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

Exceptions to Regular Hours

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.

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 North Gallery, 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.

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.”