McGoogan Library remodels its special collections area

Beth Syphers of Alumni Affairs peers into an antique apothecary cabinet, which is part of the McGoogan Library’s special collections.

Walter Friedlander, M.D., regularly visits the McGoogan Library to do historical research. In recent months, he has watched the archives and special collection areas blossom.

The McGoogan Library staff recently held an open house to showcase the initial changes to the eighth floor: expanding the archives into what had previously been office space, repositioning stacks and recarpeting the special collections area.

“They’ve done a tremendous job in getting things organized,” said Dr. Friedlander, who once had an office in the newly remodeled archives in Room 8000A in the northeast corner of the eighth floor.

“The resources of this library are tremendous,” he said, and helped him write his most recent book, “The History of Modern Epilepsy: The Beginning, 1865-1914 (Contributions in Medical Studies).” Dr. Friedlander retired from UNMC’s Department of Preventive and Societal Medicine in 1984.

Nancy Woelfl, Ph.D., examines several books in the north rare book room including a 1513 German ob/gyn book titled “Rosengarten.”

In 2000, the library’s sixth and seventh floors underwent extensive remodeling. Now, the eighth floor is being improved. As a result, the office of John Schleicher, assistant professor & head of special collections for the McGoogan Library of Medicine, is centrally located within the archive collections, providing improved service and security to paper collections that date back to the establishment of the Omaha Medical College in 1881, and even further in some cases.

In addition to the new archives area, the remodeling project included updating the History of Medicine Archives, which features a variety of health-related, medical and basic science artifacts. The library staff also created a Nebraska Room to house the 80-year run of the Nebraska State Medical Journal, which was published from 1916 to 1996, and other Nebraska-related items, which had been located throughout the library stacks.

Robert Wigton, M.D., right, shares historical information with John Schleicher.

As funds are acquired through fund-raising efforts of the Friends of the Library, there are plans to renovate the rare book rooms; install new lighting, environmental and security systems; as well as replace the fiery red 1970s carpeting. Also planned is the construction of display cases, which allow visitors to view selected rare books from the hallway.

Meanwhile, Schleicher continues to mine the campus for historical materials and artifacts to add to the collection. “Yesterday is history,” Schleicher said. “It doesn’t have to be 100 years old to be history.”