2026 MCMLA Annual Meeting
Full Schedule and Proceedings
Annual Meeting Schedule At a Glance
10:15 – 11:15am: Morning Presentations Session 1
- Heidi Greenberg; Catherine Soehner
- Ashley Meisenheimer
- Colleen Foy
- Tina M. Drew; Yumin Jiang
11:15 – 11:30am: Morning Break
11:30am – 12:15pm: Morning Presentations Session 2
- Emily Vardell; Nena Schvaneveldt; Amy Blevins
- Jeff Slagell
- Dana Abbey
12:15 – 1pm: Lunch Break
1:45 – 2pm: Afternoon Break 1
2 – 2:45pm: Afternoon Presentations
- Cindy Schmidt; Danielle Westmark
- Evelyn Wang
- Emily Vardell; Michelle Rau
2:45 – 3pm: Afternoon Break 2
4:30 – 4:40pm: Closing Remarks
Posters
Annual Meeting Sessions
Thursday, October 1
All times are in Central Time (CDT)
9 – 9:15am: Welcome and Kick Off
Annual Meeting Co-Chairs
Peter Johnson, MISLT, University of Kansas Medical CenterDebra Loguda-Summers, A.T. Still University
Tina M. Drew, MLIS, University of Colorado Anschutz
9:15 – 10:15am: Keynote Speaker, Amy Harris Houk
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats: How Neurodivergent-Friendly Environments in Libraries Benefit Everyone
Amy Harris Houk, MLIS, UNC Greensboro
Amy is the Assistant Dean of Teaching and Learning at the University Libraries at UNC Greensboro, who is currently serving as Interim Dean. She also serves as the liaison to Counseling and Educational Development; Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations; Information, Library, and Research Sciences; and Teacher Education and Higher Education. She was diagnosed as an adult with inattentive-type Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and her research interests include library management and supporting neurodivergent librarians and library patrons.
A 2025 research study by London et al. found that 13.9% of adults in the US self-reported have been diagnosed with ADHD. This number has increased substantially over the past decade, as has the number of people diagnosed with Autism. Awareness of neurodiversity has also increased, but many Autistic people and people with ADHD struggle to be successful in a workplace that was not designed for them. Neurodivergent (an umbrella term which includes but is not limited to people with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning differences, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and sensory processing disorders) people remain a minority in the US, but the same work environment and culture where neurodivergent people can thrive benefit all employees.
Amy, who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, spent years in this type of environment and now uses her positional authority to try and make her workplace more accessible for all. This presentation will discuss how Universal Design, along with the guiding principles of flexibility, open communication and transparency, regular feedback, and collaboration can benefit neurodivergent and neurotypical employees alike.
10:15 – 11:15am: Morning Presentations Session 1
Building Through Change: People, Spaces, and Service in a Health Sciences Library Renovation
This presentation explores how a library continued operations and supported staff and users throughout a major, multi-phase renovation by adapting workspaces, communication, and services. The experience demonstrates that putting people at the center of change management builds resilience, maintains continuity, and can ultimately strengthen the community.
- Heidi Greenberg, University of Utah (Co-Presenter)
- Catherine Soehner, University of Utah (Co-Presenter)
Small Changes for Big Impact: Reinforcing Core Competencies for Nursing Students
This presentation looks at reworking a bachelor's level nursing class to better align with the department's teaching goals, while also supporting the library's curriculum. Content will focus on ways to adjust your instruction, whether coming in as a new or seasoned medical librarian, and activities that focus more on critical thinking, reading and comprehension, and foundational search skills.
- Ashley Meisenheimer, Regis University (Presenter)
Health Literacy Development Through Storytelling
This presentation will share the development, facilitation, execution, and outcomes of a summative assignment combining the Graphic Medicine and Zine modalities to communicate a health-related message in a credit-bearing library course for undergraduates.
- Colleen Foy, MLIS, AHIP, RTIF, Wake Forest University (Presenter)
Archives Without an Archivist: Practical Strategies for Managing Hidden Collections
The Strauss Health Sciences Library's Collection Management Department maintains a largely unprocessed collection of archival materials and artifacts related to medicine and the health sciences. Without a dedicated archivist and facing ongoing budget and staffing limitations, the department sought practical ways to improve stewardship, organization, and preservation of these collections.
- Tina M. Drew, MLIS, University of Colorado Anschutz (Co-Presenter)
- Yumin Jiang, University of Colorado Anschutz (Co-Presenter)
11:15 – 11:30am: Morning Break
11:30am – 12:15pm: Morning Presentations Session 2
Developing Reporting Standards for Advancing Educational Research in Health Sciences Libraries
This presentation provides an update on the Medical Library Association / Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (MLA/AAHSL) Educational Research and Assessment Task Force's efforts to develop standards and guidance for conducting and reporting educational research in health sciences libraries. Attendees will learn about the task force's emerging framework, reporting recommendations, and plans for training and dissemination aimed at improving research quality, consistency, and the demonstration of librarian impact in health sciences education.
- Dr. Emily Vardell, Emporia State University (Co-Presenter)
- Nena Schvaneveldt, University of Utah (Co-Presenter)
- Amy Blevins, Indiana University School of Medicine (Co-Presenter)
- John Cyrus, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Molly Knapp, University of Houston
- Mark MacEachern, University of Michigan
- Laura Menard, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
- Joey Nicholson, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
- Brandon Patterson, University of Utah
- Laura Zeigen, Oregon Health and Science University
Beyond the Policy: Practical Lessons in Library Emergency Management
Participants will gain practical recommendations along with unexpected challenges based on firsthand experiences involving fires, flooding, bomb threats, and active shooter incidents.
- Jeff Slagell, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (Presenter)
Data to Insights: Citizen Science in Health Education
This presentation introduces flipped citizen science, a practical and affordable approach that enables health sciences libraries and other educational settings to support STEM learning and community engagement by using existing citizen science datasets rather than collecting new data. Participants will learn how libraries can use public data and trusted information resources to create meaningful learning experiences, expand programming, and build community partnerships.
- Dana Abbey, University of Colorado Anschutz (Presenter)
12:15 – 1pm: Lunch Break
1 – 1:45pm: Lightning Rounds
The Here-For-You-Librarian
Experiences as a live presence with a virtual library.
- Jerry Carlson, UCHealth (Presenter)
Creating Community: Development of a Regional Evidence Synthesis Symposium
This presentation describes the development of a free, regional evidence synthesis symposium developed by librarians from multiple institutions in Colorado. Designed to address growing demand for evidence synthesis support and foster a community of practice, the inaugural event brought together librarians from around the state for networking and professional development.
- Katherine Downton, University of Colorado Anschutz (Presenter)
- Anna Ferri, Colorado State University
- Ben Harnke, University of Colorado Anschutz
- Ruby L. Nugent, National Jewish Health
- Ellie Svoboda, University of Colorado Anschutz
Analog Outreach in a Digital Age: Increasing Connections with Medical School Library Patrons
Our patrons utilize the library primarily as a quiet study space, but we wanted to improve engagement and resources awareness, so we implemented 3 analog efforts this year: more substantial snacks, Question of the Week whiteboard, and an information bulletin board, highlighting an online library resource (changed weekly). We feel all 3 accomplished their goals of increasing engagement and knowledge.
- Danielle Masursky, Kansas City University (Presenter)
Prompt Like a Pro: Tips for Better AI Results
Now that artificial intelligence (AI) assistance is built into many of the interfaces we use, it is more essential than ever to develop effective prompt writing skills. This session will present a helpful framework, as well as specific advice for utilizing the framework effectively to solicit the most useful responses.
- Danielle Masursky, Kansas City University (Presenter)
Cultivating AI Exploration Through a Peer-Led Informal Exchange
This presentation introduces a university-wide "AI Show & Share" series designed to help hesitant or curious faculty and staff discover practical AI applications through informal peer demonstrations. Hosted by the library, the series helps to demystify technology and encourage cross-campus dialogue.
- Julia Peters, A.T. Still University (Presenter)
Prescribing Better Metadata: An Inclusive Subject Headings Project
This presentation outlines a reparative cataloging project that enhanced or replaced outdated and/or offensive metadata in the subject heading fields of bibliographic records. The library developed a technical workflow to achieve changes related to the topics of disability, illness, mental health, and addiction.
- Laura Riley, University of Colorado Anschutz (Presenter)
A "Graduation Checklist" to Boost Early Career Librarians into Mid-Career
Navigating how to build professional experience can be overwhelming for new health sciences librarians and for those who mentor them. Recognizing this gap, a professional group developed a checklist of action items and projects that early career librarians can use to guide their professional development so they can "graduate" from early career to mid-career.
- Annisija Hunter, South Dakota State University (Co-Presenter)
- Samantha Nunn, University of Utah (Co-Presenter)
- Laura Barkema, A.T. Still University (Co-Presenter)
- Sarah Villere, Intermountain Health (Co-Presenter)
- Perry Weidling, University of Kansas Medical Center (Co-Presenter)
Topic and State Guides at RHIhub
Session attendees will learn about Rural Health Information Hub guides that connect users with the key resources and information for a variety of rural health topics.
- Sarah Dauterive, Rural Health Information Hub (Presenter)
Creating a Collaboration-Focused Space to Expand a Health Sciences Library's Impact
Innovation spaces need not be permanent to be successful. By piloting new models, evaluating their impact, and adapting as institutional needs evolve, libraries can act as incubators for emerging programs and catalysts for long-term organizational change.
- Emily Glenn, MLIS, AHIP-D,University of Nebraska Medical Center (Co-Presenter)
- Brian Maass, MA-ISLT, University of Nebraska Medical Center (Co-Presenter)
1:45 – 2pm: Afternoon Break 1
2 – 2:45pm: Afternoon Presentations
Between Two Indexing Worlds: A Comparison of MEDLINE and Embase Subheadings
- Cindy Schmidt, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Danielle Westmark, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Exploring AI Supported Clinical Reasoning and Evidence Gathering: A Pilot Teaching Project with UpToDate Expert AI
This presentation describes a librarian-led pilot teaching framework that uses hypothetical clinical cases and UpToDate Expert AI to support clinical reasoning and evidence gathering. Participants will learn the Prompt, Pause, Check, Exit workflow and practical approaches for critically reviewing AI-generated responses and verifying supporting evidence.
- Evelyn Wang, University of New Mexico
Exploring Spaces, Places, and People: A Thematic Analysis of Three Years of MLA Conference Presentations
This presentation examines research paper presentation abstracts from the 2022 to 2024 Medical Library Association annual conferences to identify key themes and emerging trends in health sciences librarianship. The analysis highlights a broad range of topics, with growing attention to post-COVID-19 library services, artificial intelligence, and systematic reviews, resulting in a framework that can help health information professionals monitor evolving priorities and prepare for future needs in the field.
- Dr. Emily Vardell, Emporia State University (Co-Presenter)
- Michelle Rau, Oakland University (Co-Presenter)
- Dr. Deborah Charbonneau, Wayne State University
2:45 – 3pm: Afternoon Break 2
3 – 4:30pm: Panels
Renovation Reflections: Library-Led Health Sciences Library Renovation and Expansion Projects
This panel brings together academic health sciences, library administrators, and industry partners who have collaborated on successful library renovation and construction projects. Panelists will share lessons learned from projects in which the library played a significant leadership role in visioning, planning, funding, stakeholder engagement, vendor collaboration, and project execution.
Panelists
Stephanie Fulton, MSIS, AHIP, FMLA, Texas A&M University
Stephanie is the Associate University Librarian in the Medical Sciences Library at Texas A&M University. Reporting through the University Libraries, Stephanie and her team serve the six schools of Texas A&M Health and the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences with physical library locations across the state of Texas.
Emme Lopez, MLIS, Texas A&M University
Emme is the Head of the Research & Education Department at the Texas A&M Medical Sciences Library and works as the Assistant University Librarian for the Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Division within the University Libraries. Her work, informed by experience in a variety of academic and corporate settings, is focused on developing and maintaining services designed to support evidence-based practice instruction, research, and clinical practice.
Michael Taylor, Community Furnishing Group
Michael is President of Community Furnishing Group, which includes Library Interiors of Texas, leading a national platform focused on thoughtfully designed library, learning, and community environments. He has spent his career working closely with library leaders to navigate complex renovation and new construction projects, helping connect early vision and planning with the practical realities of procurement, project management, delivery, and installation.
Katie Prentice, MSIS, AHIP, Texas Medical Center Library
Katie is Executive Director at the Texas Medical Center Library (TMC Library) in Houston, Texas. With over 20 years of experience, she now manages library services and information resources for the member institutions of the TMC Library, serving the community of students, faculty/staff, researchers, and clinicians. Katie chose a career in library and information science after serving as a volunteer English language teacher in the Republic of Latvia with the United States Peace Corps.
Dr. Melissa L. Rethlefsen, PhD, MSLS, AHIP, FMLA, University of New Mexico
Melissa is the Dean of the Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Prior to coming to New Mexico in 2021, she held health sciences library positions at the University of Florida, University of Utah, Mayo Clinic, the Minnesota Department of Health, and the University of Minnesota.
Daniel Burgard, MSLIS, University of North Texas Health Science Center
Daniel recently retired after working for 26 years at the Gibson D. Lewis Health Science Library at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. He served as Library Director and University Librarian from 2009 through August of 2026 and one of his last projects was to guide a several million-dollar renovation of the Lewis Library building. Daniel also served as the Director of NNLM's South Central Region and Region 3 from 2016 to 2026.
Supporting Mental Health in Health Sciences Libraries: A Conversation with Mental Health Professionals and Library Leaders
Supporting Mental Health in Health Sciences Libraries: A Conversation for Library Leaders brings together mental health professionals and library leaders to discuss practical approaches for fostering well-being in academic and health sciences library settings. Participants will explore leadership strategies, supportive workplace practices, and ways libraries can cultivate environments that promote mental health, resilience, and a culture of care for staff and patrons.
Hosted by the MCMLA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Panelists
Dr. Jazmyne Peters, Licensed Psychologist, University of Colorado Boulder
Jazmyne, a Denver native, is a licensed psychologist and researcher at CU Boulder who leads As You Are: Noir, a body image program designed to address the unique experiences of Black girls and young women. She is a dedicated advocate for justice, focusing on the impacts of misogynoir and promoting the mental, emotional, and social well-being of Black girls and women.
Hillary Pearson, Program Manager, Accessibility Services in ALA's Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services
Hillary is the Accessibility Services Program Manager in the American Library Association's Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services, where she advances accessibility initiatives, develops resources, supports disability inclusion efforts, and manages key programs such as the Schneider Family Book Awards. She is also a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals.
Ian Ross Hughes, Humanities Librarian, Creighton University
Ian is a Humanities Librarian at Creighton University. His research interests include mental health awareness, comedy in the classroom, and awareness of working conditions. In addition to being a librarian, Ian is a comedian performs comedy discussing being a librarian and living with the stigmas of mental health issues.
4:30 – 4:40pm: Annual Meeting Wrap Up
Posters
Librarians' Literature Search's Contribution to Hospital's 5 Years Goals
This poster highlights how the Clinical and Research Library at Children's Hospital Colorado supported the hospital's 2020 to 2025 strategic goals through literature search services, completing 1,075 searches aligned with priorities such as patient care, mental health, research, education, collaboration, and operational excellence. The findings demonstrate that library services support a wide range of clinical and non-clinical staff and help ensure that hospital decision-making and patient care are informed by current evidence. [MCMLA Pos...rding 2026 | PowerPoint]
- Catisha Benjamin, MLIS AHIP, Children's Hospital Colorado (Co-Presenter)
- Marie St. Pierre, MLIS AHIP, Children's Hospital Colorado (Co-Presenter)
Encouraging Student Wellness Through Leisure Reading: A Health Sciences Library's Collection Development Journey
Learn more about how the McGoogan Health Sciences Library created a leisure reading collection to meet the wellness needs of their health sciences students and how they overcame some of the challenges that came along with it.
- Jess D. King, University of Nebraska Medical Center (Presenter)
Graphic Medicine for Health and Well-Being Outreach
A relatively low-cost graphic medicine collection supports library outreach by making health and well-being topics more approachable. It draws users in through leisure reading and themed book displays, and it connects with the wider community through art and cultural events.
- Jeffery Loo, UC San Diego (Co-Presenter)
- Zemirah Ngow, UC San Diego (Co-Presenter)
- Karen Heskett, UC San Diego
In U.S. We Trust?: Librarian Perspectives on Federal Government Health Information Reliability – An MLA RTI Fellow Research Project
This poster highlights ongoing research from a 2025–2026 MLA RTI Fellow project examining how medical librarians and staff use government health agency sources. It explores how recent structural and leadership changes at these agencies affect staff trust, vetting processes, and the current or future distribution of health information.
- Ruby L. Nugent, National Jewish Health (Presenter)
Growing Smarter Systems: Creating Efficient Student Employee Workflows Through Collaboration
In 2023, supervision of the student employment program was centralized under a dedicated coordinator. A comprehensive review of the program's existing workflows was conducted in collaboration with the Access Services Manager and the HR Business Manager. Together, the team identified areas for improvement related to hiring consistency, expectations setting, onboarding documentation, and supervisor preparedness.
- Brittany Robinson, University of Colorado Anschutz (Presenter)
- David Martinez, University of Colorado Anschutz
Who Has Embase? A Preliminary Framework for Benchmarking Database Access Among Peer Health Sciences Libraries
This poster presents a preliminary framework for benchmarking database access among peer institutions via a content analysis of R1 universities examining library types, evidence synthesis support, and publicly documented database (Embase) access.
- Breck Turner, Saint Louis University (Presenter)
Connecting Libraries with Resources to Reduce Substance Use: The Power of Spaces, Places, and People
This poster highlights a collaborative initiative that brought together academic library faculty and public librarians to explore how libraries can support individuals affected by alcohol and substance use disorders through peer support resources, bibliotherapy, and reading groups. It showcases an online toolkit developed from the project, providing practical resources and adaptable strategies that libraries can use to foster connection, belonging, and recovery within their communities.
- Dr. Emily Vardell, Emporia State University (Presenter)
- Dr. Jenny Bossaller, University of Missouri
- Dr. Bobbie Long, Emporia State University
- Dr. Noah Lenstra, UNC Greensboro
- April Roy, Kansas City Public Library