If you’ve spent any time using Himmelfarb Library’s website, you’ve probably seen our Ask Us Chat. This chat reference service is one of the more popular ways Himmelfarb users get answers to their questions. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it’s natural to wonder if you’re actually speaking to a real person or just a chatbot when you interact with chat services online.
Himmelfarb’s Ask Us Chat service is staffed by real people Monday through Thursday from 8am to 8pm, and on Friday from 8am to 5pm. You’re not only chatting with a real person, but you’re chatting with a member of Himmelfarb’s dedicated reference department who are trained and skilled at finding answers to your toughest reference questions! You’ve probably even seen the person you’re chatting with around the library, or leading a webinar or tutorial you’ve watched. They might even be embedded in one of your classes!
We thought it was time that we introduce ourselves, so you can get to know some of the folks on the other side of the chat who are answering your questions. Without further ado, we’d like you to meet three of our amazing Reference Librarians: Rachel, Tom, and Deborah!
Rachel Brill
Rachel joined Himmelfarb’s reference and instruction department about two years ago, and has been a vital part of the Himmelfarb team ever since! When asked what her favorite part of working reference at Himmelfarb was, she said “It’s a really special feeling when someone’s been struggling to find that piece of information they need, and I’m able to locate it for them.” When Rachel isn’t at work, she likes to play with her cat and listen to show tunes.
Rachel wants our library users to know that “there are no ‘stupid’ questions that you can ask us - the Himmelfarb librarians are passionate about helping you learn, so ask away!”
Tom Harrod
Tom has been with Himmelfarb for about 13 and a half years and is one of the longest-serving reference librarians on staff. He now oversees the Reference and Instruction and Circulation departments at Himmelfarb as Associate Director of Reference, Instruction, and Access.
Tom’s favorite part of working reference is: “the feeling of knowing you’ve helped someone do something that had previously been a source of anxiety or uncertainty for them.” Tom gave the example of being able to help a student who wants to do a systematic review but doesn’t know what that entails. He enjoys “being able to talk them through the process, breaking it down into discrete steps they can take, and eventually, they have a growing feeling of comfort with the project because they now have a direction to go.”
Tom explained that there’s such a variety of chat questions - some quick questions that can be answered in 30 seconds or less, and other, more complex questions that can go on for multiple hours! Tom shared that “after having answered many chat questions over the years, there’s always something new you’ve never heard before that presents a challenge.”
When asked about his hobbies outside of work, Tom said “I used to have hobbies but instead, I now have a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old child. I am currently able to make some time for reading and last summer I embraced the typical ‘dad’ activity of becoming enthusiastic about BBQing/smoking food on the grill.”
Tom wants our users to know that “though we do our best to answer every question that comes in via chat, we’re also happy to set up a phone, in-person, or virtual meeting to handle more complicated, in-depth consultations.” Reach out to us via email (himmelfarb@gwu.edu) to schedule a meeting!
Deborah Wassertzug
Deborah has been a valued member of our reference team since December 2022. Her favorite part of working reference at Himmelfarb is all of the people she comes into contact with, whether online or in person.
When asked about a memorable chat interaction, she had two to share:
“When I worked at another university, someone signed onto library chat and demanded to know whether I was a human being or a bot. I assured them I was human."
“At GW, my favorite chat interactions turn into consultations! Sometimes there is a quick answer, but other times it is the tip of an iceberg -- it is always fun to get to delve more in-depth with a research project someone is just starting on.”
Outside of work, Deborah enjoys going to a lot of concerts, mostly classical and indie rock. She also writes poetry. Deborah wants our users to know that “Everyone who works at Himmelfarb is truly dedicated to providing the best possible library service and the strongest support for researchers.”
Ask Us! Real People are Waiting to Answer Your Questions!
So now you’ve met some of the real people who answer your Ask Us chat questions every day! Please reach out via chat, email (himmelfarb@gwu.edu), or call us at 202-994-2850 with your questions. Regardless of your preferred method of communication, you’ll be connected to a real person who can answer your questions. And rest assured, we’ll always work to find answers to your toughest questions.
"I do not know that answer right now - but I will do everything in my power to get that information for you. Please hold..."
We are very happy to welcome Rebecca Kyser to the Himmelfarb Library staff! Rebecca started work here as a Reference and Instruction Librarian in early October. She joins us from Otterbein University in Ohio where she was an Information Literacy Librarian. Rebecca has a Master of Science in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois where she won the Health Science Information Management Award and a Bachelor’s degree in English and Digital Studies from the University of Wisconsin. Here’s some things to know about Rebecca!
Tell us about your studies and work before Himmelfarb and how you got here.
Before Himmelfarb, I was a Visiting Information Literacy Librarian at a liberal arts college in central Ohio. It was a blast working there: I got to teach my own course during spring semester, and I had a lot of fun working with students. While I was in grad school, I worked as a research assistant studying Covid-19 misinformation, along with other types of health misinformation. I continue to do that research to this day; I find it somewhat amusing that I only have a TikTok account for research purposes.
What are you doing in your new position at Himmelfarb?
My position here is to serve in Reference and Instruction. Along with my colleagues, I’ll be working at the reference desk, monitoring the online reference chat, and doing some instruction in the Practice of Medicine courses. I hope to bring my specialized knowledge into the library more: medical misinformation has always existed but social media has really amplified it. My hope is that I can provide resources to better help students prepare for encountering it in practice.
What have you most enjoyed about working here so far?
I’m really excited to work in an actual medical library. It’s super interesting to see what students are working on, and how we approach medical education in the digital age. My Mom worked as a nurse in the old GW Hospital, so it’s really fun to compare her stories to how things are today.
What if anything has surprised you?
I don’t think I’m surprised by much, as I have worked in both medicine and librarianship before, but I will say I am adjusting from going from the Midwest to the East Coast. The fact that train service is so abundant here has been delightful: I don’t miss the amount of driving I had to do, that’s for sure.
What do you like to do in your time away from work?
I’m a pretty avid knitter, so my hands are often busy with my latest project. I’m also a huge fan of board games and trivia, so if anyone needs help on learning the board game Pandemic (we have it on the first floor), I would be happy to help.
October is National Medical Librarians month. Started by the Medical Library Association in 2001, it is “an annual observance that recognizes and appreciates the critical role that health information professionals play in healthcare, research, and education.“
This year’s theme is Yes, We Do That! Librarians and library staff at Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library do everything from literature searching and systematic review service and consultation, to providing support for virtual anatomy and 3D printing. Here are some of the things Himmelfarb librarians and library staff did over the last academic year:
Answered 2,188 reference questions through chat, email and at the Himmelfarb service desk, including 574 in-depth consultations for literature searches, systematic reviews, predatory journal consultations and for other reference and research support services.
Taught 725 education sessions to 7,422 attendees.
Ran 1863D print jobs for users.
Loaned over 3,800 books and other materials to users.
Borrowed 372 consortium loan service books for users and provided over 1,500 articles, chapters, and books through interlibrary loan services to users.
Purchased and processed 400+ new print books for Himmelfarb collections and 9 new anatomy models for the Bloedorn lab on the third floor - stop by and check them out!
Licensed and activated 619 new ebooks for users.
Provided service for 1.2 million links to full-text electronic resources.
Added 2,307 records representing GW SMHS, GW School of Public Health, and GW School of Nursing scholarly output to the Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC). 192,814 items were downloaded from HSRC by researchers at 7,704 institutions in 216 countries!
Published 16 instructional videos to the Himmelfarb YouTube channel representing over 2 hours of original content, with high-quality closed captioning edited manually by library staff. Our new videos were viewed 465 times (13.27 total hours of watch time), out of 23,227 views (1,292 hours) for all content on our channel.
Created 9 and maintained 341 Research Guideson topics including APA Citation format, library tutorials, guides to databases, and resource guides by subject. Research Guides had over 2 million page views by users at GW and beyond.
Himmelfarb library staff members are here to support your research, education, and clinical information needs. Reach out to us through our chat service (always staffed by a Himmelfarb librarian or reference specialist), email at himmelfarb@gwu.edu, phone at 202-994-2850, or stop by our service desk.
Himmelfarb Library congratulates Catherine Sluder on her 40th anniversary working at The George Washington University! Catherine has been a member of Himmelfarb’s staff since May of 1985, and we are lucky to have had her as part of our team for the past 38 years!
We interviewed Catherine to learn more about her amazing career at Himmelfarb, the changes she’s seen in her time here, and why she enjoys working at Himmelfarb.
When did you start working at GW? What was your first position here?
I worked one summer in the early 1980s for the Pathology Department. My father, Frank Miller, was still teaching Pathology at GW, and he hired me to organize the department’s collection of stored specimens and slides.
When did you start working at GW? What was your first position here?
I worked one summer in the early 1980s for the Pathology Department. My father, Frank Miller, was still teaching Pathology at GW, and he hired me to organize the department’s collection of stored specimens and slides.
Image: Catherine standing next to the portrait of her father, Frank Miller. Catherine gets to walk past this portrait every day on her way to her office on the 3rd floor of the library.
When did you start working at Himmelfarb? What was your first position at Himmelfarb?
I started working at Himmelfarb in May of 1985. I worked at the Audiovisual (AV) Study Center (now the Bloedorn Technology Center). All lectures were recorded on cassette tapes, which we made copies of for the students on high-speed tape duplicators. We checked out boxes of 35mm Pathology slides and did lots of equipment troubleshooting.
What different positions have you held during your time at Himmelfarb?
In 1991, I became assistant manager of the AV Study Center, and later became manager of the renamed Bloedorn Technology Center. For many years, I have also worked with the Circulation Department, and have coordinated onsite access to Himmelfarb.
Tell us about your current position and what you do at Himmelfarb.
I still manage the Bloedorn Technology Center and oversee physical access to Himmelfarb. And I’m part of the Circulation Department team. I recently became the library’s current 3D printing liaison. And I have the privilege of being a library instructor in CIS small groups. Getting to know, work with, and learn from our medical students has been more rewarding than anything else I’ve done at Himmelfarb.
Can you tell us about how Himmelfarb has changed over your career?
The biggest change I experienced was the transition from physical media to digital. The old AV Study Center was stocked with 35mm slide projectors, VHS and U-Matic video players, and x-ray view boxes.
Years later, we offer VR anatomy programs to our students and are building a collection of streaming media titles in the health sciences and public health. Our assortment of anatomical models, articulated skeletons, and bone boxes, however, have never gone out of fashion. In fact, we are currently expanding our collection of anatomical models.
What are some of the things you enjoy most about your job and working at Himmelfarb?
I have always loved the people I work with (I can’t imagine working without them). And I love that our administration has continually encouraged staff to grow and to master new skills. And if you’re passionate about something that you’d like to pursue, however outside the boundaries of your traditional job description, supervisors and administrators will help you to nurture that passion in a way that benefits both you and the library.
Can you share one or two of your favorite memories of working at Himmelfarb?
When my boss at the time (and forever friend) Lynn Povanda managed the AV Study Center, we used to celebrate AV staff birthdays at work with champagne and white chocolate cake from the Watergate Bakery. We’d invite a few folks from the first floor to join us if we knew that they liked the bubbly (and wouldn’t snitch on us).
Also, in the festive vein, Himmelfarb staff have always thrown terrific winter holiday parties. The older parties were lavish potluck affairs. We’d decorate every square foot of Room B103, and then we’d indulge in all the amazing food that our co-workers had prepared.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I came to Himmelfarb Library as an avowed technophobe. With the encouragement and support of many colleagues over the years, I have learned to face my fears and to adapt to the challenge of new technologies in ways that would have surprised my older self.
And I hope that my father would be proud of my role, however tiny, in continuing to share knowledge with our medical students.
Catherine has certainly seen many changes in her time working here. We are appreciative that she has documented so many of these changes by being our unofficial photographer for Himmelfarb events. Even though she spends a lot of time behind the camera, we’re lucky to have captured some pretty great pictures of Catherine through the years.
Catherine (sitting) and former staff member Anne (standing) in the old computer lab.Catherine (right) posing with Josh (left) and Himmelfarb’s old Mickey Mouse painting.Catherine (2nd from left) with former staff members Lynn, Anne, and Lance (left to right).Catherine (2nd from left) posing with other “Crowned Heads of State” Himmelfarb staff members. Catherine (right) attending a service awards event with Barabara and Lynn (left to right).Catherine and George, former Acquisitions Librarian.Catherine (left) & current Himmelfarb Librarians Sara, Ruth, & Laura (left to right) at the GW Give a Gift present drop-off.Catherine (2nd from right), with former Himmelfarb staff members Anne, Truman, and Aytan (left to right).Catherine and Himmelfarb staff circa 2019.Catherine received the SMHS Dean’s Excellence in Service Award in March 2022 from Dean Bass.Catherine (middle) with Himmelfarb staff (Ruth, Laura, Kathy, & Tom - left to right) after receiving the SMHS Dean’s Excellence in Service Award in March 2022.
Catherine has long been a valued colleague to the staff she’s worked with through the years. So we thought it only fitting that we give current Himmelfarb staff an opportunity to express their congratulations and share their thoughts about working with Catherine on this momentous occasion. Here’s what they had to say:
“Catherine exemplifies what we strive for at Himmelfarb. She is a detail-oriented problem solver who focuses on providing consistent and high-quality services for our users. Catherine's thorough understanding of library systems, services, and processes, is demonstrated as she looks for ways to make improvements to support users and library staff alike. I'm most impressed with Catherine's work as a library instructor over the past few years as she took on a new challenge and systematically sought to learn a new type of library work, asking questions, clarifying her understanding, and asking for feedback along the way - demonstrating her commitment to serving Himmelfarb's users as she learned and expanded her skill set.” ~ Laura Abate
“Working with Catherine has always been an absolute pleasure. Not only has she always been so helpful, and always in a fantastic mood, Catherine also never seems to mind it when I flood her inbox with cat pictures. Happy 40th Catherine! Himmelfarb is lucky to have you!” ~ Andy Puro
“Cat Sluder is one cool cat!” ~ Temitayo Wolff
"Congratulations on 40 years at Himmelfarb, Catherine! What an amazing accomplishment!" ~ Rachel Brill
“When I started working at Himmelfarb, I wasn't necessarily expecting to find colleagues to talk about fairly obscure music with. I was so happy to discover that in Catherine! She is also one of the most positive people I know. I am always smiling after a chat with Catherine.” ~ Deborah Wassertzug
“Catherine is a kind-hearted, creative, and wonderful colleague. She has a great personality and is always willing to extend a helping hand. Catherine is usually one of the first people I see every morning and she is always upbeat and energetic, even at 8am. I love the work she does when it comes to celebrating staff birthdays and she has incredible Photoshop, video editing, and graphic design skills! I am so grateful that I get to work alongside Catherine!” ~ Brittany Smith
“Working with Catherine is one of my favorite things about working at Himmelfarb. Catherine is creative, curious, fun, and above all, kind. She has an incredible institutional memory that we will never be able to replace, while always keeping up with the changes in service and technology over the years. Catherine keeps me sane when things get crazy! She always provides a laugh or a virtual hug when most needed.” ~ JoLinda Thompson
“Catherine has always been a joy to work with. I appreciate how she always has everyone's back. She is always ready to lend a helping hand to staff, students, and faculty. Her patience and smile are legendary. Congratulations Catherine on 40 years at GW!” ~ Velda Jones
“Congratulations Catherine - thank you for all you do to make Himmelfarb a welcoming place for patrons!" ~ Tom Harrod
“Catherine is by far the most humane and empathic person I know. Her capacity to connect with the pains of others is without boundaries! One day I had the misfortune of having to dispose of a trapped mouse, captured in the Library. The unique way in which the mouse was trapped didn't lead to its' demise, but a very painful outcome that involved a hind leg and genitals. So in a very Catherine kind of way, she pressed me to release the mouse outside of the campus to give it an opportunity to live. I was compelled to do just that! All because it was Catherine asking! Congratulations my friend on your 40th Work Anniversary!” ~ Lonnie Williams
“Catherine's energy and positivity are an inspiration. She is a font of ideas that make Himmelfarb a better place to work and study. Congrats to her on 40 outstanding years!” ~ Ian Roberts
“Catherine is an absolute joy to work with and I feel so lucky to call her a colleague and a friend. Catherine can always be counted on to help with projects and provide valuable advice, and words of encouragement. Her sense of humor always brightens my workday. Although Catherine has seen a lot of staff come and go in her time here, she always welcomes everyone with open arms and has an uncanny ability to not only see the best in people but to bring out the best in people! Congratulations on 40 years at GW, Catherine! I’m honored to have shared some of those years with you.” ~ Ruth Bueter
“Congratulations Catherine on this amazing milestone of 40 years at GW! It has been a pleasure to work with you over the many years. The birthday collages have to be the best idea you have created. You are always so helpful here at the library and doing what needs to be done. Again, Congratulations!!!” ~ Val Bowles
“Every organization needs at least one person holding things together and I'm so happy that Himmelfarb has you! Wishing I were talented enough to make you a special slideshow like the ones we all have come to love for our birthdays each year. I know there must be a perfect song out there somewhere to celebrate such a wonderful achievement. Congratulations and thanks for all you do!” ~ Sara Hoover
From all of us at Himmelfarb Library - Congratulations, Catherine on your 40-year anniversary at GW! It is truly an honor to work with you every day, and we are lucky to have you as part of our team!
You may have noticed a new face at the Circulation Desk in the past few months. Himmelfarb Library is happy to welcome Randy Plym to our staff. Randy is Himmelfarb’s new Evening/Weekend Circulation Supervisor. We are thrilled to have him as part of the Himmelfarb team! Here are some more things to know about Randy:
Share your path to Himmelfarb Library.
I studied English literature during undergrad and after a brief stint in an education company, I found myself working in the Chesapeake Public Library, which proved to be a formative environment. I savored the blend of working with people, ideas, and data, and it gave me the freedom (and platform) to pursue projects like escape rooms. I took a year to travel to Europe and finish a novel, and when I returned, I wanted to explore the possibility of working in a university library. I’ve edited dissertations for a long time, and I figured that the university setting would combine my experience in libraries and my time working with students. When I saw the Himmelfarb opening, I jumped at it, and so far, it’s been great.
Tell us about your position at Himmelfarb and what you do.
I’m the Evening/Weekend supervisor, so I staff the circulation desk, help the circulation assistants, maintain Himmelfarb’s physical collection, and assist with our 3D printer. Additionally, I help Library Operations fulfill ILL (interlibrary loans).
What has been the best part of working at Himmelfarb?
It’s been ennobling knowing that all the people I help (even in a small way) will one day be doctors or working in the medical field. I’ve also enjoyed getting to know the Himmelfarb staff and having many interesting conversations. They’ve been very hospitable and willing to teach me anything I need.
What do you like to do in your time away from work?
The lion’s share of my time goes to reading, writing, and trying to publish my writing, but I also like playing video games and tennis with friends (a welcome reprieve from fictional people), hiking, running, and traveling. I have a 160gb iPod that I’ve been cultivating for over a decade.
Where are you from originally, and what brought you to the DC area?
I’m originally from South Jersey but spent about ten years in Virginia Beach and a year and a half in Frankfurt, Germany. I have a few great friends in NOVA, so when I moved back to the US in January, I figured I would try living in a new place with a different job market. I’m glad I did!
This week in April is National Library Week. Are you a big fan of libraries? Now might be a fantastic opportunity to ask yourself: what are some of my favorite library experiences? Maybe you found a favorite book series or a quiet study place for an important exam. One couple in Texas even had a beautiful Library themed wedding!
Some accomplishments that we are proud of: Staff Updates:
Following Anne Linton’s many years of incredible service, Laura Abate accepted her promotion to Director of Himmelfarb Library in July 2022!
Former Serials Librarian Ruth Bueter was promoted to Associate Director of Library Operations in early March 2023. Thank you to JoLinda Thompson for her great work as Interim Associate Director of Library Operations!
Himmelfarb welcomed new staff: Our reference team has grown over the past year with the addition of Rachel Brill (Reference and Instruction Librarian), Deborah Wassertzug (Reference and Instruction Librarian), and Temitayo Wolff (Reference Specialist).
Our Metadata Specialist, Brittany Smith is relentlessly working on her Master of Library Science at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro.
Catherine Sluder, BloedornTechnology Center Manager, received the 2022 SMHS Dean's Excellence in Service Award. Bravo!
Himmelfarb Librarians have been busy publishing in the last year too! Several Himmelfarb Librarians and staff have upcoming publications, conference posters, and presentations just around the corner.
If you aren’t yet in the library spirit, we challenge you to read a book this season! Reading has been shown to reduce stress, muscle tension and to slow your heart rate. At Himmelfarb Library, we continue to be honored to serve such a diverse, talented, and intellectual group of students, staff, and faculty members here at GW. Raise High!
You may have noticed a new face at the Reference Desk in the past few weeks. Himmelfarb Library is happy to welcome Deborah Wassertzug to our staff! Deborah is Himmelfarb’s newest Reference and Instructional Librarian. She’ll be helping answer your reference questions, assisting in systematic reviews, and will be involved in teaching informatics to Practice of Medicine students. Here are some more things to know about Deborah:
What are you enjoying most about your experience at Himmelfarb Library so far?
Hands down, all of the staff. I've felt so warmly welcomed and am really enjoying getting to know everyone!
What has surprised you?
While I knew that reference and instruction librarians at Himmelfarb are directly involved with a number of courses, learning the extent to which we are has been very exciting for me. I can't wait to observe my colleagues teaching… and then take part myself.
Tell us a bit about your background.
My career in academic libraries began some time ago, and my jobs have tended to support social science disciplines. Due to various life changes, I haven't worked in an academic library full-time in a few years. I'm so happy to be back in a very familiar environment, but also to be immersed in a subject area – health sciences – which is new for me.
During my years away from librarianship, I freelanced as a translator from Italian and Spanish to English. My work has appeared in print and on screen and has ranged from interviews with people who manufacture high-performance automobiles to essays on critically acclaimed films, to documentaries on pasta making (to name just a few). My skills as a librarian served me well as a translator, and my translation skills have been useful as I do a deep dive into health sciences terminology.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy spending time with my family. We're all big music fans, both as listeners and performers. I gravitate toward obscure books and films. Occasionally I make jewelry. A very recent thing I am doing in my free time is chairing a committee at my synagogue which has planned two semesters a year of adult education classes for the past 45 years. Our group handles finding instructors and topics, marketing the classes, and sending out surveys at the end of the term. When the pandemic began, our classes shifted to Zoom, which made it possible for us to hire instructors from around the world. I never quite knew I had an aptitude for this type of work, but I've had a great time working on our schedule for Spring 2023!
Nat Curtin at left and Temitayo Wolff at right are new staff at Himmelfarb
Have you noticed some new faces at our first floor service desks? Nat Curtin and Temitayo Wolff both joined the Himmelfarb Library team in November.
Nat Curtin is the Evening and Weekend Library Assistant. She comes to us from Abrakadoodle where she was an art teacher. You’ll find Nat working at the circulation desk assisting our student workers and managing services in the late afternoon and evening hours and on Sundays. She can help you with library facilities issues, locating library materials, loans and renewals, and our 3D printing service. You can reach Nat at natalie.curtin@gwu.edu. Here are some more things to know about Nat.
What are you enjoying most about your experience at Himmelfarb Library so far?
I’ve really enjoyed getting to know all the staff- everyone has been so welcoming! I’ve also enjoyed learning more about Circulation and the different roles at Himmelfarb.
What has surprised you?
Seeing the Cage in the basement (thanks for the tour Lonnie!)
Tell us a bit about your background.
I graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and criminal justice and moved to the DMV area two years ago. I hope to pursue a degree in library sciences in the future.
What do you like to do in your free time?
If I could, I would spend all my time with my adorable cats: Clementine, Kuzco, and Tiny. I also like to read and listen to music in my free time.
Temitayo Wolff is the Daytime Reference Specialist. She worked in University art and special collections and for AmeriCorp before coming to Himmelfarb. Temitayo helps staff the first floor information desk and our library chat services during business hours. Temitayo assists with use of our collections and resources, helps users with answers to a variety of questions, and provides referral services to librarians for in-depth research questions and systematic reviews. You can reach Temitayo at temitayo.wolff@gwu.edu. Here are some more things to know about Temitayo.
What are you enjoying most about your experience at Himmelfarb Library so far?
I have been enjoying learning from other members of the Himmelfarb staff and faculty. I appreciate that everyone is so generous with their time and expertise.
What has surprised you?
I have been pleasantly surprised to find so many fellow cat lovers at Himmelfarb. I am always eager to hear about people’s cat companions and to talk about my own.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I was born and raised in DC. I got my bachelor’s degree in classical languages and literature with a concentration in linguistics from Grinnell College, where I worked in the college’s art collection and the library’s special collections and archives.
I have spent the last two years in New Orleans, where most recently I worked in the art collection at Xavier University of Louisiana. This past summer I got married and moved with my wife from her hometown back to mine.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy puzzling—crossword, jigsaw, etc.—trying out new vegan recipes, and of course lounging around with my cats, Kermit Thee Frog (as in the muppet and the rapper) and Mister Butters.
In celebration of National Medical Librarian Month, we’d like to celebrate all Himmelfarb staff and the important work they do each and every day! While working at Himmelfarb does have some similarities to working in other types of libraries, working in a health sciences library has some unique aspects. So we asked our staff to share a bit about their experiences at Himmelfarb. Here’s what they had to say:
What brought you to Himmelfarb? How did you end up working here?
“My spouse got transferred to DC and I needed a job in the area. I was working in an academic health sciences library previously and wanted to stay in that type of environment. I'd actually interviewed for another job at Himmelfarb the year before when he had another assignment to DC that subsequently got canceled.” ~ JoLinda Thompson, Associate Director of Library Operations (Interim), and Systems Librarian
“While I was in graduate school, I worked part-time for my campus' library. When I graduated, I knew I wanted to continue working with libraries. I sent out a lot of applications to various institutions in the area. Thankfully, I had a great interview experience with Himmelfarb and I knew it would be a good place to work for the foreseeable future.” ~ Brittany Smith, Metadata Specialist
“After 16 years of working in the Biomedical Communications Department of SMHS as manager of the print shop, I was asked by the VP of Himmelfarb Library and Biomedical Communications to consider helping the Library fill a much-needed vacancy. A plan was made to have me split time between the two departments. After one year, I was permanently moved full-time into Himmelfarb Library as the newly established Serials Manager.” ~ Lonnie Williams, Serials Manager
“I came to the DC area for a fellowship at NLM. I love the DMV, so wanted to stay in the area. I found the opening at Himmelfarb not long after the conclusion of my fellowship year and have been here since!” ~ Stacy Brody, Reference and Instruction Librarian
“I worked for a government contractor on an NCI (National Cancer Institute) project after I finished my master's, but really missed being in an academic setting. My husband found an ad for a reference librarian at Himmelfarb in the Washington Post's Sunday print(!) edition and I've been here ever since.” ~ Laura Abate, Library Director
“My husband and I had recently moved to DC from Fredericksburg, VA where I'd been working at a community college library. I reached out to Himmelfarb's former director, Anne Linton, whom I'd met about 6 months earlier. The reference department was short-handed at the time, and I ended up helping out at the reference desk a few days a week. During that time, a full-time position opened up, and I applied and got the job.” ~ Ruth Bueter, Serials Librarian
“I responded to a job ad in the Washington Post” ~ Yvonne Lee, Print Resources Specialist
“Prior to GW, I was working at the University of Maryland, College Park in the chemistry library. I actually applied and interviewed for two other positions at the Gelman library before being offered a job at Himmelfarb about 12 years ago.” ~ Tom Harrod, Associate Director of Reference, Instruction, and Access
If you’ve worked in non-health sciences libraries, how does working at Himmelfarb compare to your other experience?
“I worked in school library environments briefly (student teaching experiences). It was vastly different! Although during my early days at Himmelfarb (in the '90s), I applied some of the crowd management skills I learned in student teaching when we'd have large groups of students gathering on the first floor at certain times of the day.” ~ JoLinda Thompson
“When I was a student library worker, I worked for the general sciences branches of the library, like the Physics library and the Math and Engineering library, so I'm accustomed to working with library materials for specific departments and students. At first, it can feel intimidating to work with this population because I'm much more comfortable with the humanities. But ultimately, working at Himmelfarb is immensely rewarding and I learn about subjects that I would have never encountered before in my daily life.” ~ Brittany Smith
“Compared to my other library experience, Himmelfarb patrons are intelligent, motivated, serious about learning, and appreciative of the library.” ~ Yvonne Lee
“I've worked in public and special libraries. At Himmelfarb, I have more teaching responsibilities. I also have more opportunities to pursue my own professional projects and support researchers directly by conducting searches for systematic and other reviews.” ~ Stacy Brody
“The focus on recency with books and journals is very health science-specific and has forced me to reassess my understanding of collections in a couple of ways. First, it might be okay to get rid of a book just because it's ten years old. And second, while that ten-year-old book may not be of much value, a 30-year-old book may have some crucial historical information.” ~ Ian Roberts
“During grad school, I worked in the primary campus library on the reference desk. The range of questions that we received was huge. Answering a question could mean anything from showing someone where the encyclopedias were; to helping them search Lexis-Nexis via command language; to heading down to the huge, maze-like government document archives in the basement.” ~ Laura Abate
“I've worked in archives, law libraries, and scholarly publishing in the past. Himmelfarb is fun because it's so fast-paced. No two days are ever the same!” ~ Sara Hoover
“In a lot of ways, working at Himmelfarb is similar to my previous experiences in academic libraries. The biggest difference is that there's a whole other vocabulary that comes with working in a health sciences library. Not having a health science or medical background, there were a lot of terms that went way over my head at the beginning. Another pretty large change is that I get to be involved in CIS classes and get to know my students pretty well since I spend a year and a half with the same students. While I did get to interact with students and teach classes at my last library, I typically only saw students once in class and didn't have the opportunity to get to know them as well as I have here at Himmelfarb.” ~ Ruth Bueter
What do you enjoy most about working in a health sciences library?
“Knowing that what you're doing is making a very real and positive impact on the lives and health of others.” ~ JoLinda Thompson
“I enjoy seeing the unique items that are available to library patrons. I loved testing out the VR headset and using the anatomy software loaded onto the device. And it's always fascinating to hear how people use our 3D printer to print models for their research.” ~ Brittany Smith
“Working with such an expert staff!” ~ Lonnie Williams
“I love the diversity of research questions we receive in reference! I always learn something new in my searching.” ~ Stacy Brody
“The quantity and complexity of health sciences resources can be overwhelming - and I don't pretend to understand most of the medical jargon - but you pick up a lot of fascinating information working in this environment.” ~ Ian Roberts
“I've always loved the combination of working with people and systems. I love seeing our students progress toward their goals and working with all of our users to identify the right resources to support their work. And, I also love working with the library's systems and tools, and trying to keep up with the pace of change.” ~ Laura Abate
“Supporting the process of making health science research more widely accessible. The health sciences are a great place to support open science!” ~ Sara Hoover
“I love that I get to learn a lot of completely random health sciences knowledge just by virtue of interacting with Himmelfarb's resources, and our students, faculty, and staff! Every day there's something new to be learned! That said, the best part of working at Himmelfarb is getting to work with such amazing colleagues - I learn so much from my co-workers every day and I feel lucky to get to work with such great people!” ~ Ruth Bueter
“I like having access to so much health information at my fingertips.” ~ Yvonne Lee
“The range of patrons with whom we interact.” ~ Tom Harrod
Do you have a favorite and/or unique experience you’ve had while working in health sciences libraries?
“The library I worked in previously served patients and the public as well as the medical center community. This was prior to people having access to the internet at home and there was an enormous need for medical information at that level. They were often very grateful for having someone to help them find information and listen to them during a stressful and difficult time.” ~ JoLinda Thompson
“I've worked under six different Serials Librarians and have had to serve in the compacity of the Serials Librarian on a few occasions while the position was vacant.” ~ Lonnie Williams
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, I've had the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with health sciences librarians from around the world. That has been an amazing opportunity.” ~ Stacy Brody
“On a flight back from Seattle a few years back, I was seated with two women who were accompanying the first lady of Niger on a tour of the U.S. After they learned that I was a librarian and was traveling with other Himmelfarb staff, I found myself in the aisle mid-flight translating a conversation in French and English between the library director at that time, Anne Linton, and the first lady of Niger.” ~ Laura Abate
“Creating a catalog record for the Pandemic board game two months before the global pandemic.” ~ Sara Hoover
“While working at the reference desk, I received a call from the White House wanting information from a book in our reference collection.” ~ Yvonne Lee
What’s the funniest thing(s) you’ve overheard at Himmelfarb? (Because let’s face it, the health sciences can be pretty funny sometimes.)
“The view from students that Himmelfarb doesn't have a relevant resource, they get all their resources through Google searches!” ~ Lonnie Williams
“I love the April fools' and holiday articles and just the generally quirky articles that appear in the literature.” ~ Stacy Brody
“I flirted with infectious disease (said by a resident who chose another specialty).” ~ Laura Abate
“Discussion of style preferences for scrubs.” ~ Sara Hoover
“I recently overheard a student who'd just come from the anatomy lab apologize for smelling of "skull dust." I have to admit that it made me chuckle and was the highlight of my day. Things like that don't really happen in many other environments.” ~ Ruth Bueter
“The imaginative staff birthday posters are always so funny and fun!” ~ Yvonne Lee
What’s a favorite memory (or more than one) of working at Himmelfarb?
“As the librarian that maintains the Emergency Preparedness and Response Research Guide for Himmelfarb, I began closely following the news out of China about a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan in early January 2020. When the CDC began publishing information about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to its website mid-month I started adding information and links to trusted resources about it to the research guide. By end of February, there was so much information to share that a Research Guide dedicated to the novel coronavirus was developed for our users. This guide, along with the COVID-19 Situation Report that a number of Himmelfarb librarians contributed to, were shared with the GW SMHS community in the weekly GW Health Updates (now The Digest). Organizing the guide and keeping it updated was something I was able to do to help health sciences professionals on the front lines of the pandemic during that very tumultuous and heartbreaking time.” ~ JoLinda Thompson
“Having to change our Print Journals Collection, (over 7000 Volumes), into an electronic Collection in one month. All without having a Serial Librarian to create and manage the process. We experienced teamwork at its best as every unit worked to accomplish this task on time!” ~ Lonnie Williams
“Our colleagues put together an amazing virtual holiday party during peak COVID.” ~ Stacy Brody
“I love all of the beginnings at Himmelfarb - especially the new student and resident arrivals. It's rewarding to meet people who are passionate about what they're doing and are so excited about taking their next step.” ~ Laura Abate
“Match Day! Always so rewarding to see the med students go off and do great things in the world (complete with impeccable medical informatics skills)!” ~ Sara Hoover
“Some of my favorite memories are of student orientations when we get to meet the incoming class of medical students. There's always such a buzz of excitement in the air. I also have fond memories of when the first group of 1st-year med students I taught finally made it to their Match Day four years later - there's always a sense of being proud of students you've gotten to know who have finally reached such an important milestone. Himmelfarb staff have also done some pretty cool things together outside of work. I have fond memories of pre-Covid outings to Washington Nationals games, meeting up for dinner, and we even went Contra dancing at Glen Echo once!” ~ Ruth Bueter
“I enjoyed Himmelfarb's holiday parties, especially the delicious foods brought by staff.” ~ Yvonne Lee
“One that sticks out was a submission we created for the Art Show many years back with pictures provided by Himmelfarb staff of their experiences with a major snowstorm that we had had the prior winter. This was a massive storm that closed things down for several days and it was fun to see the pics people had taken when we were all trapped at home!” ~ Tom Harrod
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience at Himmelfarb or working in a health sciences library?
“I think this is an exciting time to work in a health science library and as an early career library professional, I am eager to learn as much as I can. I'm thrilled I was able to begin my career at Himmelfarb!” ~ Brittany Smith
“I love working with my coworkers and the schools we support!” ~ Lonnie Williams
“My colleagues have great taste in music :)” ~ Stacy Brody
“It can be intimidating and overwhelming, but it's rarely dull and there's always something new to learn.” ~ Ian Roberts
“While I didn't expect to end up working in a health sciences library when I was getting my library degree, I wouldn't want to work anywhere else! Himmelfarb is an amazing combination of amazing colleagues and wonderful opportunities to learn and grow both professionally and personally. I also think that working in a health sciences library, and specifically my involvement with CIS classes, has actually made me a better patient and advocate for my own health during my interactions with my own physicians. I'm more aware of questions to bring up with my doctor, or things I should mention that I may have thought were insignificant previously. Working in a health sciences library has greatly improved my own health literacy.” ~ Ruth Bueter
“Working at Himmelfarb has been a blessing - A truly GREAT place to work!” ~ Yvonne Lee
Happy National Medical Librarian Month!
We’d like to say thank you to each and every Himmelfarb staff member for all of the hard work and dedication you put in every single day! Without our amazing staff, we wouldn’t be able to provide our students, faculty, and staff with the great services and resources they need to pursue their important research, learning, and patient care every day. We hope you’ve enjoyed getting a glimpse into what it’s like working at Himmelfarb.
Himmelfarb Library congratulates Laura Abate who was promoted to Library Director on July 1, 2022. Laura had been serving as interim Library Director since Anne Linton retired in January.
Laura Abate, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library Director
Laura first joined Himmelfarb Library’s staff in 1999 as a reference librarian. She developed materials supporting medical informatics instruction for medical students and created a database and web interface for managing access to the library’s growing number of electronic resources. In 2003 Laura became Electronic Resources and Instructional Librarian and served in this role for 16 years. She managed the library’s electronic resources during the time that Himmelfarb made the transition to mostly electronic collections. She also played a key role in developing the curriculum for informatics for first and second year medical students in problem based learning. At the same time she expanded her role as a clinical librarian, frequently attending rounds for internal medicine residents and providing real time clinical information support for them. She was awarded Non-Medicine Attending of the Year by the Department of Medicine Housestaff for 2018-19.
In 2019 Laura was promoted to Head of Library Operations and the position was expanded to Associate Director of Library Operations in 2020. Laura oversaw all aspects of the Library’s web services and collections management, including budgeting and contract negotiations. She maintained her teaching role serving as an Adjunct Associate Professor for the Department of Medicine and Co-Director of the Informatics in the Health Sciences and Introduction to Systematic Review courses.
Let’s hear from Laura about her promotion and plans to lead Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library.
What inspired you to apply for the position and what are you most enjoying in your role as Library Director?
During my time at Himmelfarb Library, I’ve had several positions, worked my way through a lot of different duties, and seen major changes in our collections, services, and access. I don’t identify myself as someone who loves change, but I do like to solve problems, love to identify ways to improve our services and collections, and want to keep growing, learning, and honing my personal knowledge and skills. In short, being library director seemed like a big challenge and one that I was ready to take on. In terms of what I’m enjoying the most in this role, I love working with Himmelfarb’s staff and their creativity in continuously identifying ways to improve the library and to reflect the needs of the GW health sciences community.
What are your top priorities for the coming year?
Himmelfarb Library has seen major changes over the past two years and as I think about what comes next, I think about both renewal and assessment. I’m anxious to renew the library as a place for the GW health sciences community to meet, work, study, and socialize (not too loudly?). I am excited to continue to rebuild and hone our collections, and want to explore new ways that we can support teaching and learning, research and scholarly publishing, and clinical care. But, I also want to assess and continue to evolve - i.e. do we want to keep doing things as we do now or did prior to the pandemic, or are there alternative approaches that we should consider and explore. We take feedback from our user community seriously so please share your thoughts. I’m available in Himmelfarb 101 and can also be reached at leabate@gwu.edu or 202-994-8570.
