Award Report: Fournarakis Medical Library
As the Medical Librarian of the Fournarakis Medical Library of Richmond University Medical Center, a teaching hospital in Staten Island, New York, I have long hoped for a way to bring our library up to date with available technology for our patrons. When I joined the library in 1998, we had two computers with dial-up modems. Although we had progressed a little over the years, our IT services were seriously lacking.
So when I received the e-mail notification from the RML that technology grants were available, I jumped at the chance. With the help of personnel from our IT department and an in-house grants expert, I confronted what seemed like the arduous process of grant application preparation. When we were awarded the grant, I immediately notified all the personnel involved in the process, and a notice was included in our hospital’s internal newsletter. It took some time to get everything in place, but with the help of hospital personnel, we were able to clear out the room and replace it with new shelving, new outlets, and a new coat of paint. It took us about nine months from the beginning of the process (August 2009) to the final installation of all the equipment (May 2010). We prepared a pre- and post-survey of our patrons, which showed that they are very happy with the final result. The new computers are faster and have DVD and flash capacity, and we now have wireless access which has definitely improved patronage. Many thanks to everyone involved in this endeavor.
Mary A. Hicks, M.L.S.
Medical Librarian
Richmond University Medical Center
