Save the Library!

We, the residents and staff of Franciscan St. James Alliance, are opposing the closure and termination of the MWU libraries. Closing the library would greatly reduce the amount of resources available for research and education, thus inhibiting the goals of our residencies to become more research oriented.

An institution that wants to present itself as research- centered can’t claim to have any credibility if it does not have a basic supporting service such as a library. While most of the learning during residency takes place in patient rooms and attending rounds, some of the more academic aspects of disease pathophysiology and management must be researched through review of literature.  Case presentations and morning reports require that residents research the topics they are presenting and answer any relevant questions that may arise. This requires extensive research of the material directly relevant to the case and beyond. The MWU library provides a convenient quiet space for studious collaboration and provides essential resources right at our fingertips that are not always accessible through the internet such as: classic reference books, periodicals, manuscripts, and audio tools. The library also provides the services of a librarian, who is an expert at finding, organizing and interpreting information. The MWU online website is not an appropriate replacement for an actual library because it will be limited by: access via the number of computers, firewall issues, connectivity issues, and the number of references available online.

An academic institution housing residencies in multiple disciplines, hosting rotations for many medical students and encouraging the practice of evidence-based medicine can‘t keep up with other medical institutions in the advancement of clinical practice and national standards without an indispensible asset such as a library.