From the Library Director, May 2026
Posted: May 4, 2026
Celebrating a Year of Success and Innovation
I would like to congratulate our faculty, staff, and students on another successful year. The library staff is especially thrilled for our graduating students—completing your journey is an amazing achievement!
Spring Semester Highlights
The libraries remained a hub of activity this spring, hosting several key events across our campuses:
- Faculty Appreciation Week: In March, we hosted receptions in Kirksville, Mesa, and St. Louis, featuring selected 2025 faculty abstracts in conjunction with Research Support.
- AI Show & Share: In collaboration with ITS, we hosted three sessions showcasing the novel and exciting ways AI is being integrated across the university.
- Data Services: We celebrated Love Data Week in February
- National Library Week was celebrated with “Joy” and make-your-own bookmarks by students on all our campuses in April.
(See our updated guides on AI, Data Services, and Research)
3D Printing Contest Winners
We are proud to announce the winners of our recent 3D printing contest, showcasing incredible student innovation:
| Place | Project | Winner(s) | Impact | |
| 1st | Force Calibration Model | Ishaan Patel, DO, ’29, ATSU-KCOM | Uses spring-loaded vertebrae to provide objective feedback on manual pressure. |  |
| 2nd | Clinical Coaching Compass Tree™ | Nhi Do, DMSc, ’26, ATSU-ASHS | A visual tool designed to track and facilitate patient-centered behavior change. |  |
| 3rd | Breast Bisection Model | J. Oberkrom, OMS II, K. Kapeller, OMS II, and J. Kraus, OMS II, ATSU-KCOM | A color-coded anatomical reference to assist students with 3D spatial learning. |  |
(See our updated guide on 3D printing)
Medical Library Association Conference Activities
Finally, I would like to congratulate our staff who have papers and posters accepted for our annual conference in late May.
Dot Winslow, Laura Barkema, Hal Bright: Beyond the Desk: Using a Targeted Email Campaign to Boost Student Engagement and Success in PA Clinical Rotations
Mohammad Aslam: Designing Effective Interfaces to Optimize User Experience in Academic Libraries
Maud Mundava: Oh the Places You’ll Go: Career Pathways in Health Sciences Librarianship
Leslie Golamb, Hal Bright: Medical Librarianship in the 21st Century: A Bibliometric Analysis of Four Core Journals
Maud Mundava: It’s Not Just Paperwork: Reimagining Evaluations as Collaborative Conversations
Laura Barkema: Got Curriculum? Scaffolded Instruction to Support Student Learning and Growth
Stay tuned for a post-conference wrap up in our next newsletter.