Institution: Creighton University
Title: Health Sciences Librarian
Brief description of what you do/your responsibilities at your institution.
I primarily serve as a liaison to several health sciences programs, both in Phoenix and at our main campus in Omaha. In addition, as one of two librarians at our branch campus I also do access services duties as needed. I also support our data services and systematic review services.
Why is MLGSCA important to you?
I have been a member of MLGSCA since I was an MLIS student/paraprofessional at a health sciences institution. As someone with a pure humanities background, MLGSCA has been incredibly valuable in helping me learn the field of health sciences librarianship and making connections with colleagues.
Why did you become a librarian?
I was some kind of library aide all throughout my K-12 education, and have exclusively worked in libraries/archives since graduating high school. Going for my MLIS was a natural progression for me, especially since I had a less than employable undergraduate degree in Classics.
I ended up pursuing health sciences partly due to the encouragement of the librarians at my first real paraprofessional job, which ended up being at a health sciences library. Due to my husband's disability, I have also seen the best and worst of healthcare up close, and have a lot of personal dedication to improving healthcare in whatever small ways I can.
What was your first library job or professional position?
My first paying library job was as a page in the Pima County Public Library system in Tucson. My first professional position was as a Liaison and Communications Librarian at A.T. Still University in Mesa, where my time was split between liaison duties and managing our website and communications strategy.
What is your advice to someone new to medical librarianship?
Don't be afraid to ask questions and learn! There are tons of great CE options out there for medical librarianship, especially free ones from the NNLM, and all the various professional orgs and listservs are very receptive to questions. Don't feel scared if you don't have a medical background, most of us don't in my experience.
What do you consider to be the most pressing issues or trends in librarianship?
I think there is a lack of upward career mobility for many librarians. Leadership and administration positions are often looking for candidates with prior leadership experience, and as a younger librarian I do wonder how the field will have to adjust as experienced leaders retire and we are left with newer librarians will not have had management opportunities.
What is something you have on your bucket list?
I want to visit a Capybara cafe in Japan.
What do you do in your spare time for fun, or to relax?
Any nerd hobby you can think of. I play tons of video games and board games, and also collect Legos, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and Beyblades. I also spent too much time playing with my cats.
What is the best thing you have read/watched/listened to recently?
I've been a little bit obsessed with Korean reality TV lately. I can't recommend The Devil's Plan on Netflix enough.
Is there anything about you that others would be surprised to know?
I finished about half of a degree in creative writing, and have actually published a few poems in literary journals.
