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Harrell Health Sciences Library Newsletter
October 2019

Director's note


October is National Medical Librarians Month.

Time to celebrate us!

Medical or health science librarians are found in a variety of settings and support the information needs of many disciplines, including:
ThormodsonKelly
  • academic health science centers (such as Penn State College of Medicine/Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center);
  • schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, chiropractic, veterinary medicine and public health;
  • special libraries such as cancer treatment centers, hospital libraries and corporate libraries, including pharmaceutical companies; and
  • community college libraries serving the associated health professions like radiology technicians and dental hygienists.
Most people are surprised when they ask me what I do and I say I’m a medical librarian. Many people don’t realize that medical librarianship is a profession. As with most assumptions about librarians, I find it amusing that people often assume I "read books" for a living - apparently medical books, since that is my specific job.

I point out that librarians need a master’s degree to do their jobs and there is so much more to being a librarian than reading books. In fact, I rarely read books at work. (I prefer mysteries anyway.)

Medical librarians are highly skilled and participate in a wide variety of roles at the academic health center. Librarians:
  • teach health students and professionals how to access and evaluate information;
  • attend rounds with the health care team;
  • connect resources into a patient’s electronic medical record;
  • help patients and consumers find authoritative health information;
  • provide new learning technologies;
  • manage physical and digital libraries;
  • serve on patient safety, IACUC and IRB committees; and
  • contribute to the research being done here via literature and systematic review services.
If you are interested in learning more about the profession, please check out the Medical Library Association's website for more information. And if you know a medical librarian personally, take the time to wish them a Happy National Medical Librarians Month.

Kelly Thormodson, MLIS
Associate Dean for Library and Information Services
Library Director
Harrell Health Sciences Library: Research and Learning Commons

Literally Figuratively Musically art exhibit on display

The art of Seamus Carmichael, the Circulation Lead at Harrell Health Sciences Library, will be featured this fall and winter in the exhibition spaces in the Simulation Center on the second floor above the library.
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A painting by Seamus Carmichael depicts a rabbit with large ears sitting in ta field of grass.

Library's fall exhibits now on display

A number of new fall exhibits are on display at Harrell Health Sciences Library at Penn State College of Medicine.
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A 3D-printed replica of the skull of Phineas Gage and a copy of an 1850s manuscript about him are seen in a display case.

Harrell Library recognized at Women of Penn State College of Medicine Summit

Harrell Health Sciences Library was recently recognized by the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) at the inagural Women of Penn State College of Medicine Summit for its partnership in advancing women in medicine.
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A framed certificate honoring Harrell Health Sciences Library is seen signed by leaders of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science.

New artwork on display in library study lounge

Harrell Health Sciences Library’s second-floor study lounge recently received a refresh with the installment of a mural with calm natural landscapes.
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A multi-panel mural depicting mountains with an ocean in front of them and a sky above them is seen in a room with large, comfortable chairs in front of it.

Library offering design thinking toolkits

Harrell Health Sciences Library has developed design thinking toolkits, available for use in the Technology Sandbox, to help promote creative thinking and collaboration and to help those who use them get started with iterative design.
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A small plastic bag is seen containing Play-Doh, craft sticks, tape, small balls and more.

Dynamed tool gets a refresh

EBSCO Information Services recently refreshed its clinical decision support tool, DynaMed, which is available to those affiliated with Penn State College of Medicine through Harrell Health Sciences Library.
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A screenshot of the DynaMed website shows a search box and highlights of particular areas of interest in clinical decision-making, such as cardiology and dermatology.

Harrell Health Sciences Library faculty and staff news: October 2019

Several Harrell Health Sciences Library team members have been involved in recent projects.
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History of Medicine lecture scheduled

As part of the History of Medicine lecture series, P. Eugene Jones, PhD, PA-C Emeritus, will present "A History of Physician Assistants" at 4 p.m. Nov. 14 in Room C5620 at Penn State College of Medicine. A reception will follow in Room C1620 in the library.
A head-and-shoulders professional photo of P. Eugene Jones, PhD, PA-C Emeritus
The event is sponsored by Harrell Health Sciences Library.

Dr. Jones is Professor Emeritus, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Minnie Stevens Piper Professor, Department of Physician Assistant Studies, UT Southwestern School of Health Professions, Dallas, Texas.

His talk will be a review of the historical background of physician assistants, with an emphasis on military physician assistants. The evolution of physician assistant education from 1965 to today will be discussed, highlighting the contributions physician assistant education has made to medical education.

Upcoming library events

Oct. 15, 2019: Using Storyline to Create Interactive eLearning Modules
Oct. 17, 2019: Using Adobe Illustrator to Create Diagrams and Graphs
Oct. 22, 2019: Problem-Solving with Prototyping: Design Thinking Workshop
@Harrell.lib is the quarterly newsletter of the Harrell Health Sciences Library: Research and Learning Commons at Penn State College of Medicine. Your feedback is welcome. Email editor Marie Cirelli at mcirelli@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

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