I am pleased to welcome new and returning faces to the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL) for the Fall 2025 semester. I am excited to continue our record of excellence and success into the fall with new programs and projects that will benefit our library users.

One of the ongoing projects I am happy to provide updates on is the HSHSL restroom renovation work. This project continues, with only the Second and Third Floors remaining. The completed renovations have been well received: we have already heard directly from students and employees how happy they are with the new look. We hope to recognize the excellent work of our facilities team with a ribbon cutting event before the end of the year. Look for forthcoming announcements about this event.

You will also see new signage around the Library this fall. From print to digital signs, the HSHSL is hoping to communicate news and events with users in new and innovative ways. As part of the restroom update, the “HSHSL on the Go” newsletter was also reformatted. The new, larger format “HSHSL on the Go” will allow the HSHSL Communications Team to provide more information about events, and even the opportunity for some guest columns in the future. The HSHSL Communications Team is still working to find the best way to attach the new “HSHSL on the Go” holders to the restroom stalls. You may see them fall from time to time as we work to find the best adhesive. The digital screens near the elevators are also now working. You will see directional information on these screens as well as messages about specific events, services, resources, and programs at the HSHSL. New double-sided signs were also deployed around the Library over the summer. We will use these signs to promote HSHSL services, resources, and events, and to provide updates about noise alerts or construction, as needed.

After a successful inaugural year, I am excited to once again welcome students to our HSHSL Student Advisory Board (SAB). I look forward to meeting with the group later this fall and to hearing from them directly over the course of the year. Two big areas we hope the SAB will provide direct feedback on this year include space planning on the HSHSL First Floor and the value of resource access.

I continue to work with the teams at the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), Region 1 and Network Web Service Office (NWSO) to make informed decisions to ensure the continuity of services considering changes at the federal level. We are able to offer funding for projects and continue with engaging training sessions on vital health resources during Year 5 of the cooperative agreement (May 1, 2025 – Apr. 30, 2026). I continue to monitor the situation with NLM funding and look forward to hearing directly from Network members this year at the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association (MAC/MLA) meeting in Baltimore, where Region 1 will be exhibiting.

After just over a year and a half with the HSHSL, I continue to meet regularly with the staff and faculty librarians. With the support of the HSHSL Social Committee, we hosted a Summer Fest indoor carnival for all HSHSL employees. After updates were provided employees enjoyed teambuilding exercises and some fun and games to send off the summer. It was great to see so many people connecting and enjoying their time. Embracing the carnival theme, HSHSL Leadership team even posed for a group photo with our skeleton friend.

A tradition carried forward from last year was the HSHSL employee night at the Orioles game. This year, we were happy to include Kristina Alayan, Associate Dean for Law and Technology at the Thurgood Marshall Law Library, with our group. Kristina and I continue to look for ways for our two libraries to engage with one another in both professional and social ways. While the O’s didn’t win the game, it was a nice night out and HSHSL employees and their guests enjoyed the game and time catching up. Some of us were even lucky enough to arrive early to receive a free cowboy hat at the gate!

Over the fall and winter, UMB will embark on the strategic planning process, which this year will be heavily informed by resiliency planning. At the recent UMB Leadership retreat, I participated in brainstorming sessions about what the current environments in higher education, healthcare, and federal and state budgets mean for the future of UMB and the HSHSL. While there is a lot that we still must do to prepare for the uncertain future, I feel that UMB and the HSHSL have the potential to embrace this uncertainty and demonstrate resilience and innovation in the times to come. I look forward to meeting with HSHSL employees and library users to better understand how the HSHSL can support UMB’s research, education, and community engagement efforts in new ways. This valuable feedback will inform the HSHSL strategic plan.

Finally, I would like to thank all our readers for their continued support. I have been working closely with UMB to ensure that the HSHSL is represented in the upcoming development campaign. I believe we have the capacity to better engage with university alumni, community members, and others to develop exciting opportunities that will inspire potential donors. With the support of senior program specialist Anna-Marie Epps, I have been meeting regularly with UMB development officers to chart a strategic path forward for the Library’s development and fundraising efforts.

Need help with research, library resources, or data? Stop by the Weise Gallery on the Library’s First Floor for a chance to Meet Your Librarians!

Come learn how your school’s liaison and data librarians can support your success. Whether it’s finding information for papers and projects, navigating the HSHSL website, or exploring data resources, your librarians are here to help you.

Say hello, enjoy a treat, and discover how we can make your academic life easier.

Event Details

• Thursday, Sept. 25
• Noon to 2 p.m.
• HSHSL Weise Gallery

 

With the fall semester now underway, the HSHSL would like to share some tips to help you get the most out of your time at UMB!

• Need to study with a group, or just want to have a space to shut out distractions? You can reserve certain study rooms throughout the second and third floors. No reservations needed for the rest of the library study spaces!
• Want a fast and easy way to access the full text of articles through the Library? Add the LibKey Nomad extension to your browser. Select University of Maryland, Baltimore as your organization, and then you are good to go!
• Need help? Our Information Services staff are here for you! Visit in person at the desk on the first floor, call 410-706-7995, or use the online chat to get assistance with searching databases, locating items, scanning documents, and more. Go to the Ask Us! page to use the online chat or view answers to frequently asked questions. For more in-depth research help, you can schedule a consultation with a librarian.
• Need to print something? Printers are available on Floors 1 through 5. Instructions are available on our public computing and printing page.
• Forgot your charger and your electronic device is about to die? Our charging station, located on Floor 1 near the restrooms, contains cords compatible with various devices. You can also check out USB-to-lightning or USB-to-USBC charging cables at the Information Services desk.
• The HSHSL strives to be an inclusive and welcoming environment! Our Accessibility Resources page describes our physical space, how to get here, available equipment and software, and more. A Faith and Religious Practice Space is also available on the third floor near the elevators.

 

The HSHSL is pleased to announce that all UMB schools now have access to Academic Video Online (AVON), the largest academic streaming video collection available to libraries. This new resource is provided through the University of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) consortium of libraries.

About Academic Video Online
AVON is hosted on the Alexander Street platform and includes more than 85,000 streaming titles across a broad range of subjects. The collection features documentaries, interviews, feature films, performances, news programs and newsreels, tutorials, and demonstrations curated for educational use.

Key Features

• Extensive subject coverage, including Nursing, Counseling and Therapy, Health Policy, Rehabilitation Therapy, Science, and more
• On-demand streaming, available any time, on or off campus
• Access for all UMB students, faculty, and staff
• Options to create playlists and embed them in your LMS
• Integrated assessment and teaching tools within videos
• A detailed library guide with tips for using all features

How to Access
You can find Academic Video Online under Databases on the HSHSL website.

On Aug. 5, EBSCO rolled out a redesigned interface for its databases, including CINAHL, PsycInfo, SocINDEX, and others.

The update features a cleaner design, easier navigation, and new tools that make searching more intuitive. Highlights include personalized dashboards and improved options for saving and refining search results.

If you haven’t tried the new interface yet, view the Introduction to the New EBSCOhost Tutorial video from EBSCO.

2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the HSHSL Calendar! To match that milestone, this year’s theme, Botanical Marvels, features some of the most impressive images from Historical Collections Pharmacy Historical Collection. This year’s calendar is stunning, with vibrant colors and showstopping botanicals that will add interest to your wall all year long.

The botanicals featured in the calendar include images from William Curtis’ The Botanical Magazine, William Woodville’s Medical Botany, and Franz Kohler’s Kohler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen. These botanicals, among others, are part of the Pharmacy Historical Collection, which also includes pharmacopoeias, dispensatories, and herbals. The volumes in the collection date from the 17th century.

The calendar was designed by Thom Pinho, lead instructional technology specialist, while the content was written and provided by Tara Wink, Historical Collections librarian and archivist. The calendar will be available for sale starting in October. Please keep an eye on HSHSL Updates, the Library’s blog, for additional information.

September is National Preparedness Month, a time to focus on preparing for emergencies and disasters. The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) invites you to our Disaster Preparedness Forum, a series designed to cover topics related to preparedness, response, and recovery for libraries and community organizations. Visit the NNLM Disaster Preparedness Forum 2025 page to register for any or all of the sessions.

Forum Schedule and Session Highlights

Sept. 10: Disaster Planning. Realities of Response and Recovery (Panel Discussion)
This panel discussion brings together librarians from a variety of settings—public and academic to share candid stories from the front lines of disaster response and recovery.

Sept. 11: Strengthening Our Foundation: Preparedness, Community, Resilience, and the Future of Libraries
This session distills nearly a decade of research on disaster preparedness and community resilience, sharing lessons from disaster-affected public libraries to help you strengthen your own emergency readiness.

Sept. 12: Informal Weather Education Outreach
This webinar explores best practices in informal weather education outreach and shares successful examples from the Extreme Events Institute (EEI) and International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida.

Sept. 19: Preparing Your Library for Weather Emergencies
This session will equip participants with practical strategies to prepare their library or worksite for environmental disasters.

Sept. 23: Providing a S.H.I.E.L.D. When Disaster Strikes: Librarians and Healthcare Providers Collaborate
Presenters from the library team at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in North Carolina will describe how, post-Hurricane Helene, they collaborated with healthcare providers and stakeholders to create portable disaster kits.

Sept. 25: Communicating Across the Gap: Strategies for Disaster Preparedness and Public Trust
This session introduces practical communication strategies for public-facing professionals involved in disaster preparedness and response.

Dr. William J. Kinnard Jr., PhD, former dean and professor of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, passed away in February 2023. Dr. Kinnard was a great advocate for the Library. Beginning in 2007, he and his wife Dolores donated funds annually to establish and support a leisure reading collection at the HSHSL. Now the Kinnards are continuing their support with a generous gift from the Kinnard Trust to fulfill the pledge to the William and Dolores Kinnard Leisure Reading Endowment. This generous gift has effectively doubled the available funds, making enhancements to the collection possible. Visit the Giving to the HSHSL page to learn more about how your gifts can make an impact at the HSHSL.

The collection currently consists of a variety of popular magazines and a small collection of recent best-selling fiction and nonfiction books. Library faculty and staff are currently exploring options for improving the collection, including increasing the number of books available. If you have suggestions on improving the Kinnard Leisure Reading Collection, please let us know. Final decisions will be made in consultation with the HSHSL Student Advisory Board.

Sept. 2 – Nov. 30, 2025

Regular Semester Hours

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

Exceptions to Regular Hours

	Wednesday	Nov. 26, 2025	6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Thanksgiving Holiday	Thursday – Friday	Nov. 27 – 28, 2025	CLOSED

Sept. 15 – Nov. 7, 2025
HSHSL, Weise Gallery, First Floor

Perennial celebrates the breadth and talent of select artists from the Goxxip Girl Collective. Bringing together work that explores rebirth and resilience, Perennial converges on themes of repetition. The natural world cycles through pattern, color, seasonality, or narrative. Similar to perennial plants that return each year, artists return to their practices through repetition, adaptation, and exploration to create.

The Goxxip Girl Collective is a collaborative initiative founded by a group of artists from Maryland. Our vision is to create an inclusive space that celebrates the distinct talents of every member. We’re dedicated to crafting a platform that nurtures creativity, sparks inspiration, and promotes collective progress. Through meaningful programming, greater accessibility, and a supportive community, we strive to bring about positive change within Baltimore.

In addition to their regular duties, HSHSL librarians are highly involved in the profession. A prime example is their involvement in an upcoming regional medical librarianship conference. The 2025 annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association (MAC-MLA) is being held in Baltimore from Oct. 19-21 at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel. One of the HSHSL’s research and education librarians, Emily Gorman, is co-chairing the Annual Meeting Committee along with a librarian from the Welch Medical Library at Johns Hopkins. A number of other librarians have been involved in planning efforts as well. Thom Pinho, instructional technology specialist, designed a playful logo based on the conference theme, “Spice Up the Library: Thinking Outside the Box.” Amy Yarnell, head of Data & Bioinformation Services, and Shanell Stephens and Mary Ann Williams, both Research and Education librarians, are serving on subcommittees of the Annual Meeting Committee that have assisted with registration and highlighted local food spots and attractions.

In addition to the planning efforts, the HSHSL will be well-represented in the conference’s programming. Our librarians will be presenting papers, posters, and lightning talks, as well as participating in a pre-conference panel session. Faith Steele, executive director for the Region 1 Office of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM), will be presenting an update on NNLM activities and initiatives. Although the NNLM Region 1 office is based at the HSHSL, it also serves other states within the MAC-MLA region.

We are incredibly proud of all the work our librarians are doing to help make this upcoming conference a success!

Presentations & Posters

Christine Nieman Hislop, MSLIS, data services librarian, presented “Bridging Cross-Regional Data Instruction Needs: Collaborative Approaches to Data Services Education” and the poster “IASSIST at 50: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going” at the IASSIST 2025 conference held in Bristol, England, in June.

Retirement

Patty Hinegardner retired from the HSHSL in April, concluding a distinguished career that began in December 1981 at what was then the Health Sciences Library. She started as a reference librarian and went on to hold a wide range of roles, including coordinator of interlibrary loan borrowing, liaison librarian to the School of Nursing, coordinator of Mediated Search Services, web services librarian, Maryland Health → Go Local manager, and interim associate director of  Computing and Technology Services (CATS). In 2010, she was appointed associate director for Resources.

Throughout her tenure, Patty offered expert guidance to colleagues across the Library and UMB. An innovative thinker and dedicated librarian, she witnessed, and helped shape, decades of transformation in library services, from card catalogs and CD-based databases to the rise of the internet and digital resource access. She was instrumental in launching the UMB Digital Archive in 2011 and consistently championed new technologies and services to meet evolving user needs.

Her legacy is reflected in the systems she helped build, the services she improved, and the professionals she inspired. The impact of her work will continue to be felt across the Library for years to come. The HSHSL is currently engaged in a national search for the next assistant dean for Resource Development and Access. An announcement will be shared once the appointment is finalized.

In January 1941, Clark Gable, the popular Academy Award winning actor best known for his role as Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind, underwent tooth extraction surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. His surgeon was Dr. B. [Bernard] Lucien Brun, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Class (BCDS) of 1905. The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery merged with the University of Maryland’s Dental Department in 1924, resulting in today’s School of Dentistry.

Gable and his wife, fellow actor Carole Lombard, had come to Baltimore for medical checkups at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where they occupied adjoining rooms during their stay. Dr. Brun and his colleague, Dr. Louis Hamman, believed Gable’s tooth had an infected root that was contributing to ongoing shoulder pain. Hammon and Brun believed the decayed root sent an infection through Gable’s system, aggravating an old shoulder injury and causing additional pain. The injury was sustained during the filming of San Francisco in 1936 when a prop wall collapsed on Gable.

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Brun performed Gable’s surgery under local anesthesia; it took 1.5 hours, after which the root of the tooth and a piece of the jaw were removed. In an interview with the Washington Post after the surgery, Gable denied losing the tooth claiming, “I had a minor operation—but the docs didn’t take a tooth.” Gable was not lying; the tooth had been removed on a previous dental visit. In the same interview, Gable claimed he felt “rotten” after the surgery, which unfortunately did not resolve his ongoing shoulder pain as the doctors had hoped.

Following their stay at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Gable and Lombard visited the children’s hospital and after leaving Baltimore sent the patients in that hospital a package containing 68 pounds of chocolate with a note, “For the children, from Carole and Clark.” The couple completed their stay in Maryland with visits to the Naval Academy and to the Maryland State House in Annapolis, as guests of Governor and Mrs. Herbert R. O’Conor.

The tooth extraction was one of many dental procedures Gable had undergone. A 1937 article in The Hartford Courant claimed Gable had weekly dental visits. In August 1942, The Washington Post reported that Gable had to once again have his teeth repaired before joining the US Army as an Army Air Force candidate.

Dr. B. Lucien Brun was born Apr. 11, 1884, in Baltimore. He attended the BCDS, where he was known for his artistic talents, having his work heavily featured in the college’s yearbook, The Mirror. After graduation in 1905, he opened a practice in the city and taught at his alma mater. After some time, Brun began postgraduate courses at St. Mary’s Hospital and Trinity Hospital in Milwaukee and German Hospital in New York, focusing on oral diagnosis, exodontia, and oral surgery. In 1911, Brun returned to Baltimore and in 1912 joined the dental department at Johns Hopkins Hospital as head of the Division of Oral Surgery. Brun remained at the hospital until his retirement as chief of the Dental Department in 1950.

Dr. Brun was commissioned into the US Army in May 1917 as first lieutenant. He arrived in France as a member of the Johns Hopkins Base Hospital, Unit 18. During the war he oversaw 34,000 beds at the hospital and earned the rank of major. When he returned in 1919, he continued his work at Johns Hopkins and in his role as professor of oral surgery at BCDS. He again served in the military during World War II and was awarded the Congressional Selective Service Medal (1946).

Continue Reading

 

Graduation season is upon us; congratulations to all the graduating students! As you go on to your next chapter, I hope you will find success and remember that you can always find support from your librarians. No matter where you go, find your hospital library, university library, or even your local public library to see if the people there can help you find the information you need for wherever life takes you next!

As we conclude another active season at the Library, I am once again amazed by all the projects, events, and activities we have hosted in our space in just the last three months. The Library provided two food-focused events to support students in finals: a pretzel day and healthy fruit snacks for breakfast. The therapy dogs continue to be popular, and we hope to have them back each month in the next semester. In addition, the HSHSL participated with URecFit and Wellness and the Student Government Association to host Breakfast for Dinner, a Stressbusters event in the Weise Gallery. Students left some of their favorite memories about their time using the Library, which was great to see. We also have up a fun photo wall for graduating students in the gallery space.

As we say goodbye to many graduating students, this is also a chance for new and returning students to make their mark on the HSHSL. We will begin recruiting students for our HSHSL Student Advisory Board in a few months, and we look forward to working with these students to implement changes in the Library in the years ahead.

Speaking of changes to the Library, the lower-level and first-floor restrooms have been fully renovated as part of the ongoing project. Work has now moved to the fifth floor ahead of schedule to address urgent repair needs. The project remains on track for completion this fall. Coming soon: the long-anticipated addition of electrical power access on the third floor to increase flexible workspace options. Some minor changes are also taking place in the Dean’s Suite, allowing for more natural lighting, expansion of spaces, and the building of an additional office.

As we await our final UMB budget for FY26, I continue to work with Faith Steel, James Stephens, and the UMB Sponsored Programs and Awards Office to respond to requests from the National Institutes of Health related to the funding for the Network of the National Library of Medicine.

Lastly, I am pleased to share that we were able to have a number of faculty librarians and even one staff member take part in the Medical Library Association (MLA) professional conference in Pittsburgh at the end of April. We had six people presenting content and several people participating in the meeting for the first time. This was my last year to serve on the MLA Board of Directors, a three-year appointment that officially ends later this month, but I was recognized during the board meeting at MLA. I look forward to continuing to find ways to engage our staff and faculty librarians in professional development opportunities as we strengthen our ability to support our growing and changing community.

 

The HSHSL sends its heartfelt congratulations to the graduating class of 2025! As you prepare to take on new challenges, we want to remind you of the support and resources available to you beyond graduation.

• Paid journals and databases: Alumni can access HSHSL’s electronic resources off campus for 4 months after graduation. After that time, alumni are still welcome to visit the Library to use the resources onsite.
• Free journals and databases: Once your electronic access expires, you will still have access to public databases for literature, drug information, and more. We have compiled a selection of these resources on our Open Access Resources for Health Sciences Research and Practice guide. Additionally, be sure to investigate what resources you have through your new workplace and any professional organizations of which you are a member.

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

May 22 – Aug. 17, 2025

Regular Semester Hours

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

Exceptions to Regular Hours

Memorial Day Weekend	May 24 – 26	Closed
Juneteenth	June 19	Closed
Independence Day Weekend	July 4 – 6	Closed

The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 1 is now accepting applications for awards of up to $10,000 to support projects that advance health information outreach, build data skills and capacity, and improve access to health information through technology.

This funding is designed to assist libraries, community-based organizations, and other organizations in creating impactful, community-centered initiatives that promote access to accurate and trusted health information.

Learn more about our funding opportunities: NNLM Region 1 Awards
Need guidance? Schedule a consultation to talk through your project ideas.

Did you know that nearly two-thirds of UMB publications in the last five years have been Open Access? Open Access (OA) literature is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. By removing paywalls, OA publications can reach a broader audience, expanding access to knowledge and the reach of scholarship.

You can now explore UMB Open Access trends on the HSHSL’s new interactive dashboard! Use the dashboard to gain insight into the last five years of publication data, including number of OA publications, top publishers and journals, and citation rates for OA versus non-OA articles. Visualizations are filterable by school, OA model, or year. The dashboard even includes a look-up tool to view OA publications by individual UMB authors or departments. Questions and feedback welcome at publishing@hshsl.umaryland.edu.

Modernizing Public Computers


This summer, we’ll be replacing all publicly available computers—known as the "Commons computers." Most are located on the first floor, with a few on each of the other floors. These machines have been due for replacement for about two years, so we’re excited to update them at last. We’re also exploring ways to improve accessibility by adding more inclusive technology to some of the Commons computers. You can find information about our public computing here.

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Smarter Space Booking


Another new feature arriving soon: reservation confirmation screens outside all reservable spaces, including study rooms, meeting rooms, and classrooms. These displays will show details for the current and upcoming reservations, and will include a QR code for easy booking. For information about our study rooms, click here.

While preparing for a dental mission to Ecuador with Kindness in Action, a Canadian nonprofit organization that provides dental care in underserved countries, dental hygienist Linda Zeggil searched for Spanish-language children’s dental health books. Her goal was to find an engaging resource to help educate the children they would be serving.

During her search, Linda discovered the Children’s Dental Health Books subject guide, developed by an interprofessional team that includes Mary Ann Williams, a librarian at the HSHSL. The guide features Oral Health Books for Children, a curated booklist of recommended titles, some with bilingual options.

Zeggil reached out to Williams to inquire about Brush, Floss and Rinse, a book listed in the guide with a Spanish translation. Although the translated version was no longer available for purchase, Zeggil obtained the English edition, and Williams provided the Spanish translation from the Library’s bilingual copy.

After the mission, Zeggil wrote, “The book became a valuable teaching tool during the mission. We had an amazing trip. The storybook was well received, and I actually had the children read with me! Thank you again and again for the generosity of your time and caring.”

Thanks to this collaboration, a simple storybook became a bridge between languages and cultures, underscoring the role of books in promoting children’s health.

We are pleased to congratulate Anna-Marie Epps, MS, on the continued recognition of her creative work. Her “Poem #27,” originally published in the fourth issue of 1807, UMB’s arts and literary journal, was selected for display in the Pearl Gallery North, part of the campus’s outdoor art exhibition spaces.

This honor highlights Anna-Marie’s talent and her contribution to the rich artistic community on campus.

 

Physical therapy students can now practice clinical skills using Hi-Lo treatment tables at the HSHSL. Thanks to a partnership between the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science (UMSOM PTRS) and the HSHSL, three Hi-Lo tables are available for student use. The tables are located on the first and second floors overlooking Greene Street, as well as in the second-floor tower.

No reservations are needed. Stop by the HSHSL to sharpen your examination and treatment skills.

Commencement. A time for reflection, a time for celebration, and a time for traditions.  As we celebrate the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) graduating class of 2025, let’s take a look at the history of commencement at the school.

According to Nathaniel Potter’s Account of the Rise and Progress of the University of Maryland (1838), the first commencement was held in April 1810; at the time, the school was known as the College of Medicine of Maryland. Unfortunately, Potter’s volume does not include details about when or where the ceremony occurred, nor does it list the school’s first five graduates. Sadly, Historical Collections has no records of this commencement and a search for newspaper coverage did not turn up any additional details about the graduates or the ceremony. The following year, the graduates doubled in number but again the student’s names, with the exception of Charles Ross Mace, and details of the event are lost to history. 

In 1812, the school was renamed and given a new charter as the University of Maryland; that charter established a school of law, school of arts and sciences (letters), and school of divinity, but these other branches developed slowly. In 1812 five students—Corbin Amos, Henry Curtis, Thomas D. Jones, John O’Connor, and Charles L. Snyder—graduated from School of Medicine (SOM) and the school’s first building, today’s Davidge Hall, opened. The early SOM commencements occurred in Chemical and Anatomical Halls in the SOM building. The first commencement of the School of Law (SOL) occurred in 1871 at the United States District Court in Baltimore. The School of Dentistry (SOD) and School of Pharmacy (SOP) first formed as departments in the SOM in 1882. The SOD held its first commencement in 1883. The School of Nursing (SON) was first established as the University Hospital Training School for Nurses in 1889; it held its first commencement in 1892.

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As classes got bigger, the schools’ commencements were moved from the campus buildings and held in larger venues across Baltimore, including Ford’s Opera House, Harris’ Academy of Music, the Lyceum Theatre, and the Lyric. Commencement ceremonies occurred during some of the hardest times in the country’s history: the American Civil War, both World Wars, the 1918 flu pandemic, and the Great Depression. Until the early twentieth century, the various schools and departments of the University of Maryland held separate commencement ceremonies.

A key part of the Centennial Celebration (1907) of the University of Maryland was the first joint commencement. The ceremony occurred on May 31, 1907 at the Lyric Theater and included the four professional schools at Baltimore—dentistry, law, medicine, and pharmacy—and St. John’s College—the newly agreed upon arts and sciences arm of the university. The Schools of Social Work (1961) and the Graduate School (1918) were yet to be established. During the 4-hour ceremony, 236 men and one woman graduated and over 4000 people, including representatives from influential colleges and universities from around the world as well as national, state, and city officials attended.

A tradition of early commencement exercises was the last handshake between graduates and faculty. It was a show of respect and equality marking the end of the graduate’s time as students and the beginning of their time as professionals. The 1907 Terra Mariae yearbook noted its importance in the SOM class of 1907 history with the following: “We are drawn together now as we have never been before, probably never again, and the last handshake has a new thrill in it.”

A May 31, 1907, Sun article also reflected on the impact of the last handshake tradition on the 600 alumni in attendance at the Centennial events: “the campus was crowded. There the first handshake, which is one of the pleasures that the old graduates value more perhaps than all the other ceremonies of the reunion, occurred. The bright warm sun made it seem just like the day years ago—few or many, according to the color of the whiskers of the handshakers—when they took their last grip before rushing off to see what kind of a living they could make with their degree.”

In 1920, the University of Maryland (Baltimore) merged with the Maryland College of Agriculture (University of Maryland, College Park); for the first years of that merger, the Baltimore schools continued to hold ceremonies in the city. However, from 1932 to 1969 joint commencement ceremonies occurred at Ritchie Coliseum on the College Park campus. Transportation, usually via bus, for students and faculty of the Baltimore schools was provided via ticket. On June 5, 1970, the Baltimore campus’s commencement ceremony returned to the city. The ceremony, held at Baltimore’s Civic Center, awarded degrees to the 741 graduates across the seven professional schools.

From 1970 to 2019, UMB held in-person, joint ceremonies for the school. The COVID-19 pandemic’s arrival in 2020 marked the first time in over two centuries that the school did not hold an in-person commencement ceremony; instead, UMB held a virtual ceremony with addresses from the school’s president, Bruce Jarrell, MD, FACS; University System of Maryland chancellor, Jay Perman, MD; and Maryland governor, Larry Hogan. Commencement 2022 marked a return to the traditional in-person ceremony, which continues today.

The Historical Collections department in the HSHSL contains records of commencements beginning in 1855. Most of the materials are available online in the UMB Digital Archive. Additionally, the department maintains an Alumni Database with graduates from six of the seven UMB schools, as well as graduates of historic Baltimore schools associated with UMB.

Congrats to the class of 2025!

Continue Reading

 

Papers, Posters, & Presentations

 

DeAnn Brame, MLS, MBA, co-presented a paper, “Now Boarding: An Exploration of Onboarding Experiences in Libraries,” at the ACRL 2025. Brame was also a panelist for the “Succession Planning: Building Leadership for a Resilient Future!” discussion at the Medical Library Association’s 2025 conference (MLA 2025).

Jordan Heustis and Nicole Shelawala, M.Eng., MLIS, presented the paper “Disability and Neurodiversity in Library and Information Science Research: A Scoping Review” at MLA 2025. Gail Betz, MSLIS, was a co-author.

Emilie Ludeman, MSLIS, Emily Gorman, MLIS, Shelawala, and Yunting Fu, MLS, presented a poster, “What’s in a Name? Rebranding a Successful Systematic Review Service,” at MLA 2025.

Sarah Weirich, MLIS, presented the poster “A Bumpy Ride to a Transformed Digital Archive: Navigating a Lengthy Repository Upgrade Journey” at the 2025 MLA|DLA Annual Conference: The Beach Edition.

Amy Yarnell, MLS, Shelawala and Gorman presented a paper at MLA 2025, “From Data to Decisions: Visualizing Open Access Publishing Trends to Inform Institutional Strategy.”

Spring is here — and with that comes beautiful flowers, budget presentations, and the Middle States accreditation site visit. I hope that those of you who are able to visit the HSHSL this month will take the opportunity to view the new exhibit on display in the Weise Gallery through May 31, 2025: “Groundbreaking: Spring Botanicals.” The library gallery is one of my favorite spots, and I hope you will enjoy this exhibit and others planned for the future.

I am pleased to share that renovation work continues on the building restrooms. The first two of 12 restrooms will soon be completed on the Lower Level. Renovations include updated stalls and two freestanding sinks in each restroom. While the original trough sinks were innovative in 1998, they continue to experience issues.

Much of my time has recently been set aside to prepare the HSHSL budget for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). I will present our budget to university leadership in early April. Due to the state budget deficit, all University System of Maryland (USM) institutions face budget reductions. I have worked with the HSHSL leadership team to discuss how these budget cuts will impact HSHSL services, collections, and staffing. While we anticipate a very lean FY2026, I am optimistic of strengthening relationships with University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) schools and units, as well as with the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Intuitions (USMAI) consortium, of which HSHSL and the Thurgood Marshall Law Library are active members, to support our funding needs. We are also working closely with UMB development to establish new fundraising opportunities for the HSHSL.

We are actively monitoring the changes at the federal level regarding projects at the HSHSL funded by the National Library of Medicine (NLM). I meet regularly with our contacts at the NLM to discuss these changes. Our HSHSL employees who work on these grant funded projects continue to support the NLM’s mission, providing access to information, funding opportunities, and training support for their network members though the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM), Region 1 and the NNLM Web Services Office.

I am grateful for all of the support as I continue to learn and navigate our changing environments. It has been just over one year since I joined the UMB team, and I look forward to finding new and innovative ways to serve the UMB and Maryland communities, and to position the HSHSL as a flagship health sciences and human services library in the region and beyond.

As of Jan. 1, the HSHSL has negotiated two new agreements that will facilitate open access (OA) publishing at UMB. Known as “Read and Publish Agreements,” these contracts provide UMB authors with the opportunity to make their articles OA in certain journals without paying the article processing fee (APC) that would typically be charged. Our agreements are with Elsevier and Wiley, two large academic publishers.

When a UMB affiliate is the corresponding author for a paper that is accepted by an eligible journal, they will see the option to select this free OA publishing format when completing their copyright and licensing agreements in the journal publisher’s portal. If this option does not appear, the journal is either not eligible for the agreement or we have used our allotment of free publishing credits for that calendar year.

More information about these agreements as well as other publishing guidance is available on our Open Access guide. Contact Steve Douglas with any questions related to the OA agreements. For general publishing questions and guidance, contact publishing@hshsl.umaryland.edu.

March 10-May 31, 2025

The "Groundbreaking: Spring Botanicals" exhibit features illustrations by 18th-century botanists William Woodville and William Curtis from the HSHSL’s Pharmacy Historical Collection. The botanical illustrations were digitally enhanced and enlarged to highlight intricate details and vivid colors.

The images featured in the exhibit come from historical texts that were donated to the HSHSL collections in 1940 from the estate of August Kach, a graduate of the Maryland College of Pharmacy, class of 1882. His donation included 700 volumes, many of which remain in the HSHSL. The HSHSL’s Pharmacy Historical Collection contains influential pharmacy and medical texts dating back to the 17th century.

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William Woodville, an English physician and botanist, published "Medical Botany: Containing Systematic and General Descriptions, With Plates of All the Medicinal Plants, Indigenous and Exotic, Comprehended in the Catalogues of the Materia Medica, as Published by the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London and Edinburgh," from 1790 to 1794. This four-volume work, illustrated by James Sowerby, served as an important resource for early physicians. The HSHSL holds a two-volume set.

William Curtis, a botanist and entomologist from Alton, Hampshire, England, founded The Botanical Magazine; or, Flower-Garden Displayed in February 1787. The early magazine featured illustrations by Sydenham Edwards and James Sowerby, and continues publication today as Curtis’s Botanical Magazine.

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We’re pleased to share that long-awaited restroom renovations are happening at the HSHSL. These updates will bring new sinks, stalls, mirrors, and fresh paint to each restroom, enhancing comfort and accessibility for all.

What to Expect

• Restrooms on each floor will be temporarily closed during renovations.
• Restrooms on other floors will remain open—please use an alternative floor as needed.
• Some construction noise is expected. Complimentary earplugs are available at the Information Services Desk.

We appreciate your patience as we make these much-needed improvements. Signage and updates will be posted throughout the process. If you have questions, contact us at hshsl@umaryland.edu or 410-706-7995.

Thank you for your support—we can’t wait for you to see the refreshed spaces!

Attention: UMB faculty, instructors, and clinical skills mentors!

• Are you interested in helping your students understand how health literacy practices can improve patient comprehension and health outcomes?
• Would you like to deepen your own understanding of health literacy?
• Are you looking for ways to integrate health literacy into your existing coursework?
  

The newly released online course “Learning and Teaching Health Literacy from an Interprofessional Education and Equity Lens” is designed with you in mind.

This course includes a welcome module and four training modules. Completing the full series and earning a digital certificate takes just 2.5 hours.

To access the course, visit the HSHSL’s Health Literacy Resources subject guide.

Questions? Please email: healthliteracy@umaryland.edu

We appreciate everyone who took the time to share their feedback in our recent library quality survey. We are currently analyzing results and looking at how we can improve the HSHSL. To encourage participation, we pledged to donate $2 per completed survey to the UMB student pantry and held a random drawing for prizes. Thanks to your responses, we are thrilled to donate $610 to support our students!

 Congratulations to our five prize winners: 

• Anne Sawyer, School of Medicine
• Jenna Silverman, Student Counseling Center
• Maclean Panshin, School of Medicine
• Sara Crane, School of Medicine
• Vasumati Eranki, School of Pharmacy 

Thank you again for sharing your feedback to help us improve the HSHSL!

Book It Forward is back! From April 8 through May 19, you’ll find donation containers at the HSHSL and the Campus Center to collect new and gently used children’s books for ages birth through high school.

This year, donated books will support three incredible organizations:

• The Rise Early Learning and Family Support Center – An initiative of the UMSSW Center for Restorative Change that provides free, comprehensive services for children birth to age 3.
• Digital Harbor High School – A technology-focused high school that prepares students for college and careers with industry-level certifications.
• The Maryland Book Bank – A Baltimore nonprofit dedicated to fostering literacy among children in under-resourced communities.

This marks the third year the HSHSL Community Service Committee has hosted Book It Forward, and we’re excited for another successful year—with your help!

Questions about the project? Contact bookdrive@hshsl.umaryland.edu

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is the result of the mergers of several smaller Baltimore colleges and universities. As a result, the histories of those schools are part of UMB’s story. Historical Collections aims to collect and preserve the histories of those constituent schools and to tell their histories alongside UMB’s. Recently, Historical Collections purchased and received through donation a few items relating to the Baltimore Medical College (BMC). These new items shed light on the graduates of that school and its history.

New Baltimore Medical College Items

BMC Football Photograph, ca. 1907

In their academic catalogs, the BMC faculty encouraged students to be active in athletics while earning degrees at the school. According to the BMC entry on the Lost Colleges website, the BMC football team was particularly successful. This photograph, purchased by the HSHSL in January, contains the signature of Dr. Meade E. Hagerty, BMC Class of 1908, on its reverse. Hagerty, from Emlenton, Pa., entered the BMC in 1904 and played left guard for the BMC in 1907.

Howard Martin Kemp, MD, BMC Diploma, 1911

Howard Martin Kemp was born in Colerain, Mass. in 1887. He entered the Baltimore Medical College in 1907 and completed his degree in 1911. Kemp’s diploma, donated by his family in February, is the first BMC diploma to be included in Historical Collections.

BMC Pennant

Unfortunately, little information is known about the BMC pennant purchased by the HSHSL in January. Unlike those appearing in the football photograph, which abbreviate the school as “B.M.C.,” this pennant bears the name “Balto. Medical.” Pennants like this one have appeared in yearbook photographs as well as sports photographs.

The History of the BMC

BMC was founded by Harvey Leonidas Byrd, MD; Benjamin Franklin Leonard, MD, University of Maryland School Of Medicine (UMSOM) 1876; Henry Froehling, MD, College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) 1881; Henry Wheaton Clapp, MD, Leonard Roberts Coates, MD, P&S 1990; William Robert Monroe, MD, UMSOM 1849; and Adolph Gustav Hoen, MD, UMSOM 1873, in 1881 as a Christian medical college. While the curriculum did not contain religious coursework, the faculty and board of directors at the school had to affirm their belief in Christianity.

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In its first year, the college operated out of the YMCA building on the corner of Saratoga and Charles Streets with Dr. William Robert Monroe serving as dean. The curriculum offered the traditional medical and surgical courses of Anatomy, Chemistry, Physiology, Materia Medica and Therapeutics, Principles and Practice of Medicine, Principles and Practice of Surgery (including eye and ear), and Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children, as well as dental coursework including, Operative Dentistry, Dental Histology and Dental Pathology, Mechanical Dentistry and Metallurgy. The course catalog boasted a longer annual session of 7.5 months compared to other medical schools, claiming students could graduate after two courses of instruction, which differed from the three required at other institutions. The cost for attendance was a $5 matriculation fee, $120 for lecture and laboratory tickets for one session, $10 for a dissection ticket, and a $30 graduation fee: all adding up to $165 ($5,138.80 in 2025 dollars) for a year of medical education. In the first year of operation, the BMC graduated seventeen students, including one woman. From 1881 to 1883, BMC was one of few schools in Baltimore that allowed woman students to attend; however, after 1883, women were no longer admitted.

During the 1882-83 academic year the BMC moved to 93 N. Paca Street. That same year, it offered daily clinical instruction at a free dispensary. By 1885, the Maryland General Hospital became part of the school, offering students more clinical instruction and internship opportunities. Soon after its partnership with the BMC, the Maryland General Hospital was given $3750 annually by the state to treat indigent patients free of charge. In 1888, the BMC moved once again to a building on North Howard Street. The Maryland General Hospital Training School for Nurses opened in 1891, offering a three-year training program.

By 1892, the BMC was doing well enough to build a new five-story $75,000 building on the northeast corner of Howard Street and Linden Avenue. The new building included a dispensary with six private exam rooms and separate drug room, an accident ward, lecture halls, a 500-seat amphitheater, and separate laboratories for histological, pathological, anatomical, and chemical instruction. The college building was connected to the Maryland General Hospital. In addition, in 1892 the American Medical College Association required schools to lengthen the course of instruction to three-years course before graduation. 1895 brought additional changes to the school when it established a separate dental department. A year later, a second college building was under construction at a cost of $60,000. In the fall of 1904, the Baltimore Law School became affiliated with the BMC. The law school moved to 802 N. Howard Street and offered evening lectures so students could work full-time jobs during the day. The law school was a three-year program offering the degree of LL.B and had a yearly cost of $60 with an additional $20 diploma fee at graduation.

All signs point to a thriving medical school; however, in March 1909 Abraham Flexner visited the school and in 1910 he released a scathing report of the BMC in his bulletin titled Medical education in the United States and Canada: a report to the Carnegie Foundation for the advancement of teaching. Flexner called the BMC “one of the weakest of the seven medical schools in Maryland.” He found fault with the school’s low entrance requirements, claiming new students could enter the BMC having less than a four-year high school education. Flexner also asserted that the BMC frequently gave high-level standing (i.e., second- or third-year status) to students that had failed out of other (better) medical schools.

As a result, the BMC made some changes in admission requirements for students. By 1912 students entering the school were required to have a medical student’s certificate, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, as well as a diploma from an accredited high school, normal school, or academy. Unfortunately, the BMC never really recovered from the scathing Flexner report.

In January 1913, a meeting was held to discuss the merger of the BMC with the UMSOM. The following resolutions were adopted, and the BMC, its students and faculty became part of UMSOM:

Resolution 1 – The rights of the BMC in the Maryland General Hospital were transferred to the UMSOM.

Resolution 2 – All lab & teaching equipment in the building on N. Howard Street was turned over to UMSOM. The building itself remained separate from the UMSOM.

Resolution 3 – The faculty members at the BMC were elected full professors at UMSOM and three were elected to Board of Regents.

Resolution 4 – The BMC dental department would continue to operate until June 1914.

Resolution 5 – The titles of faculty of the BMC would remain when transferred to UMSOM.

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Gail Betz, MSLIS, research education and outreach librarian for the School of Social Work, received a JEDI Award from the School of Social Work on March 13, 2025.

Betz was honored with the Judith Heumann Staff Award, which recognizes individuals who advocate for both individual and systemic change. Colleagues and students alike commend her deep commitment to accessibility and disability justice.

She has served on the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and its accessibility advisory group, advised students through the Office of Student Services, and played a key role in implementing universal design training for all faculty.

Her impact extends far beyond these roles, strengthening inclusivity and support across the School of Social Work through numerous initiatives.

Congratulations Gail!

Hiring News

Christine Hilsop, MSLIS, accepted the position of data services librarian in the Research and Information Services Division, Data and Bioinformation Services Department, effective January 2025.

Christine joined the HSHSL in 2022 as the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 1 data education librarian, where she had been an active and collaborative colleague.

We are excited that she is bringing her expertise in data literacy, research data management, and other data-related topics to her new role.

Amy Lubinski, MLIS, digital content specialist, joined the Resource Development and Access Division in January 2025. Amy has been working closely with the UMB Digital Archive, identifying, documenting, and submitting records. She earned her MLIS from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Emilie Ludeman, MSLIS, was named head of Research and Education Services in March 2025, having served in that position on an interim basis since December 2023.

Emilie began her career at the HSHSL in 2008 as a reference technician in the (then) Reference Department. In 2011, she joined the Research, Education, and Outreach Services team as liaison librarian to the School of Nursing and later to the School of Graduate Studies.

She brings deep subject knowledge, creative ideas, and strong leadership skills to this role.

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Promotions and Permanent Status

Emily Gorman, MLIS, research and education librarian to the School of Pharmacy was promoted to Librarian III.

Tara Wink, MLS, historical collections librarian was promoted to Librarian III.

Amy Yarnell, MLS, head, Data and Bioinformation Services, obtained permanent status.

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Presentations

Everly Brown, MLIS, presented “Your Library, Your Resources: HSHSL for Staff” at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Environmental Services Winter Town Hall on Feb. 26, 2025.

Emily Gorman, MLIS, was an invited panelist for the Medical Library Association’s Pharmacy and Drug Information Caucus discussion “Drug Information Tools Demystified: A Panel Discussion With Pharmacy Librarians and Pharmacists” on March 18, 2025.

Emily Hurst, MSLS, and Everly Brown, MLIS, presented “Marketing Approaches: Health Sciences Libraries” at the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries New and Interim Directors Symposium, held virtually on Jan. 23, 2025.

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Recognition

Three outstanding HSHSL employees were honored for their dedicated service to UMB during an employee recognition luncheon March 20 at Westminster Hall. Brad Gerhart, web developer, and Michele Nance, research information specialist, celebrated 25 years at UMB, while Charlene Matthews, library services technician, marked an impressive milestone of 40 years at the university.

 

After just over 10 months on the job, I continue to be amazed by the wonderful people at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and in the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL). During the fall months, I have had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with the student representatives of the newly launched Student Advisory Board. Their enthusiasm and interest in library services, resources, and spaces has inspired me to seek new and better ways to serve our student community. To this end, I recently met with leaders from the Office of Student Affairs, and I have encouraged them to work with the HSHSL to ensure better outcomes for students during the finals period. Part of my vision is to increase student engagement in library spaces. I am pleased that we have partnered with URecFit and Wellness to host some “Stressbuster” events, including a tech-free wellness cafe, therapy dogs onsite during finals, and breakfast for dinner. We will also be hosting a Student Counseling Center tabling event, Feb. 3, 2025, at 4 p.m. in the Weise Gallery.

In this season of thanks and gratitude, I am thankful for the employees of HSHSL. They bring forward new perspectives and ideas through their work, and as Dean I am supportive of opportunities that engage our employees in meaningful ways. At a recent all-employee meeting in November, I was moved as HSHSL staff presented updates about their work — because they not only spoke about their projects but also thanked all the team members who helped to accomplish the work. I am proud to work with a team that values one another’s contributions!

Looking ahead, I know that the HSHSL will continue to advance, and through collaboration we will find more opportunities for engagement with each other, UMB, and the Baltimore community in the new year. I wish everyone a very happy and safe holiday season and new year.

The HSHSL calendar is back for a fourth year. The theme for 2025 — “home grown” — highlights botanicals native to Maryland. Native plants are those that have evolved naturally within a region over thousands of years. These natives support the area’s natural balance and wildlife and are a more sustainable alternative in your garden.

The botanicals in “Home Grown” were selected from Bentley and Trimen’s Medicinal Plants, Curtis’ “The Botanical Magazine” and “Lectures on Botany,” and Woodville’s Medicinal Botany. These volumes are part of the HSHSL’s Historical Collections’ Pharmacy Collection, which includes influential pharmacy and medical texts, dispensatories, pharmacopoeias, botanicals, and herbals from around the world.

The calendar was designed by Thom Pinho, lead instructional technology specialist, while the content was written and provided by Tara Wink, historical collections librarian and archivist with help from Summer 2024 YouthWorks intern Anisah Allen.

A limited number of calendars will be for sale on our website for $10. They make fantastic gifts!

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

Exceptions to Regular Hours

Monday, Dec. 23	6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 24 – Wednesday, Jan. 1	CLOSED

The inaugural cohort of the HSHSL Student Advisory Board (SAB) held three productive meetings during the fall semester. These sessions began with introductions and relationship-building, creating a strong foundation for meaningful collaboration.

The board engaged in thoughtful discussions on topics such as how the Library communicates with students and the impact of library spaces on the student experience. Student representatives provided insightful feedback and actionable recommendations for the Library to consider in the coming semesters.

Throughout these meetings, SAB members brought positivity and enthusiasm to every conversation, inspiring the library team with their dedication to improving the student experience. Thank you to all SAB members for their leadership and commitment to shaping the future of the HSHSL!

Students, your well-being matters to the HSHSL. To keep you moving even during study marathons, we’ve added two treadmills to the first floor of the Library. Whether you’re up for a leisurely stroll or a light jog, these treadmills can speed up to a comfortable 3.8 mph — perfect for boosting your energy.

Feeling stiff after hours of desk work? Want a fun way to connect with a friend? Or maybe you’re just looking to binge-watch your favorite Netflix series while staying active? Our treadmills have you covered. Each one is equipped with a sturdy desk that can hold your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

The treadmills include secure handles and a red safety clip that attaches to your clothing. If you slip, the machine automatically stops. Simple instructions are posted nearby. Activate using the provided remote control, lace up a pair of comfy shoes, and you’re ready to roll.

Dec. 9, 2024 – Jan. 18, 2025

The HSHSL is proud to host the National Library of Medicine (NLM) exhibit "Graphic Medicine: Ill-Conceived & Well-Drawn." The exhibit’s authors describe "graphic medicine" as "the use of comics to tell personal stories of illness and health." Explore the exhibit to see how words, symbols, data, and art combine to explain complex medical topics and share the authors’ personal experiences. Visit the "Graphic Medicine: Ill-Conceived & Well-Drawn” online exhibit to learn more about graphic medicine. You can also create your own with an assortment of blank comic panels and markers scattered around the exhibition.

The HSHSL will host a reception for the exhibit on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the second floor.

The reception will feature a presentation by Benjamin Canha, PhD, RN, assistant professor at the Universities at Shady Grove. Dr. Canha is the author and illustrator of "Recovery Cartoons: The 12 Steps," an engaging and relatable graphic novel that explores each step on the path to sobriety. More information about Dr. Canha’s work is available via the Recovery Cartoons website.

The National Library of Medicine produced this exhibition and its companion website.

Oct. 30, 2024 – Jan. 17, 2025

The Mother Mary Lange (MML) Catholic School teamed up with the HSHSL to present an exhibit exploring mental health, self-expression, and Halloween-inspired storytelling. We invite you to experience the creativity and insight of young artists from West Baltimore as they share their perspectives through art.

Mental Health

Through sequential art (or comics), students address complex topics like depression, anxiety, and trauma. Alongside their comics, students designed impactful posters that promote mental health awareness, encouraging open conversations about these important issues.

Inner and Outer Self

How does the self we show the world differ from the self within? To explore this question, MML students created split self-portraits—one side depicting their outward appearance, the other side revealing thoughts and feelings that are often hidden. These portraits are powerful reflections of inner identity.

Halloween

Embracing the spirit of Halloween, MML students created comics set on this spooky night. The stories range from eerie and suspenseful to heartwarming and funny, each offering a unique take on Halloween’s magic.

This exhibit is a window into the minds and imaginations of young people and offers an opportunity to connect with their stories and reflections. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating their artistry and insights.

The Racial Equity Consciousness Institute (RECI), hosted by Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 1 in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Center on Race and Social Problems, is a series of eight virtual events and a supplemental online course that provides an empowering environment to learn about and discuss issues related to racial equity, and to reflect on what you can do to advance racial equity in your institutions and communities.

Course content is presented through eight live webinars occurring on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon EST starting Jan. 21 through March 11. Capacity is limited to 100, and learners are asked to commit to attending at least six out of eight live sessions (sessions will not be recorded). Registration will remain open until Friday, Jan. 10 or until all seats are filled.

For questions about RECI 2025, please contact April Wright or Tiffany Chavis.

Awards

Emily Gorman, MLIS, won two research awards at the annual meeting of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic chapters of the Medical Library Association. Gorman and two co-presenters received first place for their research paper, “Availability and Use of Scholarly Resources Among Practicing U.S. Pharmacists.” Gorman also won second place for her research poster, “Systematic Review Service by the Numbers: A 10-Year Analysis.”

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Presentations

Gail Betz, MLIS, co-presented a workshop titled “Implementing the Accessibility and Universal Design Framework for Social Work” and a panel titled “Embodied Leadership: Women Leaders in Social Work Education Navigating Disability Identities” at the Annual Meeting for the Council on Social Work Education on Oct. 24.

Tiffany N. Chavis, MSW, MLIS, co-presented “Activating and Amplifying Indigenous Knowledge: Collaborative Efforts in Community-Based Research and Archival Practices” at the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research at the American Philosophical Society on Oct. 11.

Emily Hurst, MSLS, served as a panelist for the Navigating the Path of Leadership discussion at the Southern and Mid-Atlantic Chapters of the Medical Library Association meeting in October.

Sarah Weirich, MLIS, presented “Customize and Compromise: Migrating Reports From a Specialized Database to a University’s Digital Repository” at the NASIG Autumn 2024 Conference on Oct. 16.

Tara Wink, MLS, and Jordan Heustis presented, “Mrs. Doctor’s Wife: Re-Identifying Women in the Archives” at the Fall 2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference on Nov. 15.

Colette Beaulieu, office manager for the Regional Medical Library (RML), will retire on Dec. 20, 2024, after an extraordinary 38-year career. Since joining Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) in 1986, Colette has made an enduring impact through her dedication and many roles, including RML assistant to the executive director (1986–2006), web developer (2006–2013), and office manager (2013–present).

A passionate advocate for shared governance, Colette served as president of the Staff Senate for five terms and held executive committee roles for 19 years. She also represented the Library on the Council of University System Staff for 18 years, serving three terms as vice chair.

Within HSHSL and NNLM, Colette contributed to numerous committees, including Community Outreach, Sustainability, and the Website Committee. She played a key role in the NNLM Web Working Group and organized a COVID-19 support group for NNLM staff.

Colette’s legacy of excellence, compassion, and innovation will continue to inspire us. We celebrate her remarkable career and wish her the best in retirement. Thank you, Colette, for your countless contributions!

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Maria Pinkas, MLS, retired on Nov. 22, 2024 after 17 years at the HSHSL. She began her career as a cataloging librarian and became a metadata management Librarian in 2011.

Maria made significant contributions to the HSHSL Resources division, to the HSHSL, and beyond. She provided leadership in developing and implementing metadata strategies that enhanced discovery and curation of library resources, including the library catalog, the UMB Digital Archive, and the UMB Data Catalog. At the consortial level, she collaborated with metadata librarians in the USMAI system to improve the library catalog and recently contributed to the implementation of the new library discovery service.

Maria’s dedication extended to mentoring staff and interns, serving on HSHSL committees, chairing continuing education committees through a division of the American Library Association, and organizing resource gatherings. Her commitment to the library profession and her colleagues will be greatly missed. Resources gatherings won’t be the same without her.

Nancy Patterson, MLS, will be leaving the NNLM after an impressive 19-year career to pursue new opportunities. Her last day will be Jan. 3, 2025. Since joining the HSHSL in 2006 as head of Resource Sharing, Nancy has showcased her dedication, creativity, and expertise. In 2009, she transitioned to the NNLM, where she served as community outreach coordinator, excelling in outreach, education, grants management, network administration, and membership oversight.

During her tenure, Nancy made significant contributions. She streamlined resource-sharing workflows, presented the RML’s first bilingual health literacy poster, and spearheaded the NNLM’s first national, cross-regional collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Her efforts brought monthly health literacy training to public housing staff and residents nationwide. Additionally, she taught over 100 outreach classes annually, developed a train-the-trainer guide for sustainable community education, and played a key role in securing NNLM cooperative agreement funding.

Nancy’s work has left a lasting impact on the NNLM and the communities it serves. Please join us in celebrating her remarkable career and thanking her for 19 years of service, leadership, and dedication. Best wishes, Nancy, as you embark on this next chapter!