Keith Mages

The Bellevue Classification System: nursing's voice upon the library shelves

This article examines the inspiration, construction, and meaning of the Bellevue Classification System (BCS), created during the 1930s for use in the Bellevue School of Nursing Library. Nursing instructor Ann Doyle, with assistance from librarian Mary Casamajor, designed the BCS after consulting with library leaders and examining leading contemporary classification systems, including the Dewey Decimal Classification and Library of Congress, Ballard, and National Health Library classification systems. A close textual reading of the classes, subclasses, and subdivisions of these classification systems against those of the resulting BCS, reveals Doyles belief that the BCS was created not only to organize the literature, but also to promote the burgeoning intellectualism and professionalism of early twentieth-century American nursing.

Body of evidence: integrating Eduard Pernkopf’s Atlas into a librarian-led medical humanities seminar

Background Anatomical subjects depicted in Eduard Pernkopf’s richly illustrated Topographische Anatomie des Menschen may be victims of the Nazi regime. Special collections librarians in the history of medicine can use this primary resource to initiate dialogs about ethics with medical students. Case Presentation Reported here is the authors’ use of Pernkopf’s Atlas in an interactive medical humanities seminar designed for third-year medical students. Topical articles, illustrations, and interviews introduced students to Pernkopf, his Atlas, and the surrounding controversies. We aimed to illustrate how this controversial historical publication can successfully foster student discussion and ethical reflection. Conclusions Pernkopf’s Atlas and our mix of contextual resources facilitated thoughtful discussions about history and ethics amongst the group. Anonymous course evaluations showed student interest in the subject matter, relevance to their studies, and appreciation of our special collection’s space and contents.

Patient-Centered Rounding in an Inpatient Pediatric Setting

ABSTRACT Clinical Medical Librarians at Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), Samuel J. Wood Library provide unique health literacy services for patients, families, and caregivers on the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children’s Health pediatric floors of New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) by conducting twice weekly patient rounds and bringing consumer health information and services to bedsides. Although in its infancy, the Pediatric Consumer Librarian Service (PCLS) generates statements of appreciation from patients and parents, enthusiasm among stakeholders, and reports of increased job satisfaction by librarians. We report on experiences, methods, feedback from users, and plans for the future.