Well-Conceived and Ill-Drawn: Hosting “Ill-Conceived and Well-Drawn,” an NLM Exhibition

Abstract

Background: The Lamar Soutter Library serves the UMass Memorial Hospital and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, which consists of the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Biomedical Sciences. In pursuit of our mission to help our community in the “creation of knowledge, intellectual growth, and enrichment of the academic experience” the library plans activities, programs, and exhibitions. We recently hosted an NLM traveling Exhibition, “Ill-Conceived and Well-Drawn,” and partnered with the NNLM-NER to create an enriched experience for our users. Description: The NLM’s traveling exhibit consists of 6 free standing posters and seeks to introduce the concept of graphic medicine. Graphic medicine uses the medium of comics to explore themes of illness, healthcare, and health information from the perspective of the caregiver, the patient, or family members. Graphic medicine can also be used for science communication. While the exhibition was on display in the library, we worked to create programming around the topic of graphic medicine to engage our users and community. Conclusion: As a direct result of hosting the exhibition, the library saw an increase in traffic in the library compared to similar time periods in the past. We also recorded an increase in the use of our graphic medicine collection’s circulation statistics. One particularly successful program was a visit by Matteo Farinella, author of Neurocomic and The Senses. Because we hosted the NLM’s exhibition, we were able to engage targeted populations in meaningful ways and promote library resources.