JABSOM Library Collections Development Project

The goal of this project is to build a collection of graphic medicine novels for community outreach to a nearby local homeless shelter and to enrich the education of medical students, physicians, and patients. Effective communication is achieved through what Michael J. Green and Kimberly Myers call graphic pathography, personal narratives describing the experience of being ill. Like other forms of fiction, they encourage empathy and lessen feelings of isolation in the reader. In addition, the combination of pictures and text increases recall of information, perhaps because it engages multiple parts of the brain. In the past, the Health Sciences Library has focused primarily on collecting only academic materials. The shift to collect non-academic materials serves as a means to make health information more accessible and to connect with the community in new ways. Outreach goals: 1. Conduct information sessions for JABSOM faculty, students, and staff to highlight the graphic medicine novels and to feature NLM Resources such as MedlinePlus and the NLM digital collection to show our medical community of new ways to connect with patients 2. Facilitate health literacy outreach at a nearby local homeless shelter

Project Details

Organization Name

University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Health Sciences Library

Organization Type
Academic institution
Health sciences library
Project Lead

Kristen Anderson

Location
Hawaii
Start Date
May 1, 2019
End Date
April 30, 2020
Funding Amount
$1284
Demographics
Educator, K-12
General Public
Health care Provider
Student, College & Post-grad
Adults (19-64 yrs.)
Adults (19-64 yrs.)
Teens (13-18 yrs.)
Women
Asians/Asian Americans
Native Hawaiians
Other Pacific Islanders
Medically Underserved Areas/Populations
Urban
Behavioral/Social Determinants of Health