| April 27, 2005
MGH Health
Sciences Library donates books to Iraq teaching hospital
About 150 medical
books from Marquette
General’s
Health Sciences Library were recently sent on a long and fascinating
journey.
The library donated the books to the Iraqi Ministry of Health for use in the
Al-Karama Teaching Hospital in Baghdad as well as several other area medical
facilities.
The story of the books’ journey is a rather complex one.
Captain Marlo Corrao of the Army National Guard’s 230th Support Battalion
first recognized the need for medical books after being stationed in Iraq.
She then contacted two close friends — Dr. Ruedi Gingrass, a retired
plastic surgeon from Milwaukee, and his wife, Julie — and asked for their
assistance in arranging a book donation.
Ruedi and Julie rose to the challenge, sending letters to several of their
physician friends imploring them to donate books. Dr. John English, a retired
MGH doctor of internal medicine, received one such letter.
” Dr. English initially recommended us,” said Janis Lubenow, MGH Library
Supervisor. “He facilitated everything. Without him, none of this would
have been possible.”
Lubenow said the library frequently has extra medical books available.
” We regularly order newer editions of many of the library texts, leaving us
with the slightly used editions,” Lubenow said. “We’ve looked
into donating them to developing countries, but the cost of shipping a very
small box of books overseas is more than a thousand dollars.”
The Army agreed to pay for the books to be transported to Iraq.
” It was a real win-win situation,” Lubenow said. “We found a good
home for our books, and several Iraqi doctors were able to start building their
libraries. It was very rewarding for everyone.”
Janis Lubenow, left, MGH Library Supervisor, and John Howko, Director
of Education, look over one of the books donated with Julie Gingrass, a missionary
who helped make the project possible. (MGH photo)
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