Message from the Executive Director
Featured New Resource: NEJM Evidence
From the Archives: Celebrating Match Day!
Meet Our Team: Kelley Minars
Students Share Their Love for the Library
Featured eBook of the Month
Happy Spring! As Spring Break week comes to a close, I hope it was a much-needed slow period or a nice break for you and that you’re refreshed for the remainder of the semester.
By the end of March, it’ll look like we’ve been spring cleaning in the Dolph Briscoe Jr. Library. If you come in, you’ll notice several exciting updates: new task chairs, additional cafe-height seating, newly reupholstered ottomans and new blinds in the 5th floor individual study rooms. In February, the upgrade of the fire sprinkler system was completed on the 5th floor which completes the work on the upgrade of this system for the entire library building.
In January and February, we hosted a three-day event to gather student input – more than 460 students showed up and voted for their favorite task chairs. Based on student input, we ordered 115 new task chairs for the library’s public areas. We selected the top two winners as our new task chairs – and ordered 100 Series 1 chairs to be delivered on March 24 and 15 Karman chairs delivered on March 14.
Over the next two years, we plan to order more chairs, eventually replacing the nearly 400 chairs in 17 different styles with chairs in these two styles. We also enhanced the cafe-height seating area near the 3rd Floor entrance, a favorite lunch and coffee spot for our students. Two additional chairs were added to the larger table, and the seats on the other 12 stools were replaced with more durable vinyl coverings.
Another need we’ve identified is to increase the number of rolling whiteboards – these are essential to long and productive study sessions. We’ve ordered three new rolling whiteboards – in three different sizes – that will be placed in public spaces on March 27. Each board will feature a QR code survey – we want students to let us know which of the three sizes works best for their needs. Based on the feedback, we plan to order more in the preferred size.
The Valentine’s Day Drop-In Feedback Event gave us some additional insight into student needs. More than 130 students told us what they liked about the library spaces. Students appreciate both quiet study and collaborative study spaces. Many of our students love the windows and the ability to socialize in the library as well as study. Students also let us know what additional needs they have – more study tables, standing desks, additional microwaves. We will begin investigating costs for these types of furnishings
Libraries have changed a lot over my 37-year career in academic librarianship – but our purpose has remained essentially the same. We are here to support teaching, learning, and research by providing both information resources AND a welcoming, comfortable, and safe environment for students to learn, study, collaborate, and socialize. Students learn from faculty and fellow students in classrooms, labs, and clinical settings – the library is their workspace when outside those settings. Spaces and furnishing in the library are critical to providing students with the environment that supports their academic endeavors. I have always loved projects that focus on building renovations, enhancing furnishings and improving spaces because it demonstrates to our students that the library cares about their needs and their success.
We always welcome input and feedback! If you have suggestions or comments about library spaces and furnishings, please contact me at hawthorne@uthscsa.edu, call 210-567-2410, or stop by to chat.
Pat Hawthorne
Executive Director for Libraries
UT Health San Antonio Libraries is pleased to offer access to NEJM Evidence, a peer-reviewed online-only journal indexed by MEDLINE, that provides clinical investigators and physicians with research and evidence to inform clinical decision-making while highlighting key areas where further study is needed. NEJM Evidence launched in January 2022 and is published monthly.
According to the publisher, “NEJM Evidence offers unique new article types that spark debate, challenge the status quo, and connect evidence with medical practice. Publishing high-quality studies from the front lines of medical research, the journal seeks to advance clinical trial research and clinical practice by challenging the medical community to take new approaches to clinical trial design, execution, and analysis that yield more powerful clinical evidence.”
This new title, included with New England Journal of Medicine, is available through our consortial partnership with UT System Digital Libraries. It can be accessed through the NEJM website and on the Ovid platform.
Learn More
Contributed by Dana Whitmire, Electronic Resources Librarian
Match Day is fast approaching! Every year on the third Friday of March, fourth-year medical students across the United States learn where they will be completing their residency, marking an important milestone in their medical careers. On March 21, 2025 at 11 a.m. Central Time, medical students will learn what city and hospital they will train at during their residency. Read more about Match Day or visit the official site of The Match at the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Match Day, check out this article.
It details the fascinating history of how Match Day evolved into a centralized match system driven by a flawed algorithm and how a final-year Harvard Medical Student, William Hardy Hendren III, saved the day. His 2006 oral history with the American Academy of Pediatrics is also an interesting read.
Match Day is a long-standing institution here on campus. The first Match was held back in 1952 by the NRMP. We’d like to extend our best wishes and congratulations to all our Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine students and future residents, and share some images of past Match Days here on campus!
Contributed by Diane Fotinos, University Archivist and Melissa DeThorne, Library Assistant Special Collections
Supplementary Material by Pat Hawthorne, Chris Gaspard, and Kelley Minars
Match Day is fast approaching! Every year on the third Friday of March, fourth-year medical students across the United States learn where they will be completing their residency, marking an important milestone in their medical careers. On March 21, 2025 at 11 a.m. Central Time, medical students will learn what city and hospital they will train at during their residency. Read more about Match Day or visit the official site of The Match at the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Match Day, check out this article.
It details the fascinating history of how Match Day evolved into a centralized match system driven by a flawed algorithm and how a final-year Harvard Medical Student, William Hardy Hendren III, saved the day. His 2006 oral history with the American Academy of Pediatrics is also an interesting read.
Match Day is a long-standing institution here on campus. The first Match was held back in 1952 by the NRMP. We’d like to extend our best wishes and congratulations to all our Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine students and future residents, and share some images of past Match Days here on campus!
Match Day is fast approaching! Every year on the third Friday of March, fourth-year medical students across the United States learn where they will be completing their residency, marking an important milestone in their medical careers. On March 21, 2025 at 11 a.m. Central Time, medical students will learn what city and hospital they will train at during their residency. Read more about Match Day or visit the official site of The Match at the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Match Day, check out this article.
It details the fascinating history of how Match Day evolved into a centralized match system driven by a flawed algorithm and how a final-year Harvard Medical Student, William Hardy Hendren III, saved the day. His 2006 oral history with the American Academy of Pediatrics is also an interesting read.
Match Day is a long-standing institution here on campus. The first Match was held back in 1952 by the NRMP. We’d like to extend our best wishes and congratulations to all our Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine students and future residents, and share some images of past Match Days here on campus!
Match Day is fast approaching! Every year on the third Friday of March, fourth-year medical students across the United States learn where they will be completing their residency, marking an important milestone in their medical careers. On March 21, 2025 at 11 a.m. Central Time, medical students will learn what city and hospital they will train at during their residency. Read more about Match Day or visit the official site of The Match at the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Match Day, check out this article.
It details the fascinating history of how Match Day evolved into a centralized match system driven by a flawed algorithm and how a final-year Harvard Medical Student, William Hardy Hendren III, saved the day. His 2006 oral history with the American Academy of Pediatrics is also an interesting read.
Match Day is a long-standing institution here on campus. The first Match was held back in 1952 by the NRMP. We’d like to extend our best wishes and congratulations to all our Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine students and future residents, and share some images of past Match Days here on campus!
Match Day is fast approaching! Every year on the third Friday of March, fourth-year medical students across the United States learn where they will be completing their residency, marking an important milestone in their medical careers. On March 21, 2025 at 11 a.m. Central Time, medical students will learn what city and hospital they will train at during their residency. Read more about Match Day or visit the official site of The Match at the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Match Day, check out this article.
It details the fascinating history of how Match Day evolved into a centralized match system driven by a flawed algorithm and how a final-year Harvard Medical Student, William Hardy Hendren III, saved the day. His 2006 oral history with the American Academy of Pediatrics is also an interesting read.
Match Day is a long-standing institution here on campus. The first Match was held back in 1952 by the NRMP. We’d like to extend our best wishes and congratulations to all our Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine students and future residents, and share some images of past Match Days here on campus!
Match Day is fast approaching! Every year on the third Friday of March, fourth-year medical students across the United States learn where they will be completing their residency, marking an important milestone in their medical careers. On March 21, 2025 at 11 a.m. Central Time, medical students will learn what city and hospital they will train at during their residency. Read more about Match Day or visit the official site of The Match at the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Match Day, check out this article.
It details the fascinating history of how Match Day evolved into a centralized match system driven by a flawed algorithm and how a final-year Harvard Medical Student, William Hardy Hendren III, saved the day. His 2006 oral history with the American Academy of Pediatrics is also an interesting read.
Match Day is a long-standing institution here on campus. The first Match was held back in 1952 by the NRMP. We’d like to extend our best wishes and congratulations to all our Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine students and future residents, and share some images of past Match Days here on campus!
Hello! I’m Kelley Minars, Resource Sharing Librarian.
I joined the library back in 2009 and have had a fun and interesting journey during my time here. Starting as Web Services Librarian I eventually moved into supporting the library’s 3D printing service. After that I began working with Interlibrary Loan and have been there since 2022.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in British and American Literature from the University of South Florida, as well as a Master's in Library and Information Science.
Describe yourself in three words.
Invested. Curious. Dedicated.
What is your role at the library?
I’m the Resource Sharing Librarian. I oversee the day-to-day operations of the Interlibrary Loan service. If you’re not familiar with Interlibrary Loan we provide copies of articles and books the library doesn’t have access to.
Each request is evaluated and then sent out to lending libraries all around the country before being supplied to the requesting patron. Some requests are harder to fill then others, which never makes it boring.
I also keep myself up to date on copyright, to assure we’re complying with all laws and regulations.
What do you like best about working at UT Health?
I like that each day brings a new challenge. I’ve had the chance to work with faculty, students, and staff from every school and departments all across campus. I’m a customer service advocate at heart, so it’s very rewarding to help fill whatever need our patrons have and to support their learning and research goals.
What are you reading, listening to, or watching?
I’m currently listening to Re: Dracula. It’s a fully voice acted audio podcast adaptation of the novel Dracula. Each episode covers one day in the book, which is written in an epistolary style in the format of letters and diary entries. The creators are currently working on adapting the novella Carmilla, as well.
Contributed by Kelley Minars, Resource Sharing Librarian
Thank you for letting 
us know what you love about the library!
Last month, on Valentine’s Day (February 13th and 14th) we held a drop-in feedback event to find out what you, our students, think about the library. Using sticky notes or markers, students were encouraged to share their candid thoughts with us on our rolling board.
Our goal was to gather your thoughts, positive and negative, about the library space, amenities, and staff. A whopping 131 of you stopped by to tell us what you think!
When it comes to space, students are huge fans of the 5th Floor, saying “I love the 5th Floor vibes!” and “5th Floor by the windows has my heart”. You particularly enjoyed the windows, furniture options, and the ability to socialize.
Many of you also loved the silence, particularly on the 4th Floor, saying “Love the small rooms for quiet study” and “I love the peace & quiet.” We’re happy to provide spaces that support many different types of study needs.
You also shared the different ways you relax in the library, saying “I love the coloring pages + pencils available for when ppl need a brain break” and “Love the puzzles ya’ll leave out for us!”
Other students shared constructive feedback, requesting additional microwaves, study tables, and standing desks. Your feedback is very important to us. We’ll be compiling and evaluating everything you shared with us and will use it to inform future updates and improvements to the library.
In addition to the survey, we also held a raffle to win a library care package. Congratulations to our raffle winners Monisha Sathyanarayanan, School of Medicine and Melanie Perez, School of Health Professions!
Thank you again for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us! We’re here for you and are working every day to make the library an amazing place to study and relax.
View the results of the survey.
Contributed by Kelley Minars, Resource Sharing Librarian
Each month, we feature an ebook from our collections. Our goal is to feature titles of interest to students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Forensic Anthropology: An Introductory Lab ManualBook Description from the Publisher
Key topics and basic laboratory training for beginning students This versatile laboratory manual is designed to support introductory undergraduate courses in forensic anthropology. Usable for both in-person and online classes and suitable to accompany any textbook or for use on its own as a text-lab manual hybrid, it provides basic training for beginner students in relevant methods of biological profile estimation and trauma assessment for use in medico-legal death investigations.
Structured in a standard format for classes and existing texts, this manual offers a unique emphasis on lab exercises that align with general studies requirements and basic science competency. Each chapter begins with learning goals and an introductory section that outlines the topics to be covered. The discussion then leads students through the material, including periodic learning checks built into the structure of the chapter, followed by end-of-chapter exercises. Through clear explanations of fundamental principles, the complete medico-legal context is covered with respect to forensic anthropology.
Basic information on bone biology, human osteology, and rules of evidence are also presented. Alongside its substantive text discussion of key topics, this manual's exercises can be used in in-person laboratory classes while its learning checks can be completed by online students without access to skeletal material or casts. This book offers the necessary content to teach forensic anthropology regardless of the experience or location of students or the resources of specific colleges and universities.
Check out the book through EBSCOhost eBook Collection, provided by the Briscoe Library.
If you have a title you would like to recommend, please let us know by emailing Kelley Minars at minars@uthscsa.edu