McGoogan News

A Bridge to Exploration: McGoogan Library’s Pass Lending Program

Immerse yourself in nature or delve into rich cultural heritage by utilizing McGoogan Library’s pass lending program.

McGoogan Health Sciences Library has partnered with Fontenelle Forest and El Museo Latino to offer free admission for UNMC students.

The pass lending program is an effort to help UNMC students de-stress and experience the metro community.

Be sure to take advantage of this free opportunity! Check out a pass, return it, and repeat whenever you need a break off campus.

How to check out a pass

Passes to Fontenelle Forest and El Museo Latino can be checked out by contacting AskUs via email or calling 402-559-6221.

About Fontenelle Forest

The mission of Fontenelle Forest is to provide a place where people can experience and enjoy the quiet wild of nature. Their mission is “to inspire current and future generations to care for the natural world.”

Founded in 1913, Fontenelle Forest is one of Nebraska’s oldest conservation organizations and one of the largest private nature centers in the nation.

Fontenelle Forest manages two nature centers at Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue and Neale Woods in Omaha, encompassing 24 miles of trails and over 2,100 acres of forest, prairie, wetlands, and Native American historical sites along the Missouri River.

In 2016, they opened their Raptor Woodland Refuge, located at the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, which provides visitors with an opportunity to observe many species of birds of prey in a unique, tree-top environment.

About El Museo Latino

El Museo Latino opened its doors in the historic Livestock Exchange Building on May 5, 1993, as the first Latino Art & History Museum and Cultural Center in the Midwest. In 1997, the museum moved to its present brick and red tile roof building. The original construction of 1887 was a school and was reconstructed in the 1930s. Today, El Museo Latino is one of only seventeen Latino museums in the United States. Visit El Museo Latino to explore works by Latino artists from Pre-Columbian to Contemporary arts in their permanent and special exhibitions.

El Museo Latino organizes and presents special events during the year highlighting the annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration in May and Hispanic Heritage Month in September. May features the annual Almuerzo (brunch) while September features the Hispanic Heritage celebration Banquet. During the year, Family Day celebrations are also scheduled as well as special dance performances by the museum’s dance company, “CHOMARI” Ballet Folklorico Mexicano, and by visiting artists.

CAS SciFinder-n Issue 8/20/24

8/20/24 2:15 p.m. UPDATE: The issue has been resolved.

McGoogan Library is experiencing an access disruption to CAS SciFinder-n. While the vendor fixes the issue, please use this alternate link to access CAS SciFinder-n.

New Dates Added: What’s New in AI at UNMC?

Who says summer is a slow time? Not us! The UNMC community has been abuzz with excitement the past few months, thanks to AI-focused events. In June, the first installment of “What’s New in AI at UNMC?” an online discussion series kicked off and in July, McGoogan Library co-hosted the Generative AI at UNMC | Summer Symposium alongside the College of Public Health, Office of Faculty Development, and Academic Affairs.

When reflecting on the recent symposium, Emily Glenn, symposium co-chair, said “We have learned a lot about AI and what other colleagues are doing across campus to use it in their workflows. The symposium seemed to provide the right space for many people to talk in real-time about facets of AI in practice and consider many complex paths.”

Rachel Lookadoo, symposium co-chair, added, “The symposium fostered a vibrant exchange of ideas and highlighted questions that we need to work through as we integrate this technology at UNMC. One way we’re addressing some of these questions is with this online discussion series.”

Additional dates have been added for the “What’s New in AI at UNMC?” online discussion series. This series provides a chance to talk with colleagues across UNMC about how they have encountered or integrated AI in their work and builds upon the dialog that took place during the summer symposium.

“What’s New in AI at UNMC?” schedule:

Wed., August 21 | 9–10 a.m. via Zoom

Wed., September 18 | 9–10 a.m. via Zoom

Wed., October 16 | 9–10 a.m. via Zoom

Wed., November 20 | 9–10 a.m. via Zoom

Reminder: This series is open to all UNMC colleagues.

“What’s New in AI at UNMC?” is brought to you by the UNMC AI Task Force co-chairs, Rachel Lookadoo, JD (College of Public Health) and Emily Glenn, MSLS (McGoogan Health Sciences Library).

This series follows the UNMC AI Task Force work and contributes to a “community of practice.”

Look back on presentations from the Generative AI at UNMC | Summer Symposium.

Let’s Celebrate Dr. McGoogan’s 124th Birthday!

Mark your calendars! Head to Level 6 of the library (WHM) on Tuesday, August 13 from noon–1 p.m. for a sweet treat celebrating the library’s namesake, Dr. Leon S. McGoogan. Library staff will be dishing up slices of birthday cake for the UNMC community (while supplies last).

Dr. McGoogan became an obstetrician and delivered around 9,000 babies during his career. He served as chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, from 1950-55, and again from 1961-62. For nearly sixty years he was an instructor in OB/GYN, and in his later years was Senior Consultant to the department.

He served the library for decades and upon his death in 1993, left a substantial fund to endow library operations. Not only did Dr. McGoogan lead the way in fundraising and monetary donations himself, but he also donated his own rare book collection and contributed his knowledge through many lectures on rare books in the collection and on the history of medicine.

Dr. McGoogan was known around Omaha for his distinctive personalized Nebraska license plates, which said “STORK.”

Learn more about Dr. McGoogan in his oral history interview.

Honoring Laura Bashus’ Dedication to McGoogan Library and UNMC

Laura Bashus, McGoogan Library’s business operations administrator, will retire at the end of July after 30 years with UNMC.

She began her career at UNMC on July 25, 1994, with the College of Medicine in the Preventive and Societal Medicine department, which transitioned to the College of Public Health in 2007. As administrator, she facilitated the administrative and physical move of the department and various other entities into the newly formed college. She also provided fiscal and administrative oversight for business and human resource functions.

Laura also worked closely with UNMC Facilities on coordination of the new construction and move into the Maurer Center for Public Health building, prior to an accreditation site review by the Council on Education for Public Health.

In November 2014, she joined the McGoogan Health Sciences Library. Laura has seen the library through many space updates and was indispensable during the 2020 library renovation. She helped the team construct refreshing, collaborative environments for faculty, staff and students to perform their best work.

While at the library, Laura worked on internal and external reports, compliance oversight, growing the team, grants and partnerships, tens of thousands of financial transactions and had a hand in so many projects.

Upon reflecting on her time at UNMC, Laura said, “It’s been fun to traverse throughout campus through the years and learn of all the little nooks, shortcuts and tunnels.”

Numerous library staff confirm that Laura is “expert level” when it comes to shortcuts and tunnels throughout campus.

Congratulations on 30 years at UNMC and best wishes on your new adventures in retirement, Laura!