I was thrilled to see coverage of Embodied Labs’ mixed reality simulation in medical education in the Jan. 6 Maine Sunday Telegram. Your article did an excellent job describing the learning experience as well as the emotional experience for participants. It is exciting to see this learning opportunity touch so many lives.

I wanted to add some context to this story. Beth Dyer, librarian at the University of New England, envisioned a project to provide simulation modules to help students understand the experience of senior patients. Her vision led to a grant funded by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, a regional extension of the National Library of Medicine. The grant funded the initial hardware and software purchases, and Beth and her colleagues brought the program to life.

I highlight their achievement because it is an example of how new ideas are born in libraries. Libraries are incubators for great, innovative ideas. Libraries have always been about connecting people with knowledge in order to improve communities. It is what we do for our clinicians at the Maine Medical Center Library, and is it what libraries do in communities across the country. The National Network of Libraries of Medicine supports these endeavors with health and technology-focused grant funds.

As we marvel at the new opportunities available to our students and learners, we should recognize the vision and effort of the individuals who bring them to life and the infrastructure that makes them possible. Congratulations to our colleagues at UNE for their work with Embodied Labs and deep appreciation to our colleagues at the National Network of Libraries of Medicine for their support.

Dina McKelvy

director, library and knowledge services, Maine Medical Center/MaineHealth

Portland