Double duty for new librarian

Curricular, research assistance for OU-COM and CORE constituents available from Learning Resources Center

By Angelina Young

(ATHENS, OH - 1-13-10) The new librarian at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (OU-COM) Learning Resource Center (LRC) is doing double duty.

Debra Orr, M.S.S., M.L.I.S., who took over the duties of Bobbi Conliffe following her retirement last year, also serves as the health sciences librarian at Ohio University’s Alden Library. After spending four years at Alden in that position, now Orr splits her time with the LRC, located on the first floor of Grosvenor Hall.

A native Ohioan, Orr received her bachelor of arts degree in social and behavioral sciences from The Ohio State University and a masters in social sciences from Ohio University. Prior to her library career, she was the administrator for the Head and Neck Oncology Program at the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center—James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute—in Columbus. During that time, part of her job was to conduct literature searches for otolaryngology head and neck surgeons.

“I found I really enjoyed working on lit searches; to me it’s like solving a puzzle,” Orr said.

As result of her newfound interests, Orr earned a masters in library and information sciences from Kent State University. Soon after, she came to Athens to work as the health and sciences librarian, a position she has held for the past four years.

The Learning Resource Center serves OU-COM students. Unlike Alden library, which is a research library, the LRC is focused on curriculum-based resources, Orr said. The majority of items found in the LRC are copies of the textbooks that are used in learning modules.

Access to research resources and assistance has been a very valuable resource for students, faculty and staff throughout the entire CORE system, as well as OU-COM.

“We do assist with literature searches, interlibrary loan/document delivery, a well as other services offered through Alden Library for faculty,” Orr said.

Off-campus CORE personnel are more likely to use the services that come through Alden Library, Orr said. One of the biggest advantages to this relationship for the CORE is OhioLINK. OhioLINK is a resource that allows access to any documents—journals, books, etc.—in the OhioLINK system of libraries.

OU-COM students do have the added bonus is having the same librarian to help students and faculty at both Athens locations, Orr noted.

Orr and the LRC keep in contact with all CORE libraries. Every year, the CORE librarians and the LRC librarian meet for a day at a CORE hospital site for CORE Librarian’s Day.

“During this meeting, we discuss issues that are noteworthy to all CORE librarians, such as changes in policies—be it from the AOA, the CORE board, or other governing bodies—hospital library standards, emergency preparedness, and education on OMT or the CORE Research Office,” Orr said. The fifth annual CORE Librarian’s Day is scheduled for May 6, at Affinity Medical Center in Massillon.