Darlene Ward is the HSLI Member of the Quarter for February! She serves as Assistant Library Director at the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago.
How did you become interested in health sciences librarianship, and optometry, specifically?
I became interested in health sciences librarianship while working at the Galter Health Sciences Library (Northwestern University) in the Interlibrary Loan Department. I worked in the Department for over five years and loved the health sciences specialty. I won a full fellowship to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia to obtain my master’s in library and information science. While there I decided to specialize in the health sciences curriculum.
What do you think makes an optometry library similar to, or different from, other types of medical libraries?
An optometry library is more specific with the journals and books that are in the library. Our library has more optometry and ophthalmology material that is specific to our institution. This makes it different from other medical libraries that do not have a specialized program in optometry.
Given your extensive work with VisionCite, what advice would you give HSLI members who seek to become more familiar with the database?
I would advise HSLI members who would be interested in becoming familiar with our database to contact the Library Director. VisionCite is a citation database index of vision-related journal articles developed by the Illinois College of Optometry Library.
Over 313,000 articles from medical, ophthalmic, optic, optometric, and vision related journals that are currently received in the ICO Library are indexed and are available to search.
As you have been an active member of HSLI for a number of years, what is the most significant change you have witnessed in the organization?
The most significant change that I have witnessed in the HSLI organization would be the HSLI Newsletter blog. This newsletter has grown and has kept us informed about what is happening in the organization.
Do you have a favorite medical movie or television drama, and, if so, what is it?
I loved the medial television drama House. Hugh Laurie’s Gregory House and Robert Sean Leonard’s James Wilson played Holmes and Watson to the most diabolical medical mysteries.
I truly miss this show.
Congratulations on being an awesome resource!
p.s. I miss House too. I fondly remember him reading some medical journal in Portuguese. Multi-lingual patrons keep librarians busy in the best way.
I loved House too!
Kudos to Darlene! Every time I visit my optometrist, I recommend that he and his intern visit the library at ICO.