I am very pleased to be part of MLAConnect as the Global Health & Health Equity (GH&HE) column editor. I currently work as a research librarian at the Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus–Aurora, where I conduct literature searches for faculty working on systematic reviews. I also have an interest in scholarly communication, in particular about the role of language and how it affects research visibility.
I have long been interested in international and global issues. My father was Japanese American, my mother was a Japanese national, and my childhood was spent in Japan attending American schools. I have been drawn to MLA’s International Cooperation Caucus, where I have been active for some years because of my experiences growing up outside of the United States, and now to the GH&HE Domain Hub to expand my horizons further. My professional network and many friendships reach beyond the United States because of my MLA activities.
Today, in spring 2020, COVID-19 and global heath is at the top of everyone’s minds. Reliable health information is especially important, and medical librarians everywhere have had a prominent role, creating search strategies, centralizing research information, and educating users.
For the GH&HE column, I welcome submissions related to international cooperation, global health, and health equity. Here are a few possible topics:
- announcements and initiatives from the GH&HE Domain Hub and related caucuses
- librarian involvement in coronavirus information dissemination, especially with an international angle
- librarian programs helping to inform users about health care disparities and inequities (for example, Amy Sharpe’s contribution about human trafficking)
Please send your submissions to me at lilian.hoffecker@cuanschutz.edu. I look forward to seeing them.
