Associate Professor and Head, Research Impact and Engagement 
Rowland Medical Library 
University of Mississippi Medical Center 

Editor’s note: On a regular basis, we publish profiles of librarians who have been an integral part of Doody Enterprises, whether they have served on our Library Board of Advisors, as a Librarian Selector for Doody’s Core Titles, or on the editorial board/as a List Selector for Doody’s Special Topics Lists. This month, we are profiling a librarian who has served as a Librarian Selector for Doody’s Core Titles since 2016: Elizabeth Hinton of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. 

Where do you currently work and what is your position? 

I am Head of Research Impact and Engagement at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson, Mississippi. I also serve as library liaison to the School of Nursing and the School of Population Health. 

Provide a brief description of your library and its services. 

UMMC is Mississippi’s only academic medical center. In addition to providing services for the institution’s healthcare and research missions, Rowland Medical Library supports six schools: the Schools of Dentistry, Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences, Health Related Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Population Health. In addition to standard library services, we offer systematic review support, scholarly communications services, and a robust archives department. Several of the librarians are embedded into courses and possess secondary academic appointments. Although we have a relatively small staff compared to other health sciences libraries, I am consistently blown away by the tireless energy our group contributes to UMMC and the state of Mississippi. 

 When did you start in health sciences librarianship? What was your position? With what institution? 

I’m originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, which is where I was living when I finished my MSIS at the University of Tennessee. I was applying to library jobs without success when a post-graduate internship became available at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine. The group at Preston Medical Library was incredibly accommodating and allowed me to work around the hours of my full-time job. That experience sparked my interest in health sciences librarianship and led me down the path to an extraordinarily enriching career! 

 Name two of the most important issues facing the profession today. 

First, burnout is currently a massive problem in many professions, and librarianship is no exception. As librarians, we have always been expected to do more with less, but the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the unrealistic nature of that expectation. 

Second, despite the significant evolution of librarianship since the arrival of end-user searching, we continue to wrestle with brand recognition. I don’t know a single health sciences librarian who “reads books all day,” yet the hackneyed misconception lives on. In reality, librarians not only keep things running smoothly with budgets, licenses, and contracts, but continuously develop innovative ideas to support and collaborate with our users. 

Why do you serve as Doody’s Core Titles Librarian Selector, among other Doody’s commitments? 

Everyone at Doody’s is outstanding to work with, and being a DCT Librarian Selector has allowed me to expand my subject-matter expertise and contribute to a publication that has something for everyone. 

 Anything else you’d like to share? 

I love making new contacts, so please feel free to reach out through email (ehinton@umc.edu) or connect on LinkedIn!