Name: Rachel Martinez

Title: Health Sciences Librarian 

Institution: University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ

Brief description of what you do at your institution

I work with a team of folks to support the academic and research initiatives at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine Phoenix

Why is MLGSCA important to you?

As someone who is new to health sciences librarianship, MLGSCA is a source of key resources that I use to be successful in my career. These resources come in the form of knowledgeable professionals, and opportunities for growth. I'm so grateful to this group!

Why did you become a librarian?

When I was an undergrad, I was determined to go to medical school - never mind that I was an average student in my hard science lecture classes. But I really excelled in the laboratory sections and thought to myself "Everything will fall into place once I'm in a REAL lab." Well, it kind of did. The summer between my junior and senior years, I got the opportunity to be a lab assistant for a toxicology lab. After one of the grad students showed me how to extract a rat brain from its skull, I almost passed out. As I was recovering from my episode outside on a bench underneath a huge mesquite tree, I was internally freaking out. All my academic and career efforts felt for naught and I did not know what to do. Later in the week, I met someone in the outreach division of the college I was in and told her what had happened. She casually said, "You should talk to one of the librarians." And that's how it all got started! After meeting with one of the pharmacy librarians, I felt like this was the path I needed to take!

What was your first library job or professional position?

I was a library page at University of Arizona's Special Collections

What is your advice to someone new to medical librarianship?

You mean what's my advice to myself? LOL. I suppose it's "Don't get overwhelmed". There's always new stuff to learn, and it's impossible to know it all right off the bat!

What has been the most interesting project you have worked on?

When I was an undergrad, I worked on a preliminary "scoping" review (it's not published) on the effects MDMA has on the neuroplasticity of the rat brain. I think that project is really what set my career into motion - it made me realize how important sharing findings is in the scientific community. Collaboration is what moves us forward as a society.

What do you consider to be the most pressing issues or trends in librarianship?

Oh gosh, there's so many. But I think that the most pressing issues are the use of AI and LLMs in research in general. Not just their impact on the publishing landscape, but how they impact critical thinking, how they influence behavior, and how they negatively impact the environment.

What is something you have on your bucket list?

I really want to visit the Black Forest in Germany. When I was very small, my mom invested in an Encyclopedia Britannica set and I remember a picture of the Black Forest under the "Germany" entry, and it just intrigued me so much.

What do you do in your spare time for fun, or to relax?

I hang out with my little cowboy corgi/chihuahua, Mylo. I also like to hang out with my friends at a climbing gym (I'm not any good at climbing), and I also do weightlifting.

What is the best thing you have read/watched/listened to recently?

I recently re-read "Obama - From Promise to Power", and it was a page-turner for various reasons.

Describe yourself in five words

Jovial, hard-working, supportive, versatile, funny

Is there anything about you that others would be surprised to know?

I love me some Real Housewives of [insert city], especially the earlier seasons!

What are you most proud of?

I'm proud of overcoming several different adversities over the years. I have gone from surviving to thriving, and that is no small feat! Heck yeah. Go me!

In celebration of Medical Librarians Month, MLGSCA held October socials in Newport Beach, Phoenix, and for the first time in a while, Tucson!

The Phoenix social, held on October 8^th, featured a tour of the Creighton University Phoenix campus, followed by happy hour at the nearby bar, the Green Woodpecker.

Pictured (left to right): Kevin Pardon, David Bickford, Laura Barkema, CJ Garcia, Karina Keltcher, Mari Murillo, and Rachel Martinez

The Tucson social, held on October 16^th, was held at Trident Pizza Pub, featuring 7 of our Tucson-based colleagues!

Pictured (left to right): Angela Murrell, Sarah Tillery and Ken Tillery, Jean McClelland, Annabelle Nuñez.

Pictured (left to right): Jean McClelland, Annabelle Nuñez, and Elizabeth Kline. Not pictured, by taking the photos was Niamh Wallace.

The Newport Beach social, also held on October 16^th, began with a guided tour of the Newport Beach Public Library, followed by happy hour at Muldoon’s Irish Pub.

Photo collections of the history of Newport Beach are featured throughout the library.

A small book collection on the history of Newport Beach is a nice supplement to the photos.

As you can see, our California-based colleagues had a great time touring this beautiful library, located just across the street from the ocean!

Fun fact: Does the “Newport Beach Public Library” sign in this photo look like it’s bent? That’s on purpose! The designers created it to look like an open book! :- O

Pictured (left to right): Andrea Harrow, Danielle Linden, Ivan Portillo, Becca Gates, and Jennifer Silverman

We hope to see you at one of our future events!

Have you ever thought, “How hard could it be to run a book club?” Spoiler: it’s not hard—but it is unpredictable at times and surprisingly fulfilling.

Check out Emily Zimmermann's Confessions of a First-Time Book Club Host: 5 Things I learned from My First 2.5 Book Clubs.  

Running a book club is equal parts organization, empathy, and improvisation. I’ve made mistakes, learned from them, and discovered how deeply a shared story can connect a campus. If you’re thinking about starting your own—just do it! Bring the snacks, embrace the awkward silences, and remember perfection isn’t the goal: connection is.

We would love to hear about your experiences with book clubs! Please comment below this post!

Also, we want to hear about how you are fostering Community and Belonging at your library. Please feel free to share your story with the MLGSCA Community and Belonging Task Force via this link: https://forms.gle/aFKEpwt5btTuX4L77

I would like to share our 2025-2026 MLGSCA mid-year report to MLA with you all.

Executive summary

• 2025 MLGSCA Annual Meeting and Virtual Spring Symposium was held June 5, 2025.
• NCN/MLGSCA Joint Meeting planned for January 16-18, 2026 at the Palace Station Casino in Las Vegas, NV.
• Research Grant award revision and promotion led to three applications in September 2025, the first applications in a very long time.
• Governmental relations and bylaws committee created resources for members to share their opinions with their elected representatives at the federal, and California and Arizona state levels.
• The DEI-A Task Force changed its name to Community and Belonging and joined its mission to the Professional Issues Committee which oversees recruitment and retention initiatives.
• Finance committee will present financial sustainability findings and recommendations.

How have your initiatives or activities fostered community or belonging?

• 2025-26 Strategic Plan encourages greater communication with members through the Blog and GoogleGroup listserv.
• We will be hosting three social events on October 16 in Newport Beach, CA; Phoenix, and Tucson, AZ.
• Early planning has started for the December holiday social events.
• CE committee initiated a book club in September to read and discuss “Stolen Focus,” by Johann Hari.

Reminders:

Plan to attend the MLGSCA/NCNMLG 2026 Joint Meeting on January 16–18, 2026, at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, All In: Betting on the Future of Medical Libraries. The call for submissions closes in a couple weeks. Do you have an idea for an abstract but need some encouragement to get it done? Reach out to me though the MLGSCA Directory for some friendly guidance.

Are you looking to advance your education, grow professionally, or pursue research in health sciences librarianship? MLA offers a wide range of grants and scholarships designed to support your goals—whether you're a student, early-career librarian, or seasoned professional. You have until November 15th to submit an application.

And, it’s time to nominate deserving colleagues for MLA Awards. You have until November 15th to submit a nomination. Get started by visiting the MLA Awards and Honors page on MLANET. 

https://www.mlanet.org/professional-development/awards-honors/

MLGSCA committee meetings offer forums for learning and discussion. Please join when you can! A synopsis of the Events Calendar and upcoming deadlines are below.

Thank you,

Andrea

Name, title, and institution

Hal Bright, University Library Director, A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ 

Brief description of what you do at your institution

I am the director of a library with a team of 12 staff across three campuses in Missouri, Arizona and California. ATSU is the founding school of osteopathy (DO) and we have 7 schools offering masters and doctoral level health sciences degrees. I am the liaison to our Arizona dental school and our California PA program. ATSU is looking a BS degrees in two of our locations as well as growth in other health disciplines.

Why is MLGSCA important to you?

MLGSCA is my local community of practice that educated me on how to be a health sciences librarian. I came from a 15 year public library background and was well out of my element when starting at ATSU. MLGSCA member's were mentors and excellent sources of knowledge as I developed my own skill set.

Why did you become a librarian?

I put myself through school working in the Phoenix Library system and felt very comfortable and fulfilled in this work.

What was your first library job or professional position?

I was a bilingual librarian for the New Haven Free Public Librarian in New Haven, CT.

What has been the most interesting project you have worked on?

As an ERL, I designed an app (which ultimately failed due to technology constraints) for student to access our library resources during clinical rotations. It was a challenging and fun project.

What is something you have on your bucket list?

Go to Hawaii with my family or go to Rome with my wife.

What is the best thing you have read/watched/listened to recently?

The Residence on Netflix

Describe yourself in five words

I am very curious, squirrel!

Happy Autumn All! Here in Southern California, our seasons are a little different but I love the reminder of the earth’s rotation and tilt. It feels good to me to ponder the physics of the universe and how science shapes us. And, the autumn equinox is also my wedding anniversary! There are many reasons to love this time of year. I am sure many have been busy welcoming new students and residents, and rolling with the ever-present changes occurring in hospital, academic and other health science organizations and libraries. I am ever grateful to our members who volunteer their time to join and facilitate committee work, conferences, chats, and professional development opportunities. We do our best to include everyone. If you would like to get more involved, please reach out to me or any other MLGSCA member. The more, the merrier!

I am super-excited to see that the MLGSCA/NCNMLG 2026 Joint Meeting is ramping up, with registration and call for abstracts now open! All In: Betting on the Future of Medical Libraries is January 16–18, 2026, at the Palace Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and promises three days of learning, collaboration, and inspiration.

The meeting starts on Friday, January 16, 2026, with continuing education courses, “Cultural Humility in Libraries” with Shannon D. Jones and Beverly Murphy, and “The Joy of Project Management!” with Janet Crum and Elisa Cortez. Other programming will begin on Saturday, January 17 and run through Sunday, January 18 -- paper presentations, posters, lightning talks, immersion sessions and an all-meeting roundtable will offer a forum for sharing ideas and sparking meaningful dialogue about the evolving role of medical libraries.

Registration includes breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, plus a Friday snack break during CE sessions. Early bird registration is open through December 5, 2025.

Mark your calendar, prepare your proposal, and get ready to go All In for the future of medical libraries!

Additionally, the ongoing committee meetings offer forums for learning and discussion. Please join when you can! A synopsis of the Events Calendar and upcoming deadlines are below.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

Name: Carrie Fry

Position: Nursing and Health Science Librarian

Institution: University of San Diego                         

Brief description of what you do at your institution

I am an embedded librarian for the Hahn School of Nursing. My office is in the nursing building, rather than the library, and I support around five graduate programs in nursing and health science. I work with students and faculty individually and in the classroom setting, and support in-person, online, and hybrid programs.

Why is MLGSCA important to you?

In January, I moved to California (from Seattle) into a tenure track position after 27 years as an academic librarian supporting all sciences (including nursing) and where research was encouraged, but optional. I knew that I would need support in finding my footing related to research and supporting more graduate-level health science programs. Seeking out the local medical library group was at the top of my to-do list when starting my new position. The Coffee Chats in particular have been a way to get to know people!

Why did you become a librarian?

I wanted to be a librarian as long as I can remember. When I was a kid going to the local public library, I thought the children's librarian there knew everything and had read every book. She should take me around the collection pulling books she thought I would like off the shelf and telling me about them. When I graduated from high-school, I briefly considered other options which lead me to major in biology, but by my junior year in college, I knew I wanted a library degree and when straight to library school from undergrad. My jobs have been quite different from that of a public library children's librarian. But I like to think I bring that same enthusiasm to getting people connected up with the information they need.

What was your first library job or professional position?

It took some networking to get that first job! There was a mini-recession the year I graduated and no one was hiring, or there would be over 100 applicants for the positions I applied to. I got started by volunteering at the University of Washington Health Sciences Library, which turned into a temporary librarian job there, then thanks to networking at the Pacific Northwest Chapter of MLA, I got a part-time position at Auburn Regional Medical Center, which parlayed into a full-time position at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, WA.

What has been the most interesting project you have worked on?

I was part of the development of the Research, Reading, & Writing Studio at Seattle Pacific University. It was a partnership between the library and the writing program to make a space in the library where students could work on their writing craft. If you think about an art studio, people are there working on art and an expert comes alongside them and offers specific support - What if you add some shading like this? - this immediate and in-the-moment support lets the novice experiment, practice, and get back to their work. By contrast, in a writing tutoring appointment, the writer has to think of all of their questions beforehand, get help, then remember the suggestions when they get back to writing later. In the studio model, they are writing in a communal space, getting help at the point of need, and immediately get back to writing. In developing the space at SPU, we observed another writing studio in action, gave training to librarians in the use this method, and were able to implement this training along side student writing tutors. Being part of this project really changed my thinking regarding how research and reading, as part of writing support, is provided in libraries. Prior to this I had artificial boundaries, I will help you with finding information and in citing it correctly, but you are on your own when implementing this evidence in your paper. Now I am willing to offer support at any part of the paper, while still highlighting my skills around the research aspects.

What is something you have on your bucket list?

I just punched off a bucket list item recently. My favorite stuffed animal growing up was a koala and I always wanted to see one. I had been thinking to go to Australia some day, but discovered some live at the San Diego Zoo and I went to see them in June. Then I went to the San Diego Safari Park and saw a platypus as well! But I am sure there are other things to see in Australia!

What do you do in your spare time for fun, or to relax?

I love fiber arts. I think I have tried about everything, crochet, spinning, weaving, felting. But I most enjoy knitting and quilting. I will knit about anywhere, I always have a small project in my bag and will pull it out when waiting or in meetings. I can listen better when my hands are busy.

What is the best thing you have read/watched/listened to recently?

I love audio drama podcasts. I'm in a bit of a lull right now, so you have any suggestions, let me know. Here are a few of my favorites: Absolutely No Adventures, Alba Salix: Royal Physician, The Amelia Project, Elaine's Cooking for the Soul, Greater Boston, and Unwell, Victoriosity, and We Fix Space Junk.

Today, it is crucial to highlight the important efforts to foster belonging in health sciences libraries, particularly within the Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona. These libraries are making great strides in fostering inclusive, accessible spaces, and we hope this page sparks positive discussions that further advance community-building initiatives in our community.

Introducing a project by Dot Winslow!

• Dot Winslow (They/She)
• Library Assistant
• A.T. Still University

Dot is on the MLGSCA Membership committee and has been standing in as Interim President-Elect to run the monthly coffee chats. Dot’s library supports up to 5,000 patrons at the library on ATSU’s California campus location. There is a sparse physical collection of books and models in addition to an extensive digital collection. Primary patrons are Central Coast Physician Assistant students and faculty members. Their informational needs include general reference, literature, and scoping review guidance, and database assistance. On the ATSU California campus, Dot won the NNLM Collection Equity Award in 2023 (renamed the Collection Development Award) and completed the collection in December 2024.

Poster.png

“The award was designed to support collection development that amplifies diverse voices writing on health/medical topics. In the application, I explained what I planned to do with the award, which targeted populations would be supported through this work, the demographics of the targeted population, and an explanation of need. The initial books were selected by our Central Coast Physician Assistant inaugural cohort 2023. Subsequent titles were suggested by faculty, staff, and CCPA CO2024, 2025, and 2026. Assistant University Library Director Maud Mondava created the AT Still Memorial Library Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) Committee in 2023, of which I am a founding member. Please see the included poster from MLA 2024 with all of our accomplishments we achieved up until the conference last year!”

“For our private university, nothing has changed for us at this moment in time, per the direction provided by A.T Still University’s chancellor. These initiatives should be mandatory within this political climate, and retaliation can be avoided by playing the simile game. Since “divers*” and “equity” are now considered offensive terms to a particular population, pivoting within the verbiage is essential. Using terms like varied, belonging, multitude etc, historically underrepresented groups, underserved populations…whatever term is deemed safe by your institution. At this point, you could call it the morale boosting or sunshine committee, and really focus on bringing people together and finding similarities with each other - the only way we can fight this othering is to work harder on these initiatives, to not back down and be brave enough to do the necessary work, to continue to be fiercely joyful, and rest to recharge your resistance, because that is how we will persevere.

My goal was to create a student-suggested, whole-person diversity collection. Easy access to diverse experiences help inform our class of historically underrepresented students like themselves and the groups they will be serving in the clinics. I was successful in meeting that goal through surveying our student population, faculty, and staff multiple times as the population fluctuated.

Because I just completed this collection and am still in the process of cataloging and shelving the material, the impact and feedback is unknown, other than the enthusiasm of suggestions. Professors from Appalachia all recommended “Yesterday's People: Life in Contemporary Appalachia.” Several students recommended “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma,” and both students and faculty members noted “When Breath Becomes Air,” as a book that needed to be included. A Hmong student recommended several texts about their culture and people which I was thrilled to add as well: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures (FSG Classics) and Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother's Life in particular.

I plan to one day create a LibGuide dedicated to the medical terminology in a variety of languages that our PAs and PA students will be encountering in the clinic to help connect them to the communities they serve.” - Dot Winslow

We are so thankful to Dot and their amazing work! If you would like to highlight your own project please respond to this form! https://forms.gle/Yjb27hmDe6hPYxez6

With love,

The Community and Belonging Task Force of MLGSCA

Name: Victoria Caine

Institution:  University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix; Phoenix, AZ

Title: Health Sciences Librarian

Brief description of what you do/your responsibilities at your institution.  

I mainly assist students with literature review consultations, faculty with developing instruction/workshops, and any other research questions that might come through the library. In addition to that, we have a small campus so I am involved with collection development, libguides, displays, and other miscellaneous tasks that might occur.

Why is MLGSCA important to you?

MLGSCA has been monumental in my growth as a health sciences librarian. Although I had previously worked as a Library Services Associate (LSA) at the front desk while pursuing my masters, I did not feel equipped to step into the role of health sciences librarian. The learning curve for health sciences is very steep. Through MLGSCA, I have gained so much knowledge and encouragement from the coffee and research chats, meetups, and the buddy program (shout out to my MLGSCA buddy, Judy Kraemer). I am very excited to get more involved in MLGSCA as secretary.

What was your first library job or professional position?

Although I worked at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus Library and the AZ State Research Library while getting my MLIS, my first actual librarian job was as a Youth Services Librarian at a small public library in South Dakota. Not really sure how I ended up there, but a benefit of being at a small library was that I did many jobs in my role that might be divided to separate roles at a larger library. I realized that I did not want to work in a librarian role that was so focused on programming (although the events were fun). I have so much respect for people who work in public libraries, because it is an unpredictable and challenging environment.

What is your advice to someone new to medical librarianship?

Seek out any free professional development and mentorship opportunities. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has so many great trainings on their YouTube channel. Don't expect to learn it all immediately. Although you can consume a large amount of information, you won't really master what you are learning until you have to use it.

What do you consider to be the most pressing issues or trends in librarianship?

I think we can all agree that misinformation is a real problem in our society right now. This also ties in with AI. How can we educate people to distinguish fact from fiction, and change their minds from believing misinformation?

What is something you have on your bucket list?

I really want to learn how to surf!

What do you do in your spare time for fun, or to relax?

I love to rollerskate and I play roller derby! My derby name is "Stax Attax" (like library stacks). I used to play flat track, and I am currently a rookie hoping to get drafted to a banked track team. Banked track is similar to roller derby from the 70s and the movie "Whip It", but we really don't punch anyone (at least not without a penalty).

What is the best thing you have read/watched/listened to recently?

I just started watching "Parts Unknown" with Anthony Bourdain. I am so sad to be late to his fan club. If you love food and travelling, this show is for you.

Name: Jennifer Silverman

Institution:  Wilson Dental Library. University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA

Title: Health Sciences Librarian

Brief description of what you do/your responsibilities at your institution. 

I am the liaison librarian to the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. I am very involved with instruction with the school's Evidence-Based Dentistry (dental version of EBP) course and helping to support the school's Problem-Based Learning curriculum. Along with my colleague, the Head of the Wilson Dental Library, I manage and post to our library's Instagram and present at monthly Dental Faculty Association meetings. I also serve on many committees as part of the larger USC Libraries, including recently being elected as President-Elect to our Library Faculty Council.

Why is MLGSCA important to you?

MLGSCA allows me to meet and connect with other medical librarians in the So Cal region. I never get tired of spending time with other librarians at in-person events, so I really love that MLGSCA provides opportunities for local librarians to come together.

Why did you become a librarian?

I originally wanted to be a teacher. I went to college intending to teach, but things did not work out once I started student teaching. While I was an undergrad at San Diego State University (SDSU), I had a job as a student worker at the library and realized I enjoyed helping people find resources. This experience landed me a Library Assistant job at a school district and my supervisor was the District Librarian. She convinced me to go to library school and now I've been a librarian for 12 years. I have realized that librarianship still provides plenty of opportunities for me to use my teaching skills.

What was your first library job or professional position?

As I mentioned, my very first library job was as a student worker at SDSU's library while I was an undergraduate. I specifically worked in the "Current Periodicals & Microforms Center," so I will always have a soft spot for microfiche. My first professional position was as a Librarian I at San Diego Public Library. At SDPL you can be hired as a Librarian I before you have completed your degree as long as you have completed a certain number of units, so I was a professional librarian before I officially had my degree.

What is your advice to someone new to medical librarianship?

Volunteer! The main reason I was hired at SDPL so quickly is because I was volunteering there while I was still in school. Volunteering is the best way to get experience in any kind of library environment you hope to work in. Medical Librarianship does require you to be familiar with certain databases and terminology so it is helpful to join medical librarianship organizations like MLGSCA or take free online courses like the ones offered by NNLM.

What is something you have on your bucket list?

I'm a big Disney nerd so definitely some Disney experiences like visiting Aulani or Disney Parks in Asia.

What is the best thing you have read/watched/listened to recently?

I recently rewatched all 6 seasons of the TV show Lost. Although it ended in 2010, it still holds up pretty well. It was fun to rewatch and I forgot most of the mysteries, so it was like watching it for the first time!

Describe yourself in five words

Sarcastic, Funny, Outgoing, Sensitive, Helpful