Jodi Jameson, MLIS 
Associate Professor & Nursing Librarian 
The University of Toledo 
Mulford Health Science Library 

This month, we are celebrating Jodi Jameson, who has served as a Librarian Selector for Doody’s Core Titles since 2008. 

Where do you currently work and what is your position? 

I am an Associate Professor in the University Libraries at The University of Toledo where I serve as Nursing Librarian at the Mulford Health Science Library. In my role, I provide dedicated research support and information literacy instruction for students, faculty, and staff at the UToledo College of Nursing and for nursing staff and administration at The University of Toledo Medical Center.  

Provide a brief description of your library and its services. 

The Mulford Health Science Library is located on The University of Toledo’s Health Science Campus. As an academic health science library, Mulford offers a variety of information services to students, faculty, staff, and clinicians, including reference and research assistance, literature searches, information literacy instruction, and systematic review support. Our library has a distinctively beautiful architectural design and was featured in two issues of Architectural Record in August 1975. Mulford is celebrating its 50^th anniversary in 2025.  

Where and when did you start in health sciences librarianship? What brought you to the profession? 

My career in health sciences librarianship began in 2005 shortly after I graduated with my MLIS from Kent State University. My first professional position was right here at Mulford as a cataloger. Eventually, I transitioned into reference and instruction, and have served as the Nursing Librarian since 2007. I was drawn to working in an academic health sciences library setting due to its specialized, research-intensive nature, and also for the opportunity to deliver a mix of academic and clinical library services.  

Share two of the most important issues facing the profession today and why they’re important to address. 

First and foremost, I strongly feel that health sciences librarians have a major role in educating library users on the critical appraisal and evaluation of research literature, including identifying strong levels of research evidence. Knowing how to meaningfully dissect complex research studies is a powerful information literacy skill that we can help instill in future and current healthcare providers. Additionally, all librarians today are faced with the complexities surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). We have an opportunity to boost users’ AI literacy by providing education on the uses and misuses of AI, ethics and copyright, and understanding how AI models are trained.  

What is one innovation, product, or service in your library that you’re excited about? 

In recent years, the Mulford Library underwent a series of renovations that truly enhanced the existing aesthetics and usability of the library space. I’m very passionate about the library as a physical destination for research, curiosity, and intellectual exploration. In our hectic world full of distractions, libraries provide a haven of peace and quiet to help us reclaim our attention and focus. At Mulford, we have a vast amount of varied study space, a very Zen-like garden atrium, a large skylight that brings in an abundance of natural light, and even a few exercise desks.  

Why do you select for Doody’s Core Titles? 

Serving as a DCT Librarian Selector is a rewarding way for me to give back to the health sciences library profession by utilizing my experience and knowledge in selecting and scoring core book titles. The process of serving as a Selector is personally and professionally enriching for me as well, since it provides a way to continually keep up with trends in health sciences publishing, new editions of classic texts, and brand-new titles.  

A recent book you’ve enjoyed or anything else you’d like to share? 

One of my favorite writers is Flannery O’Connor, and I recently finished reading a wonderfully in-depth biography of her life entitled Flannery: A Life of Flannery O’Connor by Brad Gooch (Hachette, 2009). Last fall, I spoke about O’Connor at our University’s annual Banned Books Vigil. O’Connor was a unique and complex individual. Her short stories, novels, and essays are unlike anything I’ve read in American literature.