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University of Nebraska Medical Center

McGoogan News

Health Care Outreach Enhanced with the Opening of Picotte Center

Blog Author 
Kiara Comfort, Community Outreach and Health Systems Librarian 

Kiara Comfort, Community Outreach and Health Systems Librarian, has been working with Dr. Sioban Wescott, Director of the Indigenous and Rural Health Program and Lisa Spellman, its program manager, to support the health needs of Indigenous tribes in Nebraska. Kiara has worked with these communities providing health information at community nights and health fairs, and promoting the UNMC Health Information Service. This service is available to all residents and patients receiving health care in Nebraska who want information on health and wellness topics.  

Outreach with the Picotte Center

The opening of the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center provides additional opportunities for the McGoogan Health Sciences Library to provide outreach. Health care providers and their patients can utilize the UNMC Health Information Service to receive information about different health topics. This also provides additional access to reliable health information resources for residents of rural Nebraska. 

Learn more about UNMC and the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s collaboration with the Picotte Center in a recent UNMC Today story

From Archives to Exhibition: UNMC’s Special Collections and Archives Influence on Experiences in Femininity

Blog Author 
Grace Spaulding, student worker 

My name is Grace Spaulding. I am a student at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) and a student worker in the Leon S. McGoogan Health Sciences Library. When I am not in the special collections and archives at UNMC, I am a curator for Experiences in Femininity (EIF). This is an annual, student run exhibition that has been taking place at UNO since 2023. This UNO FUSE grant awarded exhibit aims to feature artwork regarding feminine identity and appreciation. We highlight art that exemplifies and celebrates the personal views, experiences, and appreciation of femininity and womanhood. Our desired scope of works for this exhibition features pieces by UNO students, staff, and alumni, all of whom are eligible to submit work for display consideration, regardless of gender identity. The project features an arts exhibition and a publication consisting of creative writing, scholarly works, and imagery of the works featured in the exhibit. Another key aspect of EIF is the accompanying lecture series. UNMC’s own Dr. Catherine Medici-Thiemann was featured as the final speaker in this lecture series, delivering a lecture titled “Feminism in Popular Culture: Finding the F-Word Everywhere”   

Due to the exponential growth of Experiences in Femininity, we have been able to secure space in the Ming Toy Gallery, located in Omaha, Nebraska, for the 2026 exhibition. This space will allow us to expand our reach further into the Omaha community, as well as showcase the talents of the University of Nebraska Omaha students, staff, faculty, and alumni in a new manner, for the metro community. This collaboration between university and community is one that is reflective of UNO’s own sentiment, that the city is our campus. By involving the Omaha arts community, this program has the potential to become a highlight not only for UNO but also for representations of femininity throughout the city. It is our hope that by expanding in this manner, EIF will cultivate a sense of belonging for artists, writers, and viewers, influencing the beginning of important conversations, advocacy, and involvement regarding our mission and subject matter.  

Involvement Overview 

I joined the EIF team in September of 2024 and was honored to be able to have a role in the development of the 2025 exhibition, as well as the planning for the 2026 exhibition. The orchestration of the project is not a singular experience, but was a team effort between myself, Toni Parker, Julia Mulloy, and the projects founder, Kennedy Wallman. The team worked to facilitate communications, make decisions, coordinate events, and create materials for the exhibition.   

McGoogan Library’s Influence 

My time at the Leon S. McGoogan Health Sciences Library greatly prepared me for this role, as I gained skills regarding collections management, working in an archive, how to work with exhibits, and creation of academic writing. One of my personal goals for the program is to cultivate a sense of longevity, as I want EIF to continue long after completing my undergraduate degree. Having established a background in special collections and archives allowed me to be better equipped to create programming and develop an exhibition that can be passed on through students, ensuring long-term accessibility. A consistent change in leadership while maintaining the mission and goals for Experiences in Femininity is necessary for the success of this project. In my role in the special collections and archives, I have learned how to preserve processes, maintain consistency, prioritize a consistent workflow, all of which played a role in my involvement with the continued development of EIF. Whether it be through the writing of exhibition proposals or installation of artwork, the knowledge that I have gained through my work at the library has increased my ability and confidence exponentially.   

A specific example of this position’s influence on my understanding is the process of cataloging. My previous involvement working with artifacts and archival materials, recording information and inputting it into a collection management system made me equipped to create a thorough submission form, ingest all submitted works, and input them into an organized display for the jury selection process. Because of the information provided with submissions, I was then able to quickly and efficiently assist in notifying the selected artists of their admissions into the exhibition.   

Another instance of my experience with the library coming into play in my exhibition process is the dynamic of teamwork and coordination that is required to execute a project of this nature. I have been incredibly fortunate to be involved with a wide variety of projects supervised by many of my wonderful coworkers in the library and because of this have deepened my understanding of how to work well with others while being efficient and providing quality results. This has translated excellently into my time with Experiences in Femininity, as there are four of us who are responsible for the execution of the exhibit from start to finish. Each member of the team has their own area of operations, blending to create the exhibit and programming for the current year, while planning for the future in tandem.  

My work at UNMC in the library without a doubt prepared me to play a role in this exhibition. The knowledge and experience I have gained from this position has allowed me to be an involved team member, forward planner, and intentional curator. I have no doubt that the lessons and skills I have gained from the special collections and archives will continue to assist me in my career and education going forward. 

A Look Back on a Pre-Health Symposium for Future Professionals

Blog Author 
Jess King, Assistant Professor, Education and Research Services Librarian 

On April 25, some of McGoogan Library’s faculty attended the 2025 Pre-Health Symposium at the Milo Bail Student Center on UNO’s campus. The symposium was open to college and high school students and provided students with the opportunity to engage with industry experts, discover their future career, hands-on experience, and make connections that can help shape their futures in health care. 

The symposium featured a variety of interactive panels, breakout sessions, and presentations, all designed to help attendees explore various career paths, develop key skills, and engage directly with experts from the health care and human services fields.

McGoogan Library faculty participated in a variety of ways. Details for each are listed below. 

College & Career Fair

Kiara Comfort, Jess King and Tammi Owens represented McGoogan and Criss libraries with a table. The College & Career Fair offered a chance for students to meet with representatives from leading organizations, discover job and volunteer opportunities, and learn about educational programs that can help them take the next step in their career. 

Health Sciences Librarianship for UNO and UNMC Session

McGoogan Library and UNO’s Criss Library partnered together to offer representation for health sciences librarianship for UNMC and UNO. Kiara and Tammi (UNO Criss Library) taught “Introduction to Health Research: Tools and Techniques.” In this session, students explored strategies for effectively using research resources like Google Scholar and PubMed. They also learned techniques for quickly analyzing books and scholarly articles to assess their relevance and usefulness for academic research.  

Healthcare Careers in Data, Management, and Information Science Panelists

Jess and Kiara were invited panelists on the “Healthcare Careers in Data, Management, and Information Science” panel. This panel had four panelists who discussed careers within the health sciences that were not direct patient care. Panelists spoke on their career journey and jobs that are available in health information, health care business, and bioinformatics. Jess and Kiara spoke specifically on how health sciences librarians support doctors, researchers, and health care students throughout their educational and professional journeys.  

Perspectives in Healthcare Panelist

Jess was also an invited panelist on the “Perspectives in Healthcare” panel. This panel had four panelists who discussed their background working with and serving underserved, minority, and rural communities and how it has shaped their careers. Jess spoke specifically on providing relevant and trustworthy information on these communities to researchers and health care professionals. The discussion included speaking on the importance of health care teams to include members from a variety of backgrounds and practices that can be implemented in the workplace to help ensure that the organization provides the care everyone needs to feel supported. 

Want to learn more about the libraries participation in this symposium? Connect with Jess or Kiara.  

Discover the work McGoogan Library does for Nebraska residents and patients receiving health care in Nebraska through our Health Information Services. 

Training Sessions for DynaMedex Now Available

Information about registering for upcoming DynaMedex training sessions is now available. There are sessions for all users and those dedicated to Residents, though any clinician can join any session that fits their schedule. These will also be recorded and posted on Teams for later viewing. 

The DynaMedex Teams site contains many resources such as tip sheets, video tutorials, and more. View the library’s guide that contains training highlights and additional curated training resources. 

About DynaMedex Transition

As previously communicated on Nebraska Medicine NOW and UNMC Today, Nebraska Medicine will be transitioning from UpToDate to the DynaMedex suite as its clinical decision software. This transition will take place as of July 1. DynaMedex will be accessible through One Chart, via a Nebraska Medicine/UNMC online portal, on desktop computers and through a mobile app to all users who currently have access to UpToDate. 

Questions about access or support can be directed to the IT Help Desk

The Enduring Legacy of Pharmacy Education in Nebraska

McGoogan Library’s Robert S. Wigton Department of Special Collections and Archives recently opened an exhibition on Level 4 of the Wigton Heritage Center that celebrates the College of Pharmacy—Rx for an Enduring Future: Enduring Legacy of Pharmacy Education in Nebraska

When reflecting on the new exhibit, Carrie Meyer, associate dean, shared that, “McGoogan Library is proud to highlight the college’s achievements in education, research and drug discovery, and patient care.” 

Individuals interested in viewing the exhibit can visit Level 4 of the Wigton Heritage Center or explore the exhibit through the library’s online platform

About the Exhibition

The School of Pharmacy joined the University of Nebraska’s College of Medicine in 1908 and prioritized leadership and innovation. Founder and first dean, Rufus Lyman, MD, initiated the college’s pioneering, welcoming legacy by hiring female pharmacognosy instructor Elsie Day, a then uncommon occurrence in higher education.  

Throughout its history, UNMC’s College of Pharmacy has focused its efforts on openness to and acceptance of all—from establishing the female fraternity Kappa Epsilon (1921), to graduating African American student Maurice Russell (1954), to consolidating pharmacy on the medical center campus in Omaha (1976), and now expanding instruction and access to rural Nebraskans (2026). In partnership with the College of Pharmacy and alumni, Sam Augustine, PharmD, RP (class of 1973 and 1979), Kelly Burch, PharmD, RP (class of 1981), Jacob Dering, RP (class of 1960), Ron Hospodka, MS, MBA, RP (class of 1965). 

Explore the exhibit online