Kathleen Makarewicz, MD, MLIS 
Science Librarian 
Occidental College 

Editor’s note: This month, we are celebrating Kathleen Makarewicz, who has served as a Librarian Selector for Doody’s Core Titles since 2023.   

Provide a brief description of your library and its services. 

I currently work as the Science Librarian at Occidental College Library in Los Angeles, California. Our library supports the research, teaching, and learning needs of our faculty, students, and staff. Although we are an undergraduate campus, our faculty and students are quite active in research. I provide information literacy instruction for courses in the sciences and conduct individual research consultations for faculty and students. I also spearhead the collection development for my disciplines. 

How did you get started in health sciences librarianship? What brought you to the profession? 

I’m an academic librarian, and although I’m not currently a health sciences librarian, that is my goal!  Academic librarianship is my second career. My first career was as an anatomic and clinical pathologist, which I enjoyed doing for about 20 years. When I decided to transition to a non-physician career, I chose librarianship because it was still a profession where I could help people find information they can use to help themselves or others. 

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

One of the most important issues facing academic and health sciences librarianship is to make sure our students and faculty can access credible and complete research resources and data. We must be alert to changes in these resources and proactive in finding alternate resources if needed. The second issue is balancing the ubiquitous presence of generative AI in the research process with the need for medicine and science researchers to have a deep understanding of their research topics and also to maintain a creative and innovative mindset. 

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

Our partnership with the college’s student Summer Research Program is an exciting one!  Not only do we provide a series of research skills workshops throughout the summer, but we are also paired with one or more students to be their librarian mentor during the program. This really helps the students see the value of librarians and makes us feel needed as well.  

What aspects of your work keep you most professionally motivated? 

One-on-one research consultations with students and faculty are the most rewarding part of my job. Because each research project has unique features, it motivates me to learn new search strategies and to find different ways to teach those strategies depending on the needs of the researcher. 

Why have you selected for the last three editions of Doody’s Core Titles? 

I volunteered to be a librarian selector for DCT because I thought it would be a great way to use my hands-on experience as a pathologist with my newly acquired librarian skills. Knowing the needs of both a physician and a librarian who is selecting books for their collection has definitely informed my selections for DCT. 

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

I recently read Amy Tan’s book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles. I never knew she could draw so beautifully!