Courtney Crummett

Name and Location of Fellowship
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Associate Fellowship Program
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Md.

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Background

Originally from St. Petersburg, Fla.
Bachelor’s degree in geology from Guilford College
Master’s degree in geology from University of Maryland
Master’s degree in library and information science from University of South Florida

Research Focus
Crummett’s research included identifying library services for the bioinformatics research community, scholarly communication issues and the benefits of social software in libraries.

Typical Day on the Job
The fellowship is divided into two phases, the first being a structured curriculum and the second being project-focused. During the curriculum portion, Crummett received hands-on training in many NLM resources and services. She was able to gain a better understanding of the development process of biomedical information sources.

During the project phase of the fellowship, Crummett utilized multimedia tools to reach and inform library users. She also assisted in the creation of a useful video tutorial that will serve as an aid to those using TOXMAP, a health and toxicology resource developed by the NLM. She also worked with a team to analyze and enhance the library’s Director’s Comments podcast.

After her first year as a NLM associate fellow, Crummett chose to participate in an optional second year of the program hosted by MIT. Crummett assisted with the development of the resources, such as online subject guides, participated in the MIT Libraries instruction program and researched and analyzed the publication practices of the MIT faculty. Following the program, she was hired by MIT as a full-time librarian, specializing in bioinformatics.

The Value of the Fellowship
“The fellowship has taught me about more than medical librarianship; I have experienced the benefits of a collaborative work environment and developed effective leadership techniques and I now have a better understanding of the resource development process.”