Pharmacy, the Saratoga Building, the SMC Campus Center, the Thurgood Marshall Law Library, and UM BioPark. In under two months, the committee received over a thousand book donations for children and young adults in a wide range of genres and subjects. The Community Engagement Center was integral in identifying local schools in need of books and distributing the 27-box donation to Harlem Park Elementary/Middle Schools, Excel Academy Day Care at the Francis M. Wood High School, and Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy. The donation will support the schools’ summer reading programs and beyond!

To add to the project’s success, joint committee member Jessie Bauer gave a presentation at the Towson Conference for Academic Libraries (TCAL) detailing the project’s development and its impact on the community. You can view Jessie’s presentation, Book It Forward: Library Outreach to West Baltimore, on YouTube.

A special thank you to all who made this project possible, and for your continued support of the Book It Forward campaign in the future. Start saving those books for next year!

Scrapbooking in the 21st century has become somewhat of a lost art but remains a very powerful historical tool. With a combination of journal entries and photographs, scrapbooks give a great deal of insight into not only the look and feel of the time period in which they were created, but also into the person who created them. Margaret Bowen Rose, possibly unknowing of this significance, created such a document for her Class of 1936 at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. The most exciting thing about this book’s donation is that our Historical Collections does not currently have yearbooks for the years of 1933-1946 at the University. Margaret’s unique perspective is the closest insight we have to the experiences of our students during that period.

Included in the book are Margaret’s endearing descriptions of her classmates, photographs of them, and even a class prophecy showcasing their future goals after graduation. Though Margaret wanted to enroll in an Alaskan nursing program with classmate Vernice Bowling, both ended up enlisting in military service during the Second World War. Including herself and Vernice, four members of the Class of ‘36 were stationed in Australia for one year, working in a hospital setting and tending to wounded soldiers. As for those who did not enlist, some were married, while others worked at hospitals a bit closer to home. Reporting on her duties in the School of Nursing Alumnae Association Bulletin, Margaret described how after necessary emergency care soldiers received “baths, food, rest, and mothering” from the nurses, who were honored to help.

They would have been well prepared for their work abroad considering the experience they gained while still in university. A booklet found on page 66 of Margaret’s scrapbook details what students would be learning at the School of Nursing, with courses such as Materia Medica, Ethics, and Pathology. The program isn’t too dissimilar to what you could expect from a Bachelor of Nursing today, save for the perceived role of a nurse in hospital care. Classes found in the booklet seem to place a greater emphasis on the hospitality needs of the patient, whereas today’s course content encourages collaboration between doctors and nurses in diagnosis and treatment. The world of nursing has surely changed between Margaret Bowen Rose’s time and our own, and her 1936 scrapbook has proven itself invaluable as a window to the past.

To see the full Scrapbook as well as other School of Nursing and UMB historical pieces check out our Digital Archive!

This summer, the HSHSL was lucky to have the opportunity to employ a YouthWorks student. YouthWorks offers Baltimore teens and young adults the chance to develop new skills, work with expert mentors, and gain real world job experience.

Anisah Allen, a biological sciences student at UMBC, joined the Library for 8 weeks, working in the Information Services and Historical Collections departments. Anisah was able to interact with patrons at our public service desk; work with the Library’s physical collection; digitize select Historical Collections volumes, including the Margaret Bowen Rose Scrapbook; and work with the HSHSL’s exhibits committee on research for the upcoming radiology exhibit. She was a delight to work with and brought excellent ideas and perspective to the HSHSL.

Honors, Appointments & Promotions

Gail Betz, MSLIS, was appointed by President Jarrell to the UMB Workforce Task Force and will serve on the Workplace Flexibility subgroup.

Tony Nguyen, MLIS, was appointed by President Jarrell to the UMB Workforce Task Force and will serve on the Employee Wellbeing subgroup.

Nguyen was promoted to Faculty Librarian IV by the UMB Libraries Appointment, Promotion and Permanent Status committee.

Faith Steele, MLS, MIM, earned her AHIP certification from the Medical Library Association. Steele was also selected to serve as a trustee for the Anne Arundel County Public Library.

April Wright, MLS, was promoted to Faculty Librarian III by the UMB Libraries Appointment, Promotion and Permanent Status committee.

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Posters & Presentations

Jessie Bauer presented “Book It Forward: Library Outreach to West Baltimore” at the Towson Conference for Academic Libraries.

Steve Douglas, MA, MLS, AHIP, presented a poster, “Piloting an Open Access Publishing Fund for Early-Career Researchers,” at the Towson Conference for Academic Libraries.

Emily Gorman, MLIS, facilitated the roundtable discussion “Beyond Citation Counts: Using Altmetrics to Boost Your Impact Factor” at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Patricia Hinegardner, MLS, and Na Lin, MLS, presented a poster, “Building a Unique Collection Through Collaboration: International Employee Assistance Archive,” at the Towson Conference for Academic Libraries.

James Stephens, MED, MLIS, presented “Amazon Web Services for Librarians” at the Towson Conference for Academic Libraries.

Mary Ann Williams, MSLS, presented “Plain Language & Clear Communication in Research” at UMB’s 2022 PATIENTS Academy Roundtable Program.

Another academic year is coming to a close. In many ways, this year − like the year preceding it − was just a little different. While we reopened on a limited basis in the fall of 2020, it was not the same. UMB guidelines limited what we could do, and that kept our library team and our library safe. Most of our community wasn’t onsite, and we were ingenious in developing new ways to deliver services, resources, and programs.

In the fall of 2021, blown by the winds of COVID, vaccine, surges, telework, and anything else that came our way, the HSHSL opened up a little more, only to be knocked back by Omicron. Who knows what the future will bring?

We have learned a lot during the roller coaster that has been these past two plus years. It has been a time of perseverance, agility, and creativity.

Some thank yous:

Thanks to everyone in our UMB community for your flexibility and continued support of the HSHSL during these challenging times.

Thanks to all who complained about masking, eating, hours … whatever. It shows you really care about your library. To paraphrase Sally Field’s Oscar acceptance from years ago, "you like us!"

Thanks to every member of the HSHSL team. Those who kept the building open even before vaccines. Those who designed signs, signs, and more signs. Those who put signs up. Those who took them down. Those who put them up again…you see how this goes. Those who maintained services, created new services, found ways to do things differently, and continued to move programs and projects forward. Those who created new ways to communicate constant changes.

And finally, a special thanks to the leadership team in the HSHSL. They solved problems at a moment’s notice. They used their project management skills to create solutions. They responded swiftly as situations changed. They collected data and developed thoughtful, practical, elegant, and staff and user-centered responses to any challenges set before them.

So here we are at the end of another unique year that will probably be just another in the continuum of unique years. Good luck to all who are venturing out into this "new normal" (ugh!). And to those who will remain, the HSHSL will continue to advance and respond and thrive with you through any challenges!

The library building’s summer hours are:

May 19 – August 14

Monday – Thursday	8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday	Closed

Exception to Regular Hours

• Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, May 28-30, the HSHSL will be closed.
• Juneteenth, June 20, the HSHSL will be closed.
• Independence Day Holiday Weekend, July 2-4, the HSHSL will be closed.

You can reach out to us at hshsl@umaryland.edu.

The HSHSL extends a hearty congratulations to the graduating class of 2022! Before you go forth and conquer, we want to remind you of the resources available to you after graduation.

• Journals and Databases: Alumni can access HS/HSL’s electronic resources off campus for 2 months after graduation.
• Free Databases: Once your electronic access expires, you will still have access to public databases for literature, drug information, and more. Some examples are highlighted below. Additionally, be sure to investigate what resources you have through your new workplace and any professional organizations of which you are a member.

Freely Available Databases	Type of Information	Can Be Used in Place of
PubMed	Literature	Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.
Google Scholar	Literature	Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.
NLM Drug Information Portal	Drug Information	Micromedex, Lexicomp, Natural Medicines
MedlinePlus	Patient-Friendly Health Information	Micromedex, Lexicomp, UpToDate, Natural Medicines
ECRI Guidelines Trust	Clinical Practice Guidelines	UpToDate
TRIP Database	Literature	Embase, CINAHL, Ovid MEDLINE
NCBI Databases	Various – literature, chemical information, genetic/genomic information, etc.	SciFinder, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)	Literature	Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc.

The HSHSL wishes you all the best in your future endeavors! Please contact the Information Services Desk if you have any questions.

Book It Forward and help local youth discover the joys of reading! The HSHSL is collecting new or gently used books for children and teens/young adults. Books of all genres and topics are appreciated! A collection box is located on the first floor of the HSHSL, and all books will be donated to local Baltimore organizations. Donations will be accepted through May 2022.

AccessPharmacy is now available at the HSHSL! AccessPharmacy provides online access to a variety of resources, including books and multimedia content for pharmacy education. It also offers study tools, such as NAPLEX review, drug flashcards, and textbook review questions. Users can browse books, patient cases, and videos, or search across all available resources. AccessPharmacy was generously provided by the School of Pharmacy, and it is available through the database list on the HSHSL website.

The HSHSL is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the UMB Digital Archive – a year late but that’s ok, it deserves recognition. On May 4, 2011, the UMB Digital Archive debuted with 278 records. Ten years later, May 4, 2021, it had grown to 14,200 records. Currently, the number is 17,117 and counting.

The Archive’s mission was and is to collect, preserve, and share the academic output of UMB as well as its history. The Archive contains unique historical books, letters, notebooks, and historical images. As well as annual reports, newsletters, strategic plans, white papers, promotional materials, and other items that document the University’s history.  Most recently it has captured UMB’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and DEI.  But the Archive isn’t just about history, it is also a place for scholarly communication. It provides access to items such as dissertations, DNP reports, open-access articles by UMB authors, conference presentations, posters, and more.

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Archive by the Numbers

• 278 records – May 4, 2010
  14,200 records – May 4, 2021
  17,117 records – currently
  

• 221 countries and regions (all continents) accessing the Archive
• 8,804 downloads (since 3/1/2019) for Covid-19 vaccines in children: be careful / Doshi, Peter.
• 154,739 downloads during the pandemic lockdown (March 2020 – September 2020)
• 582 open access articles on Coronavirus authored by the UMB community
• 1565 CE – publication date of the oldest item in the Archive: Galen’s Galeni omnia quae extant opera: in latium sermonem conuersa, Vol. 1-7
  

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The design of the Archive changed in 2019, when it moved to a new system providing a better user experience and document management. As we celebrate its 10-year plus journey of accomplishment, we are also evaluating the Archive’s current status and its potential to achieve greater impact in the future. As the Archive grows and includes more diverse resources, it is becoming more than an archive. It is a platform for contemporary scholarly sharing. We need to give it a new name that reflects this growth and evolution. We are asking for your help.

Rename the UMB Digital Archive – Send us your suggestions by email.

On January 25, 2023, the new NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing will go into effect. Have no fear, the Center for Data and Bioinformation Services (CDABS) is here to help you prepare for this change!

This new policy will require 1) submission of a data management and sharing plan with all NIH grant applications for projects that generate scientific data, and 2) compliance with that plan. This expands on the current policy, in effect since 2003, which has this requirement only for projects requesting $500,000 or more in funds. While it is understood that a variety of reasons may limit data sharing, "NIH expects that in drafting Plans, researchers will maximize the appropriate sharing of scientific data," while also being mindful of ethical considerations.

How CDABS can help:

• We facilitate access for UMB researchers to several great resources for working with data.
• DMPTool provides templates for writing plans and allows you to request feedback on your plan from the CDABS team. Use your UMID and password to authenticate.
• OSF is a collaborative tool for keeping your project documents organized. Use your UMID and password to authenticate.
• ICPSR and QDR are excellent repository options for sharing sensitive data.
• The UMB Data Catalog can hold a record of your shared data, with metadata and access instructions.
• Schedule a consult with us to talk more in-depth about your personalized data management needs, finding an appropriate repository, and anything else data-related!
• Subscribe to CDABS updates for information on workshops and other resources we will be releasing over the next several months.

Read the policy full text. Visit the new NIH Data Sharing website for policy breakdown, supplemental information, and news.

Questions? Contact: Amy Yarnell, data services librarian and Jean-Paul Courneya, bioinformationist, at data@hshsl.umaryland.edu.

The HSHSL has joined UMB’s Office of Sustainability’s campaign to promote bird strike awareness as birds migrate during April and May.  You can help by turning off the lights as you leave a study room, office, or conference room in the HSHSL.  To learn more, click here.

In March 2022, the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) held a free virtual symposium focused on engagement in research. The symposium was designed to explore current and future trends in biomedical research, evaluate research and organizational practices to gain trust in medical research, learn about library services that contribute to the research lifecycle, and investigate new models to support research.

Over two days, the NNLM symposium hosted over 780 participants, including students, medical and public health researchers, librarians, community-based organization staff, educators, and researchers. The symposium highlighted the expertise from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, including C. Daniel Mullins and DeJuan Patterson, who presented a keynote – Trust in Science and the Impact of COVID-19 – and Stacey Stephens, who presented on the B’more for Healthy Babies @Promise Heights program (25:00). All recordings are now available to watch on YouTube.

May – August 2022

The HSHSL’s Historical Collections is home to the Pharmacy Historical Book Collection, which includes influential pharmacy and medical texts, dispensatories, pharmacopoeias, botanicals, and herbals from around the world dating from the seventeenth to twentieth centuries. Fatal Beauty, an exhibit in the HSHSL’s Weise Gallery, highlights stunning but deadly botanicals from the Pharmacy Collection.

Botanicals have been used since the first century B.C.E. to treat a variety of ailments; yet sometimes the most beautiful and helpful botanicals can also be the most dangerous, if used improperly. For example, Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) contains digitalin, which has been used since William Withering described its benefits in 1785 to treat heart conditions. However, the foxglove plant itself is toxic; consumption or absorption can cause gastrointestinal problems, headache, cardiac arrhythmias, visual problems, and hallucinations.

The Fatal Beauty exhibit highlights botanicals that, despite their traditional or modern medical benefits, can have dangerous consequences when used improperly. Admire with caution!

Elsevier, the company that produces Mendeley, is promoting a new version of their product called Mendeley Reference Manager. In September 2022, the previous version − Mendeley Desktop − will no longer be available for download.

This change could potentially cause problems for UMB campus members who use Mendeley.

Mendeley Reference Manager’s in-text citation tool for Word is only available as an add-in from the Microsoft Store. However, because UMB’s IT security restrictions prohibit downloads from the Microsoft Store, those who are using a UMB computer − or using Office via their UMB account − will not be able to download the citation tool for Mendeley Reference Manager.’

Current users of Mendeley Desktop can continue to use the citation tool that came with their Mendeley Desktop download. However, as of September 2022, they will not be able to download Mendeley Desktop onto any new laptops or workstations.

UMB members who are looking for a free bibliographic manager with an in-text citation tool may want to try Zotero. Another option, EndNote, is available to UMB faculty, staff, and students for a discounted annual fee. For more information about citation managers, and for instructions on transitioning from Mendely to Zotero, see the HSHSL Citation Managers guide.

Gail Betz, MLIS, was the recipient of the School of Social Work’s Exemplary Staff of the Year Award. The award was given by the Student Convocation Planning Committee who stated, "Gail Betz is an outstanding resource librarian and advisor. She is a supportive leader and is quick to offer ideas and resources, or make connections, with students. She is an advisor of DREAM Disability Justice and works closely with students, faculty, and staff on research, education, and accessibility issues."

Katherine Downton, MSLIS, was elected as a Medical Library Association (MLA) International Cooperation Caucus nominee to the 2023-2024 MLA Nominating Committee.

Emily Gorman, MLIS, will serve as chair of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s Drug Information and Library Science Section (July 2022).

Tony Nguyen, MLIS, was elected to a three-year term on the Medical Library Association’s Board of Directors.

M.J. Tooey, MLS, AHIP, FMLA, was approved for a new title by UMB’s President Bruce Jarrell. Tooey is now the Associate Vice Provost and Dean of the HSHSL. This change brings her title in line with her colleagues at other institutions within the University System of Maryland. In addition, the new title aligns with those held by leaders at health sciences libraries across the United States, including those in our new Carnegie Classification: Special Focus – Research Institution.  As importantly, the new title is a recognition of M.J.’s distinguished service to UMB and her profession.

Patrick Williams was named UMB Employee of the Year for 2021. Williams was nominated for his outstanding work as the mailroom coordinator for the HSHSL during the COVID-19 crisis.

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Publications & Presentations

Gail Betz wrote a research article, "Navigating the Academic Hiring Process with Disabilities," which was published in the journal In the Library with the Lead Pipe.

Mary Ann Williams, MSLS, presented "How Medical Libraries Help Educate Faculty & Students on Health Literacy" at Public Health Research Day in Maryland. Williams was also an invited speaker at the UMB School of Pharmacy seminar series and gave a talk on "Plain Language & Clear Communication in Research."

Since 2003, May has been designated as Healthy Vision Month. It is a month set aside to educate people on the importance of eye care and regular eye exams. It seemed appropriate during this month to look back on the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) history in the education of diseases of the eye and ophthalmology.

Dr. George Frick and Early Ophthalmology at UMSOM

In 1824, Dr. George Frick, published “A Treatise on the Diseases of the Eye,” the first title published on ophthalmology in the United States. The work became so important that by 1825 it was made a required reading for licensure by the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland (MedChi). Dr. Frick was born in Baltimore in 1793 and earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1815. He began practicing ophthalmology in Baltimore in 1819 and is believed to be the first ophthalmologist in the United States.

Dr. Frick’s connection with UMSOM began in 1822, when he began delivering clinical lectures at the Maryland Hospital. He was also Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Baltimore General Dispensary, where he established the first Eye Dispensary in Baltimore in 1824. When the School of Arts and Sciences was founded at the University of Maryland in 1830, Dr. Frick was named chair of Natural History. Unfortunately, by 1840 Dr. Frick left the medical profession as he was becoming deaf. He spent the remainder of his life in Europe and died in Dresden, Germany on March 26, 1870. His nephew, Dr. Charles Frick, UMSOM Class of 1845, was professor of Materia Medica at the University from 1858 to 1860.

From 1868 to 1869, the first clinics on the diseases of the eye were offered at the Baltimore General Dispensary by Dr. Russell Murdock. Dr. Murdock was the first surgeon to perform a cataract extraction unassisted. He was also an inventor of several instruments used in eye surgery and exam.

Dr. Julian J. Chisolm, First Chair of Diseases of the Eye and Ear at UMSOM

By 1873, the UMSOM created the first chair in the nation for the diseases of the eye and ear (a precursor of today’s UMSOM Department of Ophthalmology); Dr. Julian John Chisolm was named to the position. Dr. Chisolm was born in Charleston, South Carolina on April 16, 1830. He attended and graduated from the Medical College of the State of South Carolina in 1850 and continued on to Europe to further his medical studies in London and Paris. He returned to South Carolina and founded a preparatory medical school in Charleston with Dr. Francis T. Miles (later UMSOM professor of Anatomy and clinical professor of Nervous Diseases, 1868-1880 and professor of Physiology, 1880-1903). By 1858 Dr. Chisolm was named professor of surgery at the Medical College of the State of South Carolina.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Dr. Chisolm joined the Confederate States Army (CSA) as a surgeon, where he wrote a Manual of Military Surgery. The manual was so popular it went through four editions (1861-1864) during the Civil War. It taught surgeons in the CSA to treat wounds and establish field hospitals, and to manage medical and food supplies and hygiene.

Following the Civil War, Dr. Chisolm came to Baltimore (1868), where he became professor of Military and Operative Surgery at UMSOM. By 1869, he was chair of Operative Surgery, had created a clinical professorship of the diseases of the eye and ear, and was Dean of the Medical Department (a position he held until 1874).

In 1871, Dr. Chisolm founded the Baltimore Eye and Ear Institute. In its first year, the institute treated 2000 patients from all parts of the United States. It was located on West Franklin Street. The institute was founded by Maryland Law (Chapter 467, April 1874) and Dr. Chisolm was named the surgeon in charge. The law appropriated $1000 (the equivalent of $23,565.90 today) to the institute to care for six patients at a time who could not afford to pay.  

By 1877, the Institute was already experiencing such high demands that it needed a larger building and additional support to treat poor patients; thus, the Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Charity Hospital was formed. As the name suggests, this hospital was better equipped to help the poor who could not afford to pay for services. The hospital was located on East Baltimore Street. Dr. Chisolm served as Chief Surgeon and, through his leadership, the Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Charity Hospital became one of the best ophthalmic hospitals in the country.

A big proponent of clinical education, Dr. Chisolm gave UMSOM students weekly clinics on eye and ear diseases. The students also had ample opportunity for internships and work in both the Baltimore Eye and Ear Institute and the Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Charity Hospital.

In 1895, Dr. Chisolm’s health concerns necessitated his retirement from teaching. He was named emeritus professor of Eye and Ear Diseases following retirement. In 1898 he moved to Petersburg, Virginia. He died November 1, 1903. His son, Dr. Francis M. Chisolm (UMSOM Class of 1889) continued in his father’s footsteps serving as surgeon at the Presbyterian Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital following Dr. J. Chisolm’s retirement, and as associate professor of ophthalmology at the University.

Drs. Frick and Chisolm paved the way for the future of eye education at UMSOM. The Department of Ophthalmology at UMSOM is one of the oldest in the nation and has a proud history of impressive educators and innovative breakthroughs in eye surgery and care.

References and Further Reading:

Cordell, Eugene F. The Medical Annals of Maryland, 1799-1899… Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore, 1903: http://hdl.handle.net/10713/12582

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. “Department History.” University of Maryland School of Medicine Website: https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/ophthalmology/Department-History/

Friedenwald, Harry. “The Early History of Ophthalmology and Otology in Baltimore (1800-1850).” Johns Hopkins Hospital Bulletin. Nos. 77-88; Aug-Sept. 1897: https://collections.nlm.nih.gov/ext/dw/101491115/PDF/101491115.pdf

In Honor of Julian John Chisolm, M.D…. 1930: http://hdl.handle.net/10713/3441  

University of Maryland School of Medicine. 200 Years of Medicine in Baltimore: Outstanding Contributions of the University of Maryland Medical Alumni and Faculty. 1976: http://hdl.handle.net/10713/4798

University of Maryland School of Medicine Annual Bulletins, 1838-1880: http://hdl.handle.net/10713/2619

Over the past two years, even during the pandemic, the HSHSL building has continued to be modified and changed. And the changes are ongoing!

1. In 2020, the second and fifth floors were remodeled. Tables and seating were replaced by adding the types of furniture users had requested. The former study tables were worn out; the new ones have better power and lighting and are more easily cleaned. Surveys indicated that users preferred rolling task chairs to the hard (but durable!) study chairs in the study rooms. Done!
2. If you haven’t heard already, the Graduate Innovation District, fondly known as the Grid relocated to the third floor north of the HSHSL. It is very exciting to have them in the building and to explore innovation and discovery with them! Another great partnership.
3. When the Counseling Center, formerly located on the fourth floor of the HSHSL, relocated to the Campus Center, it created an opportunity for the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (FCTAL) to move in. What a great new office and service to have in the HSHSL! Construction for the FCTAL is ongoing and should be completed this spring.
4. If you have been in the Library recently, you may have noticed loud, disturbing, obnoxious (one director’s opinion) noises coming from the roof of the building. Drilling, banging, and thuds are all part of the equation. After almost 25 years, the roof of the building is being replaced. The project should be completed later this spring. In the meantime, you can get some earplugs at the Information Services desk on the first floor.
5. Finally, later this spring, the entire plaza in front of the HSHSL will be replaced. The design phase is complete, and the construction will start later this spring. This will cause major disruption around the building entrance. Workarounds and patience will be required!

On our wish lists?

1. Renovation of the third and fourth floors. This will complete all five floors and will allow for expansion of the Grid and study spaces of all types.
2. Renewal of the restrooms. After 25 years, it’s time!

As they say on the Pennsylvania Turnpike when there is highway construction, “Temporary inconvenience. Permanent improvement!”  We are looking forward to all our improvements!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kinnard Leisure Collection and the Graphic Medicine Collection were unavailable. No new book titles were added, and magazine subscriptions were allowed to lapse. Thanks to your suggestions and the hard work of staff across the Library, both collections have been refreshed and are ready for your use.

Old titles were removed from the leisure book collection and more than 30 new books added. It is our goal to continue to add three to five new titles a month until the entire 100 book collection has been turned over. Magazine subscriptions have been purchased, and new issues will soon be making their way to the shelves. And more than ten new titles have been added to the Graphic Medicine collection.

The Graphic Medicine and Kinnard Leisure Reading collections are located on the first floor of the Library to the right of the main staircase. Please stop by and browse the collection. We hope you’ll find something you want to read. And as always, feel free to make a suggestion. Although not every title will be available from the rental service we use, if you select one that is, we will be happy to order it for you and let you know when it’s ready for you to use.

OSF, a project of the Center for Open Science, is a free and open source project management and collaboration tool that supports researchers throughout the research lifecycle. It’s a great way to organize and share resources with your team and others. It also integrates easily with a number of other commonly used tools, like Google Drive, Zotero, Mendeley, Figshare, and GitHub.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore is now an OSF Institution, which means you can log in to OSF with your UMID and password.

You will also be able to affiliate your public research with UMB on OSF and discover other affiliated research through our new UMB-OSF landing page. If your research is not yet public, now might be a good time to consider sharing your existing or future work. Conducting your research through UMB’s OSFI platform is a strategic way to enhance transparency, foster collaboration, and increase the visibility of your research.

For more information, you can view help guides on signing in with your institution and affiliating your projects.

Questions?

Contact: Amy Yarnell, data services librarian and Jean-Paul Courneya, bioinformationist, at data@hshsl.umaryland.edu.

If you are interested in research, we welcome you to register for the 2022 NNLM Virtual Symposium, Advancing Engagement through Research: New Trends and Opportunities.

This two-day event, taking place March 29 – 30, is an opportunity to explore the current state and future directions of medical and scientific research, and to advance the use of practices proven to be effective. A wide range of topics will be shared, including understanding scientific and biomedical research, concerns in the world of research, and the inclusion of diverse populations in research, both as a participant and as a researcher.

This event is open to new and experienced researchers, health professionals, students, health sciences and public librarians, citizen/community scientists, and the general public.

Book It Forward and help local youth discover the joys of reading! To kick off National Library Week – April 3 through April 9, 2022 – the HSHSL will be collecting new or gently used books for children and teens/young adults. Books of all genres and topics are appreciated! A collection box will be located on the first floor of the HSHSL, and all books will be donated to local Baltimore organizations. Donations will be accepted through May 2022.

Most of our current subscriptions only allow online access to articles that were published from when journals began to publish electronically – usually the mid-1990s. This means that researchers who want a copy of an older article must find it in the library stacks or request it through document delivery or interlibrary loan.

Many publishers, however, have now digitized earlier volumes of their journals and have made these “backfiles” available for a one-time purchase. The HSHSL has been working to acquire journal backfiles for our collections, using special funding we received for this purpose. Digital backfiles provide easy access to older literature both on- and off-campus, by searching the library’s Journals & E-books list, or using other search tools available through the library website, such as OneSearch, PubMed, Scopus, and CINHAL.

This year we completed the SAGE Scientific, Technical, and Medical collection and the Wiley Medicine and Nursing collection, and extended our digital holdings for The Lancet back to its first issue published in 1823. This adds the older issues of more than 490 journals to the HSHSL’s electronic collection. Over the next few years, we hope to add other backfile collections to make this important older literature easily accessible.

In March 2020, the HSHSL was celebrating Women’s History Month with a gallery exhibit featuring the accomplishments of the First Women of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Unfortunately, a week after the exhibit opened, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Maryland and the university transitioned to mandatory telework. During the shutdown, the exhibit sat for months, unseen in a deserted gallery. Now, two years later, the HSHSL is showing a new, expanded version of the First Women of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in the HSHSL Weise Gallery.

The exhibit honors women who paved the way for progress and change at UMB. When the university was founded in 1807 as the College of Medicine of Maryland, women were not permitted to enroll in coursework. Nor were women present on the faculty or staff until much later in the university’s history. When women were finally admitted – first as students, and later as faculty members to the UMB schools – they faced intense hardship, criticism, and discrimination. They endured, nevertheless, and their remarkable contributions and achievements have paved the way for future UMB women students, faculty, and leaders.

This exhibit highlights nearly 150 years of women’s history at UMB. Its panels feature the stories of Dr. Emilie Foeking, Louisa Parsons, Dr. Lady Mary Johnson, Ruth Lee Briscoe, Dr. B. Olive Cole, Dr. Teresa Ora Snaith, Esther E. McCready, Dr. Ruth H. Young, Dr. Barbara C. Hansen, Alice Cary, and Dr. Natalie D. Eddington. In addition, two supporting exhibit cases feature works by UMB women authors from the HSHSL collection.

The exhibit will remain on display in the Weise Gallery through April 2022.

Now it’s easier than ever to connect with a faculty librarian who works directly with your school. Last month, the Library launched a Research and Education Services (RES) portal to help students, researchers, educators, and clinicians learn about how their school’s librarian can collaborate with and support them.

For researchers, librarians provide consultation and training in advanced literature searching, including searching for evidence, expert searching for systematic and scoping reviews, and finding literature to support grant proposals. Librarians can also help individual faculty, departments, and schools measure the external impact of research, and advise faculty members on how to make their research more visible.

To support student learning, librarians can guest lecture for classes or develop video tutorials focused on a specific project, assignment, or skill. Students may also schedule individual consultations with librarians for help locating resources for assignments and clinical work.

Visit our new portal or contact your school’s librarian to learn more about the many ways librarians can collaborate to support research, learning, and patient care.

Publications

Emily Gorman, MLIS, wrote “Defender of the People: Reflections of a Nonscientist Member of the IRB,” as a chapter contributor to the book Finding Your Seat at the Table: Roles for Librarians on Institutional Regulatory Boards and Committees.

Michele Nance, MS, Emily Gorman, and Everly Brown, MLIS, co-authored the book chapter “An Informed Consent Document Review Service,” which was published in Finding Your Seat at the Table: Roles for Librarians on Institutional Regulatory Boards and Committees.

Amy Yarnell, MLS, contributed to the editorial “Ten simple rules for improving research data discovery,” published February 10, 2022 in PLOS Computational Biology. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009768

Jerry Anthony joined the HSHSL in September 2021 as the HSHSL’s facilities operations specialist, a.k.a. building coordinator.  He comes to UMB with decades of facilities experience in both private industry and higher education. His job includes oversight of the HSHSL facility, building and construction projects, and building collaborative relationships with tenants and Facilities Management.

Tiffany Chavis, LCSW-C, MLIS, joined the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM), Region 1, as our new health literacy librarian in January 2022. She recently graduated with her master’s in library and information science (MLIS) from the University of Maryland, College Park. Before pursuing her MLIS, she practiced as a licensed clinical social worker for over a decade. In 2006, she completed her master’s degree in social work at University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a focus in both clinical social work and management and community organizing. Tiffany was born and raised in Baltimore City and is part of the Lumbee (American Indian) community. She will be working on a number of projects for Region 1, including supporting initiatives to address health misinformation, public library outreach, and NNLM consumer health outreach and education programs within the Region.

Christine Nieman, MSLIS, joined the NNLM Region 1 as our new data management librarian in January 2022. She is a recent graduate of Drexel University, where she completed her MLIS degree. Christine loves working with data and was formerly a laboratory technician in a USDA chemistry research lab. She will be working on a number of projects for Region 1, which includes supporting initiatives from the NNLM Center for Data Services and NNLM Evaluation Center, data management educational programs, and engagement within Region 1.

Faith Steele, MLIS, MIM, joined the NNLM Region 1 as our new outreach and education librarian in January 2022. She has worked in the library field for over 10 years in academic libraries and government agencies. Prior to coming to NNLM, she was a librarian at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington D.C.; she also served as a grants management specialist at the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Faith will be working on a number of projects, including our communications program, educational programs, and engagement within Region 1.

Linda Wise, MBA, SHRM-CP, came to the HSHSL in December 2021 as the new associate director for administration and operations, from the School of Social Work. Her background in administration and professional certification from the Society for Human Resource Management will be invaluable. As a member of senior leadership at the Library, Linda oversees the administrative and operational functions of the HSHSL, including human resources, finance, building functions, and strategic directions for HSHSL Administration.

Sarah Weirich, MLIS, joined the Resource Development and Access Division as the metadata librarian. She has a MLIS from the University of Southern Mississippi and comes to us from the American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library and Archives (NBL&A), where she was a metadata specialist. Sarah’s responsibilities at the HSHSL will focus on metadata development and management to maximize discovery of content. She will be working with the UMB Data Catalog, UMB Digital Archive, the library catalog, and other resources.

On January 3, 2022, the HSHSL will implement changes in its masking and food policies. When the HSHSL fully reopened in August 2021, we returned to our former policies allowing food in the public areas of the Library. Even though it is UMB policy to be masked while in university buildings, we have observed, almost daily, users who stretch the liberal food policy for hours as a rationale for not masking. As I write this column, COVID-19 cases are on the rise, a new variant has emerged, and we have entered cold and flu season.

Therefore, effective January 3, 2022:

• Food will no longer be allowed on the open public floors of the HSHSL.
• Beverages are allowed and masks may be removed for a “sip,” and then replaced.
• Eating may take place in study rooms if there is only one person in the study room.
• If there is more than one person in the study room, everyone must be masked and no food may be consumed.
• Eating will be permitted in the Tower Café (the round room on the main floor, to the left of the entrance) following the same guidelines as in the Campus Center – only two to a table, masks off for “active eating.”
• Those who fail to comply with the masking guidelines may lose library privileges and be asked to leave the building.

Aside from the aforementioned rise in COVID-19, cold, and flu cases, we should keep in mind that we’re not living in an immunity bubble in the HSHSL. Yes, there is a high vaccination rate at UMB. One hundred percent of HSHSL staff are vaccinated. Most of you are vaccinated. Yet some of the tenants in the building may not be. Additionally, the HSHSL is open to the public, people from other universities, the VA, and the UMMC/UMMS. There is no way to know everyone’s vaccination status. Masking keeps us safer – AND it is UMB policy.

I sincerely hope someday this will all be behind us. In the meantime, let’s all work together to keep everyone safe and well.

On October 19, 2021, the HSHSL and the School of Pharmacy hosted their fourth annual flu clinic.  Over eight hours, 155 campus members were inoculated. Students, faculty and staff from all parts of UMB – the seven professional schools, central administration, campus services, and the UMMC – made appointments to get flu shots in the Library’s Frieda O. Weise Gallery.

As in past years, the clinic offered School of Pharmacy students a valuable opportunity to practice giving flu shots to actual patients under the guidance of professional Walgreen pharmacists and Dr. Cherokee Layson-Wolf, associate dean and associate professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science.  Students also helped to check patients in and keep the clinic running smoothly. Despite the added challenge posed by COVID-19 restrictions, the clinic operated safely and effectively – and managed, once again, to provide both an excellent opportunity for student experiential learning and a convenient location for campus members to get a flu shot.

During the month of October, the Library Genie asked for your top three library wishes. We have received your requests and are looking at ways to grant your wishes.

The Genie heard your calls for more comfy chairs and group study tables, consistent coffee availability, better Wi-Fi, a reflection room, and temperature control. Some of these ideas have been addressed, and others are on their way. Our intrepid facility operations specialist, Jerry Anthony, worked with campus facilities to resolve the complaints of cold areas on the 5th floor. Campus IT placed 12 more Wi-Fi hotspots around the Library to improve performance. We have plans for new tables and seating in all of the study rooms, but have no date for starting the project as yet. The Library Genie is creative and is always watching for opportunities to make visiting the HSHSL a super experience for you.

Responding to a request from the University Student Government Association for better Wi-Fi in the Library, the Center for Information Technology Services (CITS) installed 12 upgraded Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the building.  If you continue to encounter Wi-Fi problems in the Library, please let CITS know by contacting the IT Help Desk at help@umaryland.edu or 410-706-HELP.

The HSHSL is working on our new strategic plan for 2022-2026 – and since we know our success depends on your success, we’d love to get your input on our five-year plan.

You can help guide our strategic planning by answering the seven open-ended questions in this short survey. The survey will be available through December 17. We look forward to hearing from you!

The UMB Council for Arts & Culture and the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL) have organized an exhibition in the Library’s Frieda O. Weise Gallery to celebrate artists featured in 1807, An Art and Literary Journal, Issue 3 (Autumn 2021). Faculty, staff, and student artists contributed pieces for the display, including pottery, acrylics, photography, collage, drawing, poetry, and mixed medium pieces. The exhibit will be on display until January 15, 2022.

You may notice a new kiosk at the HSHSL’s security guard desk. The kiosk is a LobbyGuard® check-in system for those who wish to enter the building without a UMB One Card. Visitors, UMMC and VA staff, and students from other campuses will use this kiosk to check in upon entering the building.

Users scan their state ID or driver’s license to input their information automatically. The system then takes a photo and prints an ID badge sticker with the user’s picture and name, along with an assigned barcode. Those who do not have a state ID or license can use the touchscreen to enter their information manually. The ID badge is only valid for entry to the HSHSL; it does not allow entry to other UMB buildings. Similar systems are already in use at a few other UMB buildings and will eventually be deployed at all campus buildings.

On November 17, the HSHSL hosted computer scientist Anthony DiFranco, PhD, and biochemist Yann Huon de Kermadec, PhD. Both are core members of the Open Insulin Foundation, a project to make available open-source software and open-access knowledge to produce insulin cheaply at local scale.

The two detailed how insulin list prices increased steeply – as much as 1,500% or more since 1997 – despite comparatively little corresponding innovation in insulin manufacturing. They then provided an overview of the Open Insulin Foundation, and the work of “biohackers” around the world investigating open protocols to produce insulin.

The Open Insulin Foundation began in 2015 at a community biology lab in Oakland, California. Work continues in a handful of similar labs around the US, including Baltimore, with a new branch opening soon in Paris, France.

For Celebrate Diversity Month in April 2022, two HSHSL committees – the diversity committee and the exhibits, displays and promotions committee – will be putting together an exhibit honoring the diversity of our campus: Woven Stories: Out of many, we are one. To support the exhibit, the HSHSL is seeking photograph submissions of items culturally significant to campus members. Culture, broadly defined, encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of individuals. Photographs for the exhibit should feature one item that represents your culture. Submissions may include recipes, books, art, food, creative work, clothing, sheet music, instruments, or textiles; however, we encourage you to be as creative as you’d like. This is an opportunity to display what’s culturally significant to you.

Visit the Woven Stories webpage to submit your photograph along with a paragraph describing its importance to you. Multiple submissions are welcome. If you wish to remain anonymous, just leave the name and email fields on the form blank.

For questions or concerns, please email the Library’s diversity committee.

Enjoy botanicals from the Historical Pharmacy Collection all year long with the 2022 HSHSL Calendar. The calendar includes twelve images from The Botanical Magazine; or Flower-Garden Displayed, founded in 1787 by William Curtis. William Curtis was a botanist and entomologist from Alton, Hampshire, England. The images were illustrated by Syndenham Edwards and James Sowerby. The Botanical Magazine continues today as Curtis’s Botanical Magazine.

The calendar images represent traditional birth month flowers, with a few exceptions when botanical drawings of the flower were unavailable in Curtis’s work. Historically, birth month flowers were chosen for each month according to their hardiness, bloom season, and symbolism. February’s flower, for instance, is the Iris, which can bloom in early spring’s cool temperatures. The Iris is associated with wisdom, hope, trust and valor; and the purple variety (shown above) signifies royalty. The calendar provides information about each month’s flower and describes its traditional medicinal uses.

The HSHSL Historical Collections houses several volumes of The Botanical Magazine in the Pharmacy Historical Collection. These volumes were donated to the Library in 1940 as part of the estate of August Kach, Maryland College of Pharmacy class of 1882. The donation included 700 volumes, many of which are still in the Library today. The Pharmacy Historical Collection contains influential pharmacy and medical texts, as well as dispensatories, pharmacopoeias, botanicals, and herbals from around the world dating from the 17th century.

The calendar features content written and provided by Tara Wink, Historical Collections librarian and archivist, and graphic design by Thom Pinho, lead instructional technology specialist.

We’ll be sharing the calendar digitally in our archive in January 2022, so keep an eye out for announcements in The Elm, and on the HSHSL Updates blog and social media. Our team has already begun sifting through the wealth of images in our Historical Collections, anxious to share more highlights with you in our next edition, 2023, calendar!

During the month of October, the NNLM celebrated both National Medical Librarians Month and Health Literacy month by engaging with network members and promoting a Book Spine Poetry Contest on Twitter.

By marking their submissions #BookSpinePoetry and tagging their NNLM Regional Medical Library, participants entered a contest to win free books from the NNLM Reading Club, a collection of books focused on 21 different health topics. The NNLM received close to 100 entries, which collectively generated more than 205,800 impressions over the entire month!

Visit Twitter and check out all of the wonderful submissions. Thank you to all of the participants, and congratulations to all of the winners!

• Valerie @ West Chester Public Library
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center Library
• Carly @ Boston University Alumni Medical Library
• Shellie @ Wegner Health Sciences Library
• Nicole @ Memorial Healthcare System Library
• Carol @ Western Kentucky University Library
• Brandi @ Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives
• Carolyn @ Shady Springs Branch Library
• Andrea @ Talbot Research Library and Media Services
• Mara @ Wilkes County Library

Priscilla Anderson, MS, retired in October 2021 after 45 years at the HSHSL. Priscilla was part of the bedrock of Information Services, and she will be sorely missed. She kept the HSHSL safe and secure, provided expert assistance to our users, and gave her valuable perspective on the workings of the Library, especially after everyone else went home for the night. Priscilla plans to travel and spend time with her family. Before retiring, Priscilla earned a master’s degree in human resources management from the University of Maryland Global Campus in May 2021.

Meg Del Baglivo, MLS, is retiring December 31, 2021, after more than 22 years of service at the HSHSL. She began her career at the HSHSL working on the reference desk in Reference and Information Management Services (RIMS) department. Since then, she has been a serials cataloger, interim head of acquisitions, and most recently an extraordinary metadata librarian. During her years at the HSHSL, she has contributed to many of the Library’s milestone accomplishments, including the transition from print to electronic journals and the advent of the link resolver, the development of both the UMB Digital Archive and the UMB Data Catalog, and the creation of a citizen science edX course, to name but a few.  Over the years, she has served on numerous committees in the HSHSL and in the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI). We have always appreciated her good humor and characteristic laugh, her honest concern and willingness to help whoever needs it, and her incredible productivity. And we know that Meg will be greatly missed!

Jessie Bauer joined the Resources Division as a digital content specialist, focusing on SFX, database and journal usage, and submissions to the Digital Archive. She comes from Southern Maryland, where she spent two years working in a public library, and is about to start working on her MLIS at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Ivan Freedman is a library services specialist. He comes to us from the Jessup Correctional Institute and the Carroll County Public Library, where he served as a library associate. Previously, he served 14 years as a library associate at the Anne Arundel County Public Library.

Laura Youngborg joined the Resource Sharing department in October. She comes to us from George Mason University, where she worked within the Interlibrary Loan Department as the lending coordinator. Prior to that, she worked at Bowdoin College at the Information Service Desk. At HSHSL, she is responsible for interlibrary loan services.

Publications & Presentations & Posters

Emily Gorman, MLIS, wrote “Increasing student engagement using an Amazing Race-style competition,” which was published in the Journal of the Medical Library Association, 109(3), 478-482. 2021. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2021.1178

Patricia Hinegardner, MLS, and Na Lin, MLS, gave a lightening talk, “Building a Unique Collection through Collaboration: International Employee Assistance Archive,” at the Medical Institutional Repositories in Libraries (MIRL) Symposium, November 17, 2021.

Emilie Ludeman, MSLIS, and Yunting Fu, MLS, presented the poster “Reimagining Librarian Consultation Workload” at MAC/MLA in October 2021

Alexa Mayo, MLIS, AHIP, and Katherine Downton, MSLIS, presented “Gearing Up for Discovery: Designing a Citizen Science MOOC” at the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association’s (MAC/MLA) in October 2021.

Brian Zellip, MSLIS, MA, Kirsten Burcat, Jean-Paul Courneya, MS, and Amy Yarnell, MLS, gave a lightning talk, “Building Capacity to Provide In-Demand Data Analysis Skills,” at MAC/MLA in October 2021.

Service

Katherine Downton, MSLIS, was elected as chair of the MAC/MLA Professional Development Committee in October 2021.

Andrea Shipper, MSLIS, was elected to the board of MAC/MLA as treasurer at the annual conference in October 2021.