1 Comment on DCT Librarian Selector Profile: Helen-Ann Brown Epstein, MLS, MS, AHIP-D, FMLA 96
Helen-Ann Brown Epstein, MLS, MS, AHIP-D, FMLA
Informationist
Virtua Health Sciences Library
Editor’s note: This month, we are celebrating Helen-Ann Brown Epstein, who has served as a Librarian Selector for 12 editions of Doody’s Core Titles, including the inaugural edition in 2004.
Where do you currently work and what is your position?
I work on the Virtua Health Center for Nursing Excellence and Innovation Team. Virtua Health is a five-hospital community health system in Southern New Jersey. I am the Informationist for the Virtua Health Sciences Library.
Provide a brief description of your library and its services.
The Virtua Health Sciences Library is completely electronic. With no space to staff, I spend my mornings rounding with health care teams. My afternoons are spent doing standard reference work, teaching, consulting on projects, serving on the Nursing Research Council, IRB, CE Committee, Bioethics Committee and following up with literature from topics discussed at morning rounds.
When did you start in health sciences librarianship? What was your position? With what institution?
This year I am celebrating 50 years as a health sciences librarian. I started my career as a reference librarian with some clinical outreach at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Name two of the most important issues facing the profession today.
As a hospital librarian, it is a constant chore to demonstrate your impact on the hospital and its mission. Librarians need to find their place on interprofessional teams — as liaisons of information, we offer a quality filter to the expansive array of literature at our disposal.
What is one innovation, product, or service in your library that you’re excited about?
I am most proud of my clinical outreach. I bring the library to where patient care is happening, and my follow-up literature helps our health care team take better care of their patients. Being on rounds helps me get exposure and sends a lot of business my way.
Why do you serve as a Librarian Selector?
It is a small way for me to contribute to successfully building a quality collection for librarians and their customers.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I think it is so smart that Doody’s reaches out to librarians to share their expertise. Also, for those new to Doody’s, the Doody’s staff are caring, professional people.
1 Comment
Nice article for a master searcher and compassionate librarian! So nice that you are recognizing Helen-Ann Brown Epstein for her contributions to the Doody’s Librarian Selector group!