- College of Medicine Faculty News
Nadine Dexter, director of the medical school’s Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library, was named Librarian of the Year by the Florida Health Sciences Library Association. She received the award at the association’s annual meeting April 7-8 in at the University of South Florida.
The award honors a librarian for dedication to the association, his or her library and the public.
“My reaction was stunned wonder,” Dexter said of receiving the award. “I really did not expect something like this.” She said the award acknowledges the library’s leadership among Florida schools in transitioning from print to electronic based content.
Dexter created the new UCF College of Medicine library from the ground up, making it an innovative center that prides itself on providing information “anywhere, anytime on any device.” Ninety-eight percent of the library is digital, meaning materials are accessible 24-7 by students, faculty and staff and can be updated easily when new health information becomes available. Dexter’s goal is to have a 100 percent digital library.
Under her leadership, UCF has become a nationally recognized leader in developing and using interactive, digital educational systems that appeal to today’s learners. Dexter said she was thrilled to be able to “share with other libraries our journey” into the digital information age.
Dr. Richard Peppler, associate dean for faculty and academic affairs, applauded Dexter’s honor, saying UCF’s health sciences library is a leader in showing medical schools, their faculty and students how to integrate new technology into the curriculum. “Nadine and her staff are real stars with new technology,” he said. Many med school libraries, with extensive collections of historic books, are now struggling to dispose of old, written materials and transition into the digital age.