Journal of The Medical Library Association, Oct 1, 2023
In 2020-2021 the Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library at Augusta University implemented two project... more In 2020-2021 the Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library at Augusta University implemented two projects leveraging virtual reality (VR) technology to provide immersive experiential learning opportunities for health sciences students. The projects shared some commonalities in spite of having differing objectives and desired outcomes. These common facets led to the success of both projects and will be helpful for other institutions considering implementing VR projects.
This article addresses issues surrounding the provision of consumer health information in public ... more This article addresses issues surrounding the provision of consumer health information in public libraries. Barriers to the use of public libraries by health care consumers are explored. Once a person has decided to try the public library as an avenue for searching for health information, interactions with library staff may still pose some challenges, both for the library user and for the librarian at the reference desk. Perceptions of the library as a place for health information often differ. Awareness of these issues can be helpful for both parties. The National Network of Libraries of Medicine can assist with training, Web resources, and funding for projects involving health information outreach to consumers.
Faculty librarians at the Greenblatt Library implemented two innovative approaches for incorporat... more Faculty librarians at the Greenblatt Library implemented two innovative approaches for incorporating virtual reality (VR) experiences in health sciences education. The first project involves using VR to develop an escape room that introduces players to research data management principles and best practices. The second project incorporates curriculum-based VR experiences developed for the university’s undergraduate medical students and makes them available through a public space in the health sciences library. The library is centrally located on campus and is open extended hours, allowing for increased access to the VR experiences. Additionally, because burnout and stress are common in the health sciences, relaxation experiences are also available for use
Reaching students in a digital landscape is becoming increasingly more important and essential to... more Reaching students in a digital landscape is becoming increasingly more important and essential to student success, especially as institutions expand their online course and degree offerings and increase their use of Learning Management Systems (LMS). Embedded librarians have a unique opportunity to play a vital role in providing point of need services, by supporting information literacy and library resources in LMS courses. Many of these students, namely distance and online students, may never set foot physically on campus, so it becomes critical to reach these students where they are, in the digital landscape. To that end, librarians employ various levels of engagement such as embedded pages, LibGuides, toolkits, discussion boards, graded assignments, web conferencing tools, etc. to reach students and promote library services in an LMS environment. This panel presentation will explore the embedded librarian services (or programs) at four universities: Athens State University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of South Alabama, and Augusta University. Panelists will discuss how and what information is presented in various Learning Management Systems such as Blackboard, Canvas, and Brightspace. Each participant will also discuss their own institution’s embedded librarian services, faculty and administration buy-in, and promoting services across campus
Native Voices: A Journey Toward Improved Knowledge of Indigenous Health and Wellness
Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 2016
The US National Library of Medicine (NLM) created and hosted the interactive exhibit Native Voice... more The US National Library of Medicine (NLM) created and hosted the interactive exhibit Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness, which debuted at NLM on October 6, 2011, and was on display through July 17, 2015, to increase awareness across the nation of Native peoples’ concepts of health and wellness (1). The healing totem that was carved to accompany the exhibit is on permanent display at NLM. The focal point of the exhibit is interviews with Native peoples from communities spanning the nation from Alaska to New York as well as Hawaii. The interviews honor and recognize the importance of oral tradition in Native cultures. Those interviewed provide insights about topics such as the roles of spirituality and community in Native cultures as well as the integration of traditional medicine andWestern medicine in Native communities. The exhibit is truly an interactive experience for visitors. Aside from the exhibit that was installed at the National Library of Medicine, a traveling version of the exhibit has been developed and has been on display at various locations throughout the United States (2). Medical librarians across the United States partnered with local Native communities to host events when the totem traveled to their areas as well as when the traveling version of the exhibit was at their organizations or nearby. The exhibit consists of multiple formats, including video interviews with Native peoples, information displayed on banner stands, a Web site with background information, a timeline, and curriculummaterials. The traveling version of the exhibit also includes kiosks with iPads that have the Native Voices mobile app downloaded onto them. This exhibit provides a unique opportunity for medical librarians to increase awareness and knowledge of important topics such as Native health, as well as to provide outreach in their communities, increasing the visibility of their libraries and host organizations.
Helping Pacific Northwest Hospital Librarians Plan to Serve Patrons in Emergencies
nnlm.org
The events of September 11, 2001, served as a grim reminder of the fact that things can change in... more The events of September 11, 2001, served as a grim reminder of the fact that things can change in a heartbeat when disaster strikes. In response to the 9/11 attacks, library communities began to formalize their approach to disaster preparation and response. The ...
Abstract: This article addresses issues surrounding the provision of consumer health information ... more Abstract: This article addresses issues surrounding the provision of consumer health information in public libraries. Barriers to the use of public libraries by health care consumers are explored. Once a person has decided to try the public library as an avenue ...
The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Nov 1, 2017
This article provides a theoretical model for understanding embedded librarianship by introducing... more This article provides a theoretical model for understanding embedded librarianship by introducing an Embedded Ecosystem Framework (EEF) and toolkit to evaluate the health of an embedded program in an academic setting. The toolkit measures the tangible services and the intangible relationships with users in embedded programs under the framework's four facets: Actions, Awareness, Perceptions, and Impact. The Actions facet is measured by traditional library reference metrics, while Awareness, Perception, and Impact measures such as program awareness, self-reported academic gains, or service satisfaction are measured by a survey as well as individual and class evaluations. Analysis of data trends can indicate gaps in services provided or utilization of services by specific user groups to encourage more active engagement with their communities. The toolkit is customizable to fit other embedded librarian programs. • Building strong working relationships with others in the community (in this case, the academic community) • Aligning with the work and goals of the community; adopting shared goals with the members of the community • Making customized, highly valued contributions to the community
• Two librarians contributed to a new graduate medical school elective course developed dynamical... more • Two librarians contributed to a new graduate medical school elective course developed dynamically during the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS • Both the Assistant Director for Research & Education Services and the Clinical Information Librarian were invited to serve as faculty advisors for the students leading the information services aspects of the elective. Much of the elective was student-driven, including daily COVID-19 and news updates, which were followed by lectures by faculty subject experts. • The librarians attended weekly planning meetings with the information services group leaders, compiled lists of trustworthy resources for the students to consult, and performed literature searches.
Boldly Going To New Horizons: Engaging the Community in Biomedical Research and Precision Medicine
Paper presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association... more Paper presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association, October 25-28, 2018 Orlando, FL
Journal of The Medical Library Association, Oct 1, 2023
In 2020-2021 the Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library at Augusta University implemented two project... more In 2020-2021 the Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library at Augusta University implemented two projects leveraging virtual reality (VR) technology to provide immersive experiential learning opportunities for health sciences students. The projects shared some commonalities in spite of having differing objectives and desired outcomes. These common facets led to the success of both projects and will be helpful for other institutions considering implementing VR projects.
This article addresses issues surrounding the provision of consumer health information in public ... more This article addresses issues surrounding the provision of consumer health information in public libraries. Barriers to the use of public libraries by health care consumers are explored. Once a person has decided to try the public library as an avenue for searching for health information, interactions with library staff may still pose some challenges, both for the library user and for the librarian at the reference desk. Perceptions of the library as a place for health information often differ. Awareness of these issues can be helpful for both parties. The National Network of Libraries of Medicine can assist with training, Web resources, and funding for projects involving health information outreach to consumers.
Faculty librarians at the Greenblatt Library implemented two innovative approaches for incorporat... more Faculty librarians at the Greenblatt Library implemented two innovative approaches for incorporating virtual reality (VR) experiences in health sciences education. The first project involves using VR to develop an escape room that introduces players to research data management principles and best practices. The second project incorporates curriculum-based VR experiences developed for the university’s undergraduate medical students and makes them available through a public space in the health sciences library. The library is centrally located on campus and is open extended hours, allowing for increased access to the VR experiences. Additionally, because burnout and stress are common in the health sciences, relaxation experiences are also available for use
Reaching students in a digital landscape is becoming increasingly more important and essential to... more Reaching students in a digital landscape is becoming increasingly more important and essential to student success, especially as institutions expand their online course and degree offerings and increase their use of Learning Management Systems (LMS). Embedded librarians have a unique opportunity to play a vital role in providing point of need services, by supporting information literacy and library resources in LMS courses. Many of these students, namely distance and online students, may never set foot physically on campus, so it becomes critical to reach these students where they are, in the digital landscape. To that end, librarians employ various levels of engagement such as embedded pages, LibGuides, toolkits, discussion boards, graded assignments, web conferencing tools, etc. to reach students and promote library services in an LMS environment. This panel presentation will explore the embedded librarian services (or programs) at four universities: Athens State University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of South Alabama, and Augusta University. Panelists will discuss how and what information is presented in various Learning Management Systems such as Blackboard, Canvas, and Brightspace. Each participant will also discuss their own institution’s embedded librarian services, faculty and administration buy-in, and promoting services across campus
Native Voices: A Journey Toward Improved Knowledge of Indigenous Health and Wellness
Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 2016
The US National Library of Medicine (NLM) created and hosted the interactive exhibit Native Voice... more The US National Library of Medicine (NLM) created and hosted the interactive exhibit Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness, which debuted at NLM on October 6, 2011, and was on display through July 17, 2015, to increase awareness across the nation of Native peoples’ concepts of health and wellness (1). The healing totem that was carved to accompany the exhibit is on permanent display at NLM. The focal point of the exhibit is interviews with Native peoples from communities spanning the nation from Alaska to New York as well as Hawaii. The interviews honor and recognize the importance of oral tradition in Native cultures. Those interviewed provide insights about topics such as the roles of spirituality and community in Native cultures as well as the integration of traditional medicine andWestern medicine in Native communities. The exhibit is truly an interactive experience for visitors. Aside from the exhibit that was installed at the National Library of Medicine, a traveling version of the exhibit has been developed and has been on display at various locations throughout the United States (2). Medical librarians across the United States partnered with local Native communities to host events when the totem traveled to their areas as well as when the traveling version of the exhibit was at their organizations or nearby. The exhibit consists of multiple formats, including video interviews with Native peoples, information displayed on banner stands, a Web site with background information, a timeline, and curriculummaterials. The traveling version of the exhibit also includes kiosks with iPads that have the Native Voices mobile app downloaded onto them. This exhibit provides a unique opportunity for medical librarians to increase awareness and knowledge of important topics such as Native health, as well as to provide outreach in their communities, increasing the visibility of their libraries and host organizations.
Helping Pacific Northwest Hospital Librarians Plan to Serve Patrons in Emergencies
nnlm.org
The events of September 11, 2001, served as a grim reminder of the fact that things can change in... more The events of September 11, 2001, served as a grim reminder of the fact that things can change in a heartbeat when disaster strikes. In response to the 9/11 attacks, library communities began to formalize their approach to disaster preparation and response. The ...
Abstract: This article addresses issues surrounding the provision of consumer health information ... more Abstract: This article addresses issues surrounding the provision of consumer health information in public libraries. Barriers to the use of public libraries by health care consumers are explored. Once a person has decided to try the public library as an avenue ...
The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Nov 1, 2017
This article provides a theoretical model for understanding embedded librarianship by introducing... more This article provides a theoretical model for understanding embedded librarianship by introducing an Embedded Ecosystem Framework (EEF) and toolkit to evaluate the health of an embedded program in an academic setting. The toolkit measures the tangible services and the intangible relationships with users in embedded programs under the framework's four facets: Actions, Awareness, Perceptions, and Impact. The Actions facet is measured by traditional library reference metrics, while Awareness, Perception, and Impact measures such as program awareness, self-reported academic gains, or service satisfaction are measured by a survey as well as individual and class evaluations. Analysis of data trends can indicate gaps in services provided or utilization of services by specific user groups to encourage more active engagement with their communities. The toolkit is customizable to fit other embedded librarian programs. • Building strong working relationships with others in the community (in this case, the academic community) • Aligning with the work and goals of the community; adopting shared goals with the members of the community • Making customized, highly valued contributions to the community
• Two librarians contributed to a new graduate medical school elective course developed dynamical... more • Two librarians contributed to a new graduate medical school elective course developed dynamically during the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS • Both the Assistant Director for Research & Education Services and the Clinical Information Librarian were invited to serve as faculty advisors for the students leading the information services aspects of the elective. Much of the elective was student-driven, including daily COVID-19 and news updates, which were followed by lectures by faculty subject experts. • The librarians attended weekly planning meetings with the information services group leaders, compiled lists of trustworthy resources for the students to consult, and performed literature searches.
Boldly Going To New Horizons: Engaging the Community in Biomedical Research and Precision Medicine
Paper presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association... more Paper presented at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association, October 25-28, 2018 Orlando, FL
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Papers by Gail Kouame