Karla Block, MLIS, is an Associate Librarian.  She holds a B.S. in Public Health, Sociology, and the History of Medicine from the University of Minnesota, an MLIS from Dominican University, and a Specialist Certificate in Distance Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She started her library career as a student employee at Walter Library at the University of Minnesota, and then spent four years as a paraprofessional in interlibrary loan and circulation at the Bio-Medical Library. After graduating from library school, she became Project Manager for "Health Information Access for Rural Nurse Practitioners," a four year project funded by an Information Systems grant from the National Library of Medicine.  She was Head of Access Services for the Bio-Medical Library for five years, and then became the coordinator for Outreach, Communications, and Development. 

She is currently project manager for My Health Minnesota --> Go Local, working part-time remotely. 

Karla has co-taught two graduate level library school courses for Dominican University (in conjunction with the College of St. Catherine).  She is a senior member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) of the Medical Library Association.

Areas of Interest

Publications and Major Presentations

• Block, Karla J.  "Health Resources from University Experts." Wellness Works Fall 2006, 1(1): 18-9.
• Block, Karla J.  “Librarianship for the Love of It.”  In The Librarian’s Career Guidebook (Priscilla K. Shontz, editor).  Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2004.
• Block, Karla J.  “Laptops for Loan: The Experience of a Multi-Library Project.”  Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Information Supply 2001; 12(1): 1-12.
• Block, Karla J.  “Integrating Library and Information Competencies into the Nursing Curriculum Through Faculty-Librarian Collaboration.”  In Library User Education: Powerful Learning, Powerful Partnerships (Barbara I. Dewey, editor).   Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2001.
• Block, Karla J. and Kelly, Julia A.  “Integrating Informal Professional Development into the Work of Reference.” Reference Librarian 2001; 72: 207-17.  Co-published simultaneously as Doing the Work of Reference: Practical Tips for Excelling as a Reference Librarian (Celia Hales Mabry, editor).  New York: Haworth Information Press, 2001.
• Block, Karla J.  “Taking Care: Web-Based Diabetes Resources for Women.”  In Women’s Health on the Internet (M. Sandra Wood and Janet M. Coggan, editors).  New York: Haworth Information Press, 2000. Co-published simultaneously as Health Care on the Internet 2000; 4(2/3). 
  

• Block, Karla, Elaine Challacombe, Katherine Chew, and Lisa McGuire.  "Library Exposure: An Open House Point of View."  Poster presented at the Midwest Chapter of the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Louisville, KY, October 2006.
• Block, Karla and Dottie Hawthorne.  "The Doctor is in (Your Computer): Consumer Health Information Online." Presented at the Minnesota Library Association Annual Conference, St. Cloud, MN, September 2006.
• Block, Karla J., Lisa McGuire, and Katherine Chew.  "Harold S. Diehl: Pioneer in Randomized Controlled Trials."  Poster presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, May 2006.
• Block, Karla et al. "Health Information Rx--Reference Tools for Health Questions: A Statewide Demonstration Grand Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation."  Poster presented at the Midwest Chapter of the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Fargo, ND, September 2005.
• Block, Karla J. and James Beattie, Jr.  “Need to Train 200 People in Three Months?  Collaborate!” Presented at the Midwest Chapter of the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Springfield, IL, October 2004.
• Block, Karla J.  “Can Your Library Improve Its Services?  You Bet Your BIPS!” Poster presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, May 2004.
• Block, Karla J., Christine Mueller, and Ellen Nagle.  "Health Information Access for Rural Nurse Practitioners: A Collaborative Project to Provide Library Support and Services," presented at the Eighth International Congress on Medical Librarianship, London, England, July 2000.
• Block, Karla J., Julia Kelly and Kathy Robbins.  "Interactive Professional Development: Building Upon Core Competencies for Reference Staff," presented at the Medical Library Association Annual Meeting, Vancouver, British Columbia, May 2000.
• Block, Karla J.  "Integrating Library and Information-Seeking Skills into the Nursing Curriculum Through Faculty/Librarian Collaboration," presented at "Powerful Learning, Powerful Partnerships: Educating the University Community in a Dynamic Information Environment," University of Iowa, November 1999.