Category Archives: Events & Exhibits

Mortars and Pestles Exhibit in Library

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Various Mortars and Pestles from Library collection
To kick off the new year we are bringing back our collection of mortars and pestles, which were donated by Robert I. Kramer, M.D. in 1995. For over two decades they were displayed in the library as a permanent exhibit, though in recent years they have been on rotation with only a small selection making an appearance at a time. Some of them you may recognize, while others might be wholly new. Dr. Kramer collected these pieces on his travels across the globe, ranging from the far east to the Americas and covering centuries of history. This wider set will be on display until the summer, so be sure to stop by to view them before their regular rotation begins again.

Various Mortars and Pestles from Library collection

National Medical Librarians Month & American Archives Month Events

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This October, UT Southwestern celebrates American Archives Month and National Medical Librarians Month with engaging events across campus. These activities have something for everyone, from history lovers and research enthusiasts to the simply curious.

Special Collections Library & University Archives  

Explore the Rare Book Room, archival stacks, and collection highlights during two open houses at the Florence Building (E3.314) on South Campus.

‌Get your questions answered during #AskAnArchivistDay on Oct. 16 and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and X for expert insights and behind-the-scenes access.

Health Sciences Digital Library and Learning Center  

Let our librarians help you cut through the noise and find trusted, reliable information. Plan to attend any or all of three engaging events across campus.

Library Open House: Discover resources, services, and hidden gems from 9 a.m. to
4 p.m.

  • Oct. 16: South Campus Library (E2)

Pop-Up Events: Meet your librarians, explore their services, get snacks, and win prizes from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.!

  • Oct. 13: East Campus EC3.150
  • Oct. 14: Student Center
  • Oct. 15: Zale Lipshy Cafeteria
  • Oct. 17: North Campus Cafeteria
  • Oct. 23: Moncrief Cancer Institute

Featured Classes from 12-1 p.m.:

We look forward to seeing you and sharing how the Library continues to be a smart, strategic partner in everything we do.

Archives opens its doors during American Archives Month

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October is American Archives Month! All month long, the archivists will celebrate with behind-the-scenes content on social media, #AskAnArchivistDay, and two open houses in the Special Collections Library and University Archives. At the open houses we’ll show you the Rare Book Room, the stacks where we house all our materials, as well as our work room where we’ll also display some highlights from the collections.  

The first open house will take place on October 8, 2025, from 7 to 9 a.m. The event will be “drop in” only, and we will provide some morning refreshments for those early birds who want to check out some history.

The second open house will take place on October 22, 2025, from 4 to 6 p.m. This event will also be “drop in” only, and some afternoon snacks will be provided for anyone who stops by before heading home for the day.

To keep up with all the behind-the-scenes activities and information and submit your own questions for #AskAnArchivistDay, follow us on social media:

On My Own Time registration ends July 9th

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Registration for the 24th Annual On My Own Time Employee Art Exhibit is now open. Submissions may be submitted through July 9, 2025. If you are interested, the following links provide more information about the rules for submissions.

Please note that due to space constraints, only UT Southwestern employees and students may submit entries. Also, submissions are limited to the following:

  • Visual art: one (1) work of art per category
  • Literary works: three (3) entries per category

For more information including key dates and entry rules, please visit the UT Southwestern OMOT website.

New antique medicine display at Outpatient Clinic

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At the beginning of each year, staff in the Special Collections Library & Archives exchange the items on display in the Outpatient Building on West Campus, and our newest exhibit features selections of antique medicine cases and medicines from our Medical Artifacts Collection. Several pieces were previously displayed in the main library, but by moving these items to the Outpatient Building, we are able to share the archives with more of our campus community.

Answers to October 2024 Library and Archives Trivia Contest

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Out of the 423 entries received, we had one perfect score! Congratulations Ishrat Durdana! We had a tie for runner-up, Teri Lipscomb and Austin Matheis both only missed one. Thanks to all who participated! 

  • The UT Southwestern Library was founded in 1943. 
  • Southwestern Medical College was started by Dr. Edward H. Cary. 
  • The UT Southwestern Library’s Website can be accessed by all of the above. (Services Tab, Education & Training Tab on UTSW website, UTSW Clinical Portal, Google search by name)
  • You can get help from all of the above. (Ask Us link, Library FAQs section, and In Person Library assistance M-F, 9AM-4PM)
  • There are 9 librarians on staff at the UT Southwestern Library. 
  • The services offered by the library were all of the above. (Interlibrary Loan, exam proctoring, classroom reservations, and on-campus print services)
  • The oldest book in the Archives was published in the 16th Century. 
  • There were 1733 article requests for our Interlibrary Loan Unit that were filled in FY2024. 
  • The temperature setting of the archives is 63 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • Our ILL Unit borrowed 485 items from other institutions for our patrons in FY 2024. 
  • Our library ILL services invoices can be paid by all of the above methods. (Check, Interdepartmental Request, and Credit Card)
  • We had 1436 document delivery requests filled for patrons in FY 2024. 
  • Writing a Literature Review is the most popular Library class.
  • In FY24, the Library had 920,437 books in all formats(e.g., print, electronic, audiovisual, etc.).
  • As an author, I can create profiles to manage my publications and scholarly activities in all of the above. (My Bibliography, ORCID, Scopus, and Web of Science)
  • Violet Baird began the Archives for the University. 
  • The Library’s most popular point-of-care resource is UpToDate. 
  • The Library subscribes to all of the above USMLE and Board Preparation resources (BoardVitals, StatPearls, and USMLE First Aid).
  • All of the above were new additions to the Library this year (Privacy Pods, Acoustic Tiles, New Carpet, and New Patterson Exhibit Space).  
  • The Library’s most popular subject guide in FY24 was the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guide. 

NLM Traveling Poster Exhibit: Graphic Medicine: Ill-Conceived & Well-Drawn!

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The field of graphic medicine is an emerging genre of medical literature combining the art of comics and personal illness narratives. The topic will be explored in the National Library of Medicine Travelling Poster Exhibit on display April 29–June 8 at the Library (E2.200) in the Florence Building. The banner exhibition and companion website, “Graphic Medicine: Ill-Conceived & Well-Drawn!,” was curated by artist, educator, and New York Times bestselling-author and artist Ellen Forney. 

Feeling creative? A coloring book with images taken from the rare Hebra’s Atlas of Skin Diseases will be available for download or pickup near the exhibit.

For more graphic medicine resources, visit the Library’s Medical Humanities Guide. 

From Cancer Vixen: A True Story, Marisa Acocella Marchetto, 2006
Courtesy Marisa Acocella Marchetto and Penguin Random House LLC

Try our Virtual Escape Room in honor of National Public Health Week

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Kick off National Public Health Week by having some fun playing the Library’s Public Health Week Virtual Escape Room, which is “set” in the old Parkland Memorial Hospital building. Can you escape before the hospital is demolished?

Begun in 1995 and organized by the American Public Health Association, National Public Health Week – which is always held during the first full week in April – provides an opportunity to spread awareness of the field by acknowledging the many ways lives are touched by public health. This year’s theme is “Protecting, Connecting, and Thriving: We Are All Public Health” and highlights the impact that each person – whether a health professional or not – can have on public health. For information about the daily themes, check out the National Public Health Week website.