Dr. Darlene Parker-Kelly Discusses the Role of the University Librarian( continued)
Of course, they wanted to know do we have upto-date resources. Luckily for us, we already have them, and that’ s something that the College of Medicine has funded for the residents and those students who may not have access to UCLA, so that was good. They also wanted to know what kind of consultations we might help because our students will be doing a thesis. We talked about what we were doing already, how we helped students with their systematic reviews, their literature reviews, and how we print the posters for the students. How we provide software for the students. These are things that will not cost our students any extra money.
They wanted to know where the students are going to be located in the library space. We talked about our plan to increase our group study areas. Within the next three to four months, we will have to transform a portion of the library to create anywhere from eight-to-ten additional group study spaces. This is in preparation for our students, not only medical students but also to be utilized by all CDU students.
In your discussions of with faculty and staff of the new medical school, what augmentations to library resources and services do you envision at this time to best serve students and faculty?
Well, one of the things that we want that we had on our wish list was to acquire a librarian to work primarily with the new College of Medicine. That person would be sort of the overseer of all the things that need to happen. Until that person is hired, I would be that person. We have already started talking with many of the course directors, listening to them, helping them. They are giving us a list of resources that they would like to see. It’ s an iterative process because as we continue to build those courses out, we’ re listening to what resources they need. We have materials right now, residents use the some of the electronic resources, electronic journals, and first and second-year students will be primarily using a lot of books.
We want to make sure that we have these resources in platforms that can be utilized by all because when we think about print books, we think,‘ Oh, we don’ t really need them’; but then sometimes there are students who do.
I came from Morehouse School of Medicine. I can tell you we had students who had vision issues. Some of those students needed that print book. It’ s being cognizant of the needs of our students. Our student base could be very diverse. We want to make sure that when we’ re having these conversations with faculty and staff so that they understand that. College of Medicine staff who already work with UCLA have knowledge of this, but this all new to us. We want to make sure that when that student comes on campus the first day, I would be very shocked if that student didn’ t come to the library and didn’ t inquire where are the resources for those classes, because that’ s what I’ m used to.
I’ m also used to the medical students coming day one and so when we can get materials electronically, I don’ t have to worry about somebody coming and grab all the biochem books, right? That’ s what we’ re looking at. When that curriculum begins to be flushed out and as the curriculum continues to go through its iteration, each course we will understand those required materials, we will perform our due diligence to acquire those materials, hopefully in some type of digital or electronic format, so that they can be used widespread, but also understanding that we would do our due diligence to get at least a printed copy of all these tools as well and resources as well.
When we see students doing that thesis, just like the biomedical students a couple of months ago, we’ re very proud because we knew that we had a hand in that effort. What we want to do is to encourage folks to remember to add us in as a partner. Dr. Shahrzad Bazargan does that every year with the with the colloquium to remember that we’ re a partner. We want to continue to build those partnerships, because we are intricately involved in so many of the research projects that our students do at the University.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 10