1. ®
Methods
Beginning in 2008, librarians collaborated with the faculty of the UT
Health Science Center’s Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics to offer
the first One Community/One Book program. The program has been
repeated each year since then with an expanding group of partners from
across the Health Science Center. Each year, a loosely formed committee
of faculty and librarians met to select a book that appealed to the
interests and experiences of an interdisciplinary community of students,
faculty, and practicing health professionals. Books were selected based
on their contribution to the study of ethics or humanities in the health
sciences. To encourage engagement with the topic, authors were invited
to visit campus; to meet in small groups with students, faculty, staff, and
community members; and to give a keynote presentation. Librarians
offered workshops to train book discussion leaders and promoted book
discussion opportunities through the library newsletter and website.
®
Since 2008, librarians at the University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio have provided leadership for a community reading
program that focused on the use of narratives to explore ethical issues
in the health sciences. Librarians sought to replicate community
reading programs sponsored by public and academic libraries around
the United States that encourage reading and discussion of a common
book.
Introduction
One Book: A Case Study of Community Reading to Explore Ethical Issues in a Health Sciences Setting
Rajia Tobia, AMLS, AHIP, Executive Director of Libraries; Susan C. Hunnicutt, MA, MLIS, formerly Special Projects Librarian
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Libraries, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900
ResultsThe Books
Since the beginning of the One Book program, six books were featured,
each with its own message for a health sciences community.
One Community/One Book selections reflected topics of interest to a
wide variety of health professionals and students. Book discussions
focused on topics and questions raised by the theme of each book.
Since the first program in 2008, 106 book discussion leaders were
trained, 75 book discussion groups were held, and over 2,800 people
attended author presentations held in conjunction with One
Community/One Book. Librarians partnered with the Center for
Medical Humanities & Ethics; Humanities Texas, the Texas Affiliate
of the National Endowment for the Humanities; the San Antonio Public
Library; community agencies; deans; faculty; and students to promote
book discussions and conversations about the theme of each book and
to encourage attendance at author presentations.
Resources
The following resources are useful in developing community reading programs:
•American Library Association: One Book One Community: Planning Your Community-
Wide Read.
http://www.ala.org/programming/sites/ala.org.programming/files/content/onebook/files/oneb
ookguide.pdf. Accessed 3/10/2014.
•Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database. http://litmed.med.nyu.edu/. Accessed 3/11/2014.
•Maine Humanities Council. Literature & Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Health
Care. http://mainehumanities.org/programs/litandmed/. Accessed 3/2/2014.
•National Endowment for the Humanities. State Humanities Councils.
http://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils. Accessed 3/9/2014.
Acknowledgement
Global Health End of Life
Research Ethics Cultural
Diversity
Positive Peer
Pressure
Experience of
Illness
Publicity
Publicity was key to building interest for One Community/One Book.
Dr. Franciso
Cigarroa,
UT System
Chancellor
and
transplant
surgeon,
promoted
his book
selection.
Posters
around
campus
helped
to
publicize
discussion
groups
and
speaker
events.
Events
Events included author keynote addresses, book signings and book discussions groups.
Librarians conducted training for book discussion leaders.
We acknowledge the invaluable support of Humanities Texas, the Texas affiliate of the
National Endowment fort the Humanities, for their support of One Community/One Book.
Conclusion
A community reading program can be a successful method for
librarians to use humanities to foster discussions about ethical issues
in healthcare and to develop partnerships within institutions and in
the wider community.