Laurel Mueller recently joined the University Libraries as medical and biomedical sciences liaison librarian at the University Libraries. In this role Laurel supports the students, faculty, and staff of the Jacobs School of Medicine through research consultations, designing and leading instruction sessions, developing services and programs relevant to health sciences, and providing search services for systematic reviews. To get to know her better, we asked Laurel a few questions about herself. Here’s Laurel in her own words:
“Like Chappell Roan, I am a Midwest Princess. I was born and raised in central South Dakota. For me, it’s ranch over blue cheese any day!
As an undergrad, I studied English and Art History at the University of Minnesota Twin-Cities with the mindset to work in museums. I knew that I enjoyed working in spaces that fostered active learning, which ultimately led me straight back to universities, where I worked as a university administrator after college. The role was demanding, especially during the pandemic, and it gave me an appreciation for the dedication of university staff, especially their knowledge of the curriculum, upkeep on ever-changing policies, and much, much, more! My favorite part of the position was working with students and learning about their research. Because of this experience I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in academic librarianship, serving as a resource for students and their pursuits by developing engaging instruction sessions and programming.
I had debated switching career paths to become a nurse, which led me to enroll in biology, human development, and nutrition courses. While I ultimately abandoned nursing, my interest in medicine, specifically reproductive health, followed me to graduate school. And so, I then earned master’s degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in library and information sciences and in history with a concentration on the history of medicine.
I initially searched for university positions in medical librarianship and learned more about UB during my interviews. When I met with the Health Sciences Library Services (HSLS) team they exuded knowledge, professionalism, and mentorship all while packed with jokes. I appreciated that UB Libraries, and UB, is dedicated toward understanding and engaging with Artificial Intelligence, which aligned with my perspective of AI as an emerging issue in teaching, research, and critical information literacy. All in all, UB Libraries seemed to be the best place for me to learn and grow my skillset and is an ideal fit for me as an early career professional in medical and health science librarianship. Having access to the History of Medicine Collection is a nice perk too!
I’d also like to mention that my HSLS colleagues are superstars! Each one has made me feel welcome and acclimated to the University of Buffalo. They allow me to shadow them on research consultations and instructions, review my work, and are open to my feedback and perspective. It’s a kind and fun-loving group that enjoys a good time.
Next week, I am beginning the HSLS team’s training process for systematic reviews. I’m excited at the prospect of helping my team members expand our services in this rapidly growing responsibility in libraries. And after that, I’m developing a ‘spine-tingling’ tour of objects in the History of Medicine Collection with the guidance and encouragement from the collection’s curator Keith Mages. The event will be part of SLEW’s Halloween Stress Relief event at the end of October. I hope the tour attracts students who do not normally visit the collection to learn more about it!
Outside of work, I’m a crafter. I’m currently working on a Halloween cross stitch but usually can be found knitting. My active hobbies include exploring the city, hiking in nearby state parks, Pilates, and swimming. I read or listen to regency romances, murder mystery, or horror books, and enjoy horror movies. I welcome recs!”
We also asked Laurel if she’d like to share a fun fact about herself. She told us that she got married three days before her in-person interview with UB. Laurel and her husband had a small ceremony in a local park with family and friends and hosted a bonfire at their house that evening. Congratulations, Laurel!