HSL Opens New Reading Room
The normally quiet and peaceful Health Sciences Library (HSL) was temporarily a place of festivity for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the official opening of a new reading room on November 25.
Not long after the ribbon was cut, the spacious area, formerly occupied by journal stacks and now designated quiet study space, was filled with students enjoying the high ceilings, natural light, ergonomic seating, adjustable height workstations, spacious desks and seating booths with electrical and USB outlets throughout. The classrooms in the HSL as well as the Mark A. Novitch, M.D. '58, Computer Lab, were also appointed with new furniture.
The renovations exemplify that it really does “take a village,” according to Marie T. Ascher, M.S., M.P.H., second from left, the Lillian Hetrick Huber Endowed Director of the Health Sciences Library, who thanked everyone for their contributions to the project and to the students for their patience during the renovation process. “Library space continues to be important for communal learning and I appreciate, as I am sure our students do, New York Medical College’s commitment to quiet learning space,” said Ms. Ascher. “We also have plans for some artwork and exhibits in the space to increase its beauty and the feeling of a library atmosphere.”
Among the speakers were Lior Levy, far left, School of Medicine (SOM) Class of 2023, who serves as the library liaison from the SOM Student Senate. “This new space was highly anticipated from the students and is an exciting development at New York Medical College. The students collectively feel gratitude to everyone involved in the renovations and for the sense that we are supported by administration who listens and acts on our needs," said Ms. Levy. "The new reading room will undoubtedly be a hot venue for STEP exam studying."
Robert G. Lerner, M.D., professor emeritus of medicine and a frequent patron of the HSL who could often be seen perusing the stacks, expressed the importance of the library to an educational institution. Dr. Lerner, past president of the Westchester County Medical Society, was a faculty member when the College moved to Westchester and the collection of the Westchester Academy of Medicine library was merged with the library collection of New York Medical College. In fact, many of the volumes in the HSL today are stamped “Westchester Academy of Medicine” and the HSL houses many artifacts donated by Dr. Lerner, who purchased them from the Westchester Medical Society for the HSL.
Before the official cut, Rabbi Moshe D. Krupka, M.S., far right, executive vice president, Touro College and University System, closed the program thanking everyone who brought the project to fruition and gave a blessing for the new space.
Photo from left: Lior Levy, School of Medicine Class of 2023; Marie T. Ascher, M.S., M.P.H., the Lillian Hetrick Huber Endowed Director of the Health Sciences Library; Jennifer L. Koestler, M.D., senior associate dean for medical education and associate professor of pediatrics and medicine; Marina K. Holz, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences; Jerry L. Nadler, M.D., MACP, FAHA, FACE, dean of the School of Medicine; Michael S. Wolin, Ph.D., professor of physiology and chair of the Library and Academic Support Committee; Robert W. Amler, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice and vice president for government affairs; and Rabbi Moshe D. Krupka, M.S., executive vice president, Touro College and University System.
