We hope to use the funding to develop our health sciences and nursing collection. Our health sciences and nursing collection has not received funding for routine collection development since 2018. This means that we have been forced to withdraw books – either due to damage or outdated information – yet have not been able to purchase new material to make up for this loss. In addition to this, there are huge gaps in our collection, specifically, LGBTQIA+ topics, health of people with disabilities, BIPOC health, mental health & psychology, reproductive health, women’s health, integrative health, and social issues that relate to health.  

Another goal of this award would be to purchase material related to the above mentioned fields as it intersects with Oceania. As a Native-Hawaiian serving institution, it is vital that our collection also reflects our Hawaiian/Pacific lens. It would be a wonderful service to our community if we were able to purchase materials on this topic. The material we would be able to purchase would not only serve the Chaminade University community (students, faculty, and staff) but, since we are open to the public, the materials we would be able to purchase would have a far greater impact that just our campus community.

Chaminade University also offers the State’s only Parish Health Community, which is run out of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. As the Nursing & Community Public Health Librarian, I hope to partner with the Parish Health program to get out and into the community to share resources and information with members of our community.