Today, we wrap National Librarian's Month with Bryan Nugent, Director of the Learning & Library support team at Banner. As the familiar adage goes, we saved the best for last. I really appreciated Bryan's insight that librarians are interwoven into healthcare teams rather than functioning separately or outside of them. Next time you see Bryan, be sure to say hello!
What do you enjoy most about your role as the Learning & Library Support Director?
I love working with my amazing team. As a director, I often receive accolades and thank you messages highlighting their wonderful work, which is incredibly fulfilling. I also enjoy experimenting with new technologies and staying ahead of trends. For instance, I regularly listen to AI podcasts, notably Lex Fridman, a fellow Drexel alumnus—GO DRAGONS! Additionally, I find great satisfaction in helping others learn and encouraging my team to try new things. I believe in learning from failures to ensure we provide the best service. Looking ahead, we are excited to leverage AI to enhance our services even further.
Making information easily accessible is another aspect of my job that I truly enjoy. All of our resources are 100% online, ensuring that you can access what you need from anywhere—whether you’re at work, at home, or offsite using Banner’s VPN. We offer online chat five days a week with a live librarian, and you can also text or call us. We’ve streamlined access to clinical reference resources, tools, and information with single sign-on, so there’s no need to remember another password. These efforts simplify access and improve the experience for our customers.
How has your team contributed to the success of Banner?
My team consistently engages in Evidence-Based Medicine and Practice, significantly contributing to Banner researchers’ projects, including quality improvement, safety, posters, presentations, and research papers. Another part of our team focuses on enhancing clinical education for Banner clinicians and providers, ensuring the best learning outcomes through effective instructional design.
What are some unique challenges you face in your position, and how do you overcome them?
One major challenge is managing change. Over the last decade, we transformed Library Services from being available at a few hospitals to a centralized corporate service for the entire Banner Health organization. This change was daunting but necessary to ensure consistent service delivery across all facilities. Embracing change has allowed us to have a greater impact on healthcare outcomes and support our clinicians, providers, administrators, researchers, and academics with timely, knowledge-based information.
How do you see the role of medical librarians evolving in the future?
The role of medical librarians is rapidly evolving with advancements in technology and the increasing complexity of healthcare information. We are becoming more integrated into clinical and research teams, providing critical support in data management, systematic reviews, and evidence synthesis. The use of AI and machine learning tools is expanding our capabilities, allowing us to provide more precise and timely information. As we continue to adapt, our focus will remain on enhancing patient care and supporting healthcare professionals with the best possible resources.
What inspires you outside of work?
My wife and I are gym buddies, and ever since the rollout of the Virgin Pulse app, I’ve been more attentive to my wellness. I recently hit the 100,000 points milestone, just in time for annual renewal. Implementing mindfulness and wellness throughout each day is essential!
I enjoy listening to audiobooks and recently finished “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac and “Candide” by Voltaire. Currently, I’m reading “The Long Walk” by Richard Bachman (anyone recognize that pen name?). I’m a sci-fi enthusiast and a sucker for anything dystopian but will read and listen to just about anything.
I play piano and organ for my church and love spending time improvising on my piano. Music is a big part of my life, and I always look forward to seeing what my annual music streaming recap, like Spotify’s Wrapped or Apple Music’s Replay, will reveal about my listening habits. My top 5 artists for 2023 were Wilco, Depeche Mode, Tool, Calexico, and Radiohead. I wonder what my 2024 Replay list will be?
Now that our three kids are out of the house, college-bound, and a senior in high school, my wife and I have more time to go to concerts. This year, we’ve enjoyed a variety of concerts: Sleep Token, Tool, Avett Brothers, The Decemberists, Neko Case, Iron & Wine, Wilco, and we still have three more to go: Ryan Adams, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and Zach Bryan.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our Banner Health librarians. Your librarians are here to support you in being successful as a learner and healthcare professional, and in upholding our mission to make healthcare easier so life can be better.
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Photo: Bryan pictured at “Elizabeth Tower” in London
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