Day 4 of my internship at the Medical Library

Today I met with three people, Melissa Grafe, John Gallagher, and Mark Gentry.

I started out by talking with Melissa who is the Medical Library Historical Librarian. She has been working at the Medical Library since July 2001. Before I sat down to talk with her she showed me the collections of books and paintings they have collected over the years. We looked at looks from the 1200s, which was really cool! Melissa went to college for history and politics. She got her PhD at John Hopkins. She says the most exciting part of her job is finding stuff that you don't expect to see. She loves all the people she gets to meet and enjoys working with one of the best collections in the country.

Then I met with John Gallagher who is Medical Library Associate Director. he has been working here for 13 years. Mr.Gallagher went to school in Ireland, where he was born and raised. He loves all the people he gets to meet and help out. He says that he wishes that he could find a way to make everyone's job easier. Outside of the library he like to garden, read, and spend time with his family.

Lastly, I met with Mark Gentry, who is a Clinical Support Librarian and the coordinator of Medical Library Technology services andsupport. He attended classes at seven different colleges, and managed to earn degrees at three of them. Mark enjoys helping people with what they need and getting the information at they need. He also enjoys all the intelligent people he gets to assist at a place like a medical center. His teachers in college inspired him to be the person he is today. Mark likes to play the guitar, read, watch movies, and travel outside of his job.

Fifth day of internship

Today I interviewed John Gallagher, who is originally from Ireland. At first he wasn't sure what he wanted to be so he started off working at UPS, construction , evenings at a Circulation Department at a Library. Then he became Deputy Director of Public Services at Cushing/Whitney Medical Library (http://library.medicine.yale.edu/), and now he is the Associate Director. Mr. Gallagher has a Bachelors and Masters degree from Southern Connecticut State University (http://www.southernct.edu/). Also, he attended a College in Ireland for two years after he graduated from high school. He explained to me how the working conditions here are a lot different then the ones he use to encounter, but he does like them a lot. He also described to me how his job is very fulfilling.  Its fun to hear what people are working on, and how John works with such great colleagues. But in order to do this job you have to really love what you are doing and be able to listen to others needs, which Mr.Gallagher enjoys doing.

After interviewing Mr.Gallagher I went and interviewed Mark Gentry, who works as a Library Liaison to Internal Medicine and a Clinical Support Librarian. He is the Medical Library technology coordinator, and he does lectures and gives International Support when his help is needed in specific program areas, like clinical training in Uganda. He has a Bachelors degree, Masters degree in Anthropology, and a Library Science degree. He attended West Virginia College but soon after transferred to Trent University where he majored Anthropology. Then for his Graduate degree he went to the University of Connecticut and then to Southern Connecticut University for Library Science. Mr. Gentry discussed to me how likes being in a academic environment and how he receives a lot of support from his colleagues. He also said he likes how people are very appreciative of his work, because its not everyday you go to work and you have people thank you  for doing your job.