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Methods

Beginning in 2008, librarians collaborated with the faculty of the UT Health Science Center’s Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics to offer the first One Community/One Book program. The program has been repeated each year since then with an expanding group of partners from across the Health Science Center. Each year, a loosely formed committee of faculty and librarians met to select a book that appealed to the interests and experiences of an interdisciplinary community of students, faculty, and practicing health professionals. Books were selected based on their contribution to the study of ethics or humanities in the health sciences. To encourage engagement with the topic, authors were invited to visit campus; to meet in small groups with students, faculty, staff, and community members; and to give a keynote presentation. Librarians offered workshops to train book discussion leaders and promoted book discussion opportunities through the library newsletter and website.

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Since 2008, librarians at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have provided leadership for a community reading program that focused on the use of narratives to explore ethical issues in the health sciences. Librarians sought to replicate community reading programs sponsored by public and academic libraries around the United States that encourage reading and discussion of a common book.

Introduction

One Book: A Case Study of Community Reading to Explore Ethical Issues in a Health Sciences SettingRajia Tobia, AMLS, AHIP, Executive Director of Libraries; Susan C. Hunnicutt, MA, MLIS, formerly Special Projects Librarian

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Libraries, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900

ResultsThe Books

Since the beginning of the One Book program, six books were featured, each with its own message for a health sciences community.

One Community/One Book selections reflected topics of interest to a wide variety of health professionals and students. Book discussions focused on topics and questions raised by the theme of each book. Since the first program in 2008, 106 book discussion leaders were trained, 75 book discussion groups were held, and over 2,800 people attended author presentations held in conjunction with One Community/One Book. Librarians partnered with the Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics; Humanities Texas, the Texas Affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; the San Antonio Public Library; community agencies; deans; faculty; and students to promote book discussions and conversations about the theme of each book and to encourage attendance at author presentations.

ResourcesThe following resources are useful in developing community reading programs:•American Library Association: One Book One Community: Planning Your Community-Wide Read. http://www.ala.org/programming/sites/ala.org.programming/files/content/onebook/files/onebookguide.pdf. Accessed 3/10/2014.•Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database. http://litmed.med.nyu.edu/. Accessed 3/11/2014.•Maine Humanities Council. Literature & Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Health Care. http://mainehumanities.org/programs/litandmed/. Accessed 3/2/2014.•National Endowment for the Humanities. State Humanities Councils. http://www.neh.gov/about/state-humanities-councils. Accessed 3/9/2014.

Acknowledgement

Global Health End of Life

Research Ethics Cultural Diversity

Positive Peer Pressure

Experience of Illness

PublicityPublicity was key to building interest for One Community/One Book.

Dr. Franciso Cigarroa, UT System Chancellor and transplant surgeon, promoted his book selection.

Posters aroundcampus helped to publicize discussion groups and speaker events.

Events

Events included author keynote addresses, book signings and book discussions groups. Librarians conducted training for book discussion leaders.

We acknowledge the invaluable support of Humanities Texas, the Texas affiliate of the National Endowment fort the Humanities, for their support of One Community/One Book.

ConclusionA community reading program can be a successful method for librarians to use humanities to foster discussions about ethical issues in healthcare and to develop partnerships within institutions and in the wider community.