Editor’s Note: One of the hallmarks of Doody’s Core Titles is the number of individuals who contribute to its development year after year, including health sciences Librarian Selectors, Content Specialists, medical book distributors, and the staff of Doody Enterprises, Inc. Their belief in the importance of this endeavor and willingness to offer expert analysis is critical to DCT’s success. Because of the cumulative efforts of over 180 individuals, we are able to produce a reliable list of core titles in just over two months every year. With gratitude, this month we present the profile of Gale Oren of University of Michigan, who has served as a Librarian Selector for Doody’s Core Titles for many years. 

Where do you currently work and what is your position? 

I work as a solo librarian at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan. I’ve been in this position for 19 years. 

Provide a one sentence description of your library and its services. 

I provide resources and services to support the clinical, educational, and research activities of the department of ophthalmology. 

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

I started in medical librarianship in 1991 at the Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, as a technical library assistant. I was in library school at the time. 

Name two of the most important issues facing medical librarianship today. 

If you would have asked me this prior to COVID-19, I would have said an important issue was utilizing our skills to master the rapidly changing advances that technology is bringing to all aspects of scholarly communication, while being able to communicate our value in this to our users. Since COVID-19, I have to say that the importance of this has increased astronomically. Healthcare institutions are scrambling to find new ways of doing just about everything, practices that were once set in stone are now affording flexibility, and there have never been more opportunities to be part of the solution. 

Why do you volunteer to serve as a Librarian Selector for Doody’s Core Titles? 

As a librarian who focuses on ophthalmology and vision science, I have expertise within a very specific area of the medical literature and feel that I’m in a good position to evaluate these resources for selection decision making. 

What is one thing you want to make sure all librarians know about Doody’s services? 

I would like all to be aware that the resource lists are compiled by teams of healthcare librarians who have subject expertise in the areas for which they are advising.