McGoogan News

Changes to Technology Commons

On June 16, the computers located in the Rudolph F. Sievers, MD, Technology Commons on Level 7 of the library (Room 7063) will be removed. Monitors, keyboards, and mice will remain available for use with personal devices while inside the Technology Commons.

For those requiring access to a computer workstation, one is available on Level 6 for use during library staffed hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

The student printer will remain in the Technology Commons, and students can continue to print directly from their personal device to the printer.

Meet Our Newest Librarian: Rachelle

In May, Rachelle McPhillips joined the McGoogan Library team as an Education and Research Services Librarian for UNMC-Kearney.

Kearney Expansion and McGoogan Library

Nebraska’s rural communities face an increasingly severe crisis in maintaining access to health care for their residents. For the first time, UNMC will educate physicians, pharmacists and public health professionals in rural Nebraska. The project also will expand UNMC’s allied health and nursing programs.

With the Kearney expansion comes a physical presence for the library within the Health Science Education Center (HSEC) II. McGoogan Library at Kearney will have a variety of services and resources for students, including anatomical models to check out and physical and digital textbooks. Study rooms will also be in the same space where the library will be located. Until the HSEC II opens in early 2026, Rachelle will be working remotely to support UNMC-Kearney students.

McPhillips’ Credentials and Experience

Rachelle holds a Master of Science in Library and Information Science and an Online Educator Certificate from the University of Missouri. With a background in public libraries, Rachelle is passionate about removing barriers to access and creating meaningful learning experiences. She has created innovative programming and collections for young adults and implemented a makerspace that fostered creativity and lifelong learning in patrons from adolescence through adulthood.  

Rachelle was introduced to work in higher education as an Online Learning Specialist at Mizzou and adjunct faculty for UNO’s online library science program. She moved to academic libraries full-time in 2023, accepting a Reference and Instruction Librarian position in South Dakota, where she advocated for student success both inside and outside the classroom. She also served as a member of the South Dakota OER State Action Team.

“Librarians are in a unique position to advocate for the communities they serve,” said Rachelle. “I am excited to return to my home state, join the McGoogan Library team and contribute to the Kearney expansion project in support of health care professionals and research in rural Nebraska.”

Outside of work, Rachelle enjoys spending time with her adult children, attending live music events and crocheting.

Step Back into Health Sciences History through Rare Books

Recently, the Wigton Heritage Center Rare Book Gallery on Level 5 in Wittson Hall rotated with eight new books. The exhibition features four books from the H. Winnett Orr Rare Book Collection and four books from the library’s Rare Book collection.

Erin Torell, rare books librarian at McGoogan Library, shares what visitors can expect to see when viewing the exhibit, “The latest books on display showcase 17th, 18th, and 19th-century anatomy, including a first-edition copy of ‘Gray’s Anatomy.'”

In addition to the variety of anatomy books, Torell says that the book “Railway and other accidents with relation to injury and disease of the nervous system” is a unique selection.

Individuals are encouraged to explore the books in person and online through the library’s digital exhibit platform.

A Glance into the Rotation

Exhibition visitors can examine a book from 1737 by Frederik Ruysch (1638-1731), “Opera omnia anatomico-medico-chirurgica” which translates to “The complete works of anatomical, medical, and surgical sciences.” Ruysch began his medical career as an apothecary apprentice and made significant discoveries in the understanding of the lymphatic systems.

A book published nearly 170 years later in 1904, “Railway and other accidents with relation to injury and disease of the nervous system,” allows viewers to examine one that was written to be used in court. Allan McLane Hamilton (1848-1919) provided expert witness testimony in legal cases involving the psychological or neurological effects of railroad accidents. His work emphasized that the condition was not malingering or faking injury but involved legitimate medical problems, laying the groundwork for a future psychiatric understanding of traumatic experiences’ resultant physical health issues.

When reflecting on this particular book, Torell shares that, “The special collections and archives is interested in collecting and showcasing books about railroad medicine because of the railroads’ role in Omaha history.”

Whether exploring the exhibit in person or online, viewers will be able to take in stunning images from each book. The online portion of the exhibit also contains “fun facts” about each book’s author sprinkled throughout.

“We’re really excited because visitors of this exhibit will be able to see a beautifully colored obstetrics book and several anatomy books,” Torell said.

Panel from the in-person exhibition for "Opera omnia anatomico-medico-chirurgica" Translation: "The Complete Works of Anatomical, Medical, and Surgical Sciences"

Page from "The natural history of the human teeth"
Plate III
Fig. 1 A front view of the upper and lower-jaws of an adult, with a full set of teeth.
Fig. 2 A side view of both jaws in the same state.

Page from "Atlas de l'art des accouchements" translation: "Atlas of the Art of Childbirth"
Plate LIX. Présentation du Sommet (Summit Presentation)

Rare Books at McGoogan Library

The Rare Book collection contains a manuscript from the 1300s and medical texts from 1490s to 1910. Collection strengths include, but are not limited to, anatomy, surgery, obstetrics and midwifery, and infectious diseases. The collection features the Charles F. Moon collection of obstetrical works, the Leon S. McGoogan collection in obstetrics, and the H. Winnett Orr book collection, on permanent loan to the library from the American College of Surgeons.

Request a tour to view the Rare Book collection. Learn more about the library’s books and published materials within the special collections and archives department.

DynaMedex to replace UpToDate on July 1

Nebraska Medicine is changing its main clinical decision support tool from UpToDate to DynaMedex on July 1, 2025. UpToDate will be unavailable after June 30, 2025.

An announcement of this change was shared in UNMC Today and Nebraska Medicine NOW today.

User training will be available from Nebraska Medicine. Tutorials and user guides will be available from the library. The library will direct users to this new resource.

New EBSCOhost Interface Coming June 9

On June 9, the library will transition to the new EBSCOhost user interface (UI). All EBSCOhost databases, including CINHAL, APA PsycInfo, Medline via EBSCO and others will have this new UI. This update introduces several enhancements aimed at improving accessibility, usability and personalization.

Important Note on Custom Folders

Custom folders created in the previous EBSCOhost interface will not be carried over to the new UI. If you use custom folders move your content into default folders to ensure it transitions smoothly or create backups of any searches or results lists in custom folders.

Modern Software Platform

The new EBSCOhost interface is built on a modern platform, designed to be user-friendly and responsive across all devices. This ensures a consistent experience whether you are using a desktop, tablet or mobile phone.

Enhanced Features

Permalinks can now be bookmarked directly from the browser address.
Persistent “sticky” filters that remain applied even when you modify your search query.
Common and specialized limiters are available for both single and multi-database searches.
Advanced date picker
Improved thesauri and subject headings

Personalization Options

When signed in, users can access personalized features across the UI and in EBSCO Mobile. These include:

Dashboards to help manage your research activities.
The ability to create, save, and delete alerts, and add items to projects.

Accessibility Improvements

Enhancements have been made to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards and text-to-speech (TTS) technology has been introduced to further enhance content accessibility.

Reach out to your liaison librarian if you have any questions or need assistance with the new interface.