The Power of Play: How Lego MRI scanner sets are reducing anxiety in children undergoing medical treatment

 

 

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Makes me think this would be helpful not just for kids but for adults (or anyone) undergoing MRI scans as well.  The power of Play to make things familiar, and not so scary.

 

* Special thanks to Dr. Cat Smith for pointing me to this article.

 

Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

*Not a candidate or winner in the competition, but thought I would share to follow their spirit! This was a photo I captured of a groggy muskrat rubbing his face after a good nap!

For others like myself in dire need of some comic relief, take a look at this year's finalists (and winners!) of the 2025 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. The images are simultaneously hilarious and stunning (my personal favorite is the lion choir 😊). 

A bit of info on the competition. Each year, thousands of photographers submit comedic wildlife photos into this competition. Anyone from around the word, from experts to novices, alike, can submit their photos for consideration.

As stated on their about page:

"A funny animal photo is incredibly effective because there are no barriers to understanding, or taboos that must be negotiated. It taps into the impulse for anthropomorphism (big word!) which is well-documented as one of the most powerful triggers for human empathy. To really understand animals and the issues that affect them, you need to empathise with them as fellow inhabitants of the same planet."

A beautiful purpose and some good laughs, to boot!

Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

First match day!

 

From Furniture Piles to Foundational Support: A Historic Match Day at ThedaCare

Today isn’t just Match Day for the thousands of medical students across the country—it’s a career-defining milestone for our team at ThedaCare. This year, we are celebrating the very first Match for our brand-new Internal Medicine Residency Program, and the energy is electric.

As we prepare to welcome our inaugural class of 15 residents this July, I’ve been reflecting on what it actually takes to build a GME program from a library perspective.

Starting from Scratch (Literally)

Two years ago, I joined ThedaCare as part of a three-person "pioneer" team: myself and the first two GME administrators. My position was refilled after a significant gap in librarian coverage, specifically to provide the research and evidence-based practice (EBP) backbone this program required.

For any of you who have ever stepped into a "dormant" library, you know the scene. When I started, my primary greeting wasn't a collection of residents—it was a pile of miscellaneous furniture living in the space outside the library doors.

Building the Library

In the absence of a librarian, the decision was made to turn the library to a digital only future, so I was greeted with a beautiful library resembling a conference room. It is one of the best features of the GME space and a source of envy among many staff. Over the last 24 months, we’ve moved from clearing out that hallway to:

• Re-establishing Clinical Search Services: Promoting the library to the current ThedaCare physicians, practitioners, nurses, and anyone else interested in evidence-based practice has been a great precursor to the incoming residents. 

• Curating the Core Collection: Year one was spent rebuilding the previous library collection and year two looking towards the future of GME with the library's resources. 

• Integrating into the GME Workflow: I've been blessed with full integration into the GME department to establish the library as a strategic partner in physician recruitment and retention.

To the Class of 2029: We’re Ready

As a librarian, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a "quiet" space transform into a hub of clinical inquiry. The furniture is in the right place, the resources are live, and I can't wait to see residents in the library this July.

Service Request #1: What Happens when I Call #311?

 

Service Request: What Happens When I Call 311? 

One of my favorite podcasts is 99% Invisible.  They recently posted an episode for a new series called Service Request.  This premier episode was on the 311 information line in New York City.  Although they never mentioned reference Librarians, I thought this would be a natural fit for information / knowledge workers.  

Fascinating to think of creating a knowledge base built for NYC, and responsive to the needs of the citizens and their burning questions, answered by real people -- real New Yorkers, invested in the game.  I'm glad they didn't push that off to AI or a call center halfway across the world!

"By mapping millions of individual service requests, the city can pinpoint systemic issues and even solve regional mysteries, like the time 311 data and wind patterns were overlaid to trace a phantom maple syrup scent back to a New Jersey fenugreek factory."  

They talked about the importance of the reference interview -- although they never called it that, I knew exactly what they were talking about--and you will too! 

They also mentioned some of the questions that come in --  Everything from 

• complaints about noise (and the various classifications of said noises) 
• where to recycle electronics
• what to do with insulin in a power outage
• ghosts in your apartment
• or even bad vibes from the neighbor downstairs. 

Could we create something like this within our own institutions, going beyond the medical and health sciences to internal company knowledge?   I think some of our institutions have become too big and disjointed to make that work, but maybe it's still possible in some institutions?  Maybe you already have something like this?  If so, consider telling WHSLA Members about it.  Were Librarians involved in the making or implementation?  

I'm amazed that NYC was able to do it at all!

 

 

Vote in the 2026 MLA Election!

Image by WOKANDAPIX from Pixabay

If you're a member of the Medical Library Association (MLA), take care to cast your vote in the 2026 MLA Election! 

Positions on the ballot include: 

• President-Elect (1 position)
• Board of Directors (3 positions)
• Nominating Committee (9 positions)

You may also have access to personalized ballots based on your caucus memberships. 

You will need to be an active member of MLA and sign into MLANET in order to vote.

Happy voting!