Honoring a Visionary: UC San Diego Library Endowment Established in Memory of Naomi Broering

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• Nikki Kolupailo- [email protected]

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• UC San Diego Library
• Health Sciences
• Philanthropy and Giving

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UC San Diego Library has announced the establishment of the Naomi Cordero Broering-Chauncey Health Sciences Collection Endowment, made possible through a generous gift from Gregory A. Chauncey, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, retired. Chauncey created the fund in remembrance of his late wife, Naomi Broering (1929-2023), to strengthen health sciences collections at the Library, ensuring students, faculty, researchers and clinicians have ongoing access to essential information resources.

Reflecting on his gift, Chauncey said, "I am very pleased to provide this support, and I am honored that my wife's legacy will live on at the UC San Diego Library."

Broering's career in medical librarianship spanned over four decades, marked by significant achievements and a steadfast commitment to broadening health information availability. Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, she made history as the Medical Library Association's (MLA) first Hispanic/Latinx president in 1996-97. In 2003, she received the prestigious Marcia C. Noyes Award, MLA's highest professional distinction.

A strong advocate for the Network of the National Library of Medicine, Broering participated in focus groups, created exhibits and helped showcase National Library of Medicine (NLM) resources. She led extensive outreach projects across San Diego County, collaborating with public libraries, churches, community centers, veterans centers and HIV/AIDS clinics. In doing so, she brought critical health information to underserved communities, including Hispanics, African Americans, Native and Pacific Islander Americans and areas with high HIV incidence.

Her leadership extended to institutions like the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library and Georgetown University Medical Center, where Broering directed the development of the groundbreaking Library Information System (LIS) and mini-MEDLINE System. These technologies revolutionized access to medical research, enabling users to search databases directly rather than through librarians, and were widely adopted by libraries nationwide. Broering was also a prolific author and successful grant writer, securing more than $5.6 million in NLM funding for Dahlgren Memorial Library. She published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and was credited with inventing and developing many innovative procedures that advanced the field of health sciences librarianship.

Broering's vision for the future of medical libraries was remarkably ahead of its time. In her 1996 MLA presidential address, she confidently predicted a broader user base, widespread healthcare information, and the evolution of libraries into virtual spaces - a foresight that remains profoundly relevant today.

"This endowment is a fitting tribute to Naomi. She was a trailblazing medical librarian, a leading voice in health informatics, and an advocate for equity and access in health information," said Erik Mitchell, Audrey Geisel University Librarian. "Her work connected communities across San Diego, ensuring that important health resources reached those who needed them most. Her contributions will live on and continue to inspire our work at the Library."

As one of the nation's top research libraries, UC San Diego Library plays a vital role in advancing the university's mission to educate, generate and share knowledge, provide high-quality health care, and engage in public service. Through the Naomi Cordero Broering-Chauncey Health Sciences Collection Endowment, Broering's lifelong commitment to innovation, inclusion and visionary thinking will continue to guide and inspire future generations of academic scholars and clinicians.