When September Doesn’t Mean Back to School

row upon row of empty seats in a large lecture hall

At this point in my life, two years into my role at the National Library of Medicine, I greet Labor Day with a bit of nostalgia. I was an academic for 30 years, and spent most of the 25 years prior to that as a student, doing the school thing from kindergarten through grad school. … Continue reading When September Doesn’t Mean Back to School

Imagine our future…and help make it happen

light dots against a blue background form a futuristic wave (concept: future)

After two years of crafting a Strategic Plan and laying the groundwork for implementing its recommendations, NLM is ready to take the next step into our future. We’ve had committees and conversations, councils and presentations, and heard the advice and reactions of NLM staff, stakeholders near and far, and the many, many people around the … Continue reading Imagine our future…and help make it happen

Happy anniversary to me!

A candle in the shape of a two burns brightly next to a pennant embossed with the NLM logo

Tomorrow, August 15, marks my two-year anniversary as director of the National Library of Medicine. Last year I acknowledged the occasion by reflecting on Bob Dylan’s famous line (appropriately, for a library, from the tune "My Back Pages"), "Ah, but I was so much older then…I’m younger than that now."  This year I’m inspired more … Continue reading Happy anniversary to me!

A Vacation’s Gifts Are More Than Souvenirs

Aerial view of a single red beach umbrella at the line between the blue sea and the light sand

Ahhh, summer! Life at NIH and NLM doesn't really slow down this time of year—in fact, with all the interns and visiting scholars on campus, it can seem even busier, more frenetic than normal—but the long days and warm weather still bring with them a welcome ease. They also usher in vacation season for many, … Continue reading A Vacation’s Gifts Are More Than Souvenirs