Medical Library Collaboration at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland

Submitted by: Sarah Viscuso, Hospital Libraries Caucus

In March of 2024, a physician at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center contacted Providence Library Services, inquiring about a book cart donation. The Health Sciences Library at St. Vincent Medical Center was able to spare a book cart; however, this simple inquiry sparked a wonderful outreach collaboration, led by the physicians of the Providence St. Vincent Wellness Committee, and the Health Sciences Library staff.

Providence Library Services and The Wellness Committee then partnered together in purchasing 39 wellness-oriented books, with the intention to facilitate personal reflection, growth, and conversation. The collection was compiled by Library Specialist Sarah Viscuso and Library Director Heather Martin. Book selections – including graphic medicine, history, and memoir – were drawn from Arnold P. Gold Reading Lists for Compassionate Clinicians and past AMA summer reading lists. Sarah and Heather looked especially for titles from a diverse set of authors. The lists were then submitted to the PSV Wellness Committee for approval and costs were shared equally by the two departments.

On August 20, 2024, the collection was launched with an event in the hospital’s Physician’s Dining Lounge, where the collection is now held. Sarah and Medical Librarian Basia Delawska-Elliott used the opportunity to share and discuss the library’s resources. The event was a success and was followed with a “Poetry Slam” session in October, where poems were read aloud from Annals of Internal Medicine and associated book, On Being a Doctor Volume 1, published by the American College of Physicians. A physician joined in and shared that he created a rock song using Generative AI. ChatGPT was then used to generate more poems, adding to the fun. Later, in November, a “Holiday Crafts” event was held, where Sarah and physicians from The Wellness Committee utilized watercolor paints to create holiday cards. The painted cards were then exchanged between library staff and The Wellness Committee.

The wellness-oriented books continue to draw interest and promote wellness for physicians and providers. The Providence Library Services staff were excited about the successful collaboration and the impact they had and are excited about future collaborations in 2025.