Rachel Mindrup has always been a fan of libraries. When her kids were little, she would take them to different branches of the library and have them “walk the stacks.” They’d find books to take home, and then they’d head over to the local public pool to swim and enjoy a packed picnic.
Her kids have grown up a lot since then, but she continues this ‘walking of the stacks’ tradition regularly at different Omaha Public Library (OPL) branches. On one trip to the Milton R. Abrahams branch, Mindrup stumbled across a book that would later inspire an author visit to Omaha, workshops hosted with local university students and an exhibition at Creighton’s Lied Education Center for the Arts.
It was back in 2022, when Mindrup saw the graphic novel “Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371” by MK Czerwiec on display at the Abrahams branch. As an associate professor of drawing and painting at Creighton and serving as the Richard L. Deming, MD Endowed Chair in Medical Humanities, this graphic novel resonated with her. It’s about Czerwiec’s experience working in the HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371 of Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago in 1994, during the height of the AIDS epidemic.
At first glance, readers might not be aware of how heavy the story is with its delightful illustrations, but that is also what makes it so special. Mindrup knew that she wanted to share the book with her coworkers and students, and so she reached out to Czerwiec.
In 2023, Czerwiec went to both Creighton’s Omaha and Phoenix campuses to host workshops with the students and introduce them to the concept of graphic medicine. The term ‘graphic medicine’ was coined in 2007 by Dr. Ian Williams, who defines it as “The intersection between the medium of comics and the discourse of healthcare.” The genre has since grown, and many other nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals creatively express themselves through comics.
Mindrup knew that this tool could be beneficial to students. At the workshops, Czerwiec asked students to draw their own avatar and then draw a panel of an experience they had either as a patient themselves or as a healthcare worker. Visually journaling experiences can be a great way for students to process tough encounters seen on the job, as creative outlets help reduce stress and regulate emotions. The workshops were great, and Mindrup knew she wanted to work with Czerwiec even more.
That’s when she had the idea to host Czerwiec’s artwork at Creighton’s Lied Art Gallery. Mindrup asked if Czerwiec would consider turning some of her original artwork from the graphic novel into an exhibition with the opportunity to invite other graphic medicine artists to display their work as well. Czerwiec said yes, and that is how the newest exhibit at the Lied Art Gallery came to be!
Czerwiec returned to Omaha to host more workshops with med students, nursing students and undergrads and attend the opening of the exhibition. For those interested in attending, the exhibition is open to the public for free from Sept. 11- Nov. 15. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Simply put, “This exhibit doesn’t happen if I don’t find this book at the Omaha Public Library. It just doesn’t,” says Mindrup. “The library is such a safe place to learn about stuff. You didn’t invest all this money in something; you’re just checking out the books.”
You never know what you might find on your next visit to your local library and the impact it can have! In addition to an expansive collection of books, OPL offers free events (including crafty ones if you’re feeling inspired), Discovery Passes and so many other resources. Stop by and see what you can discover next.
The following photos were taken by Heather McCain.
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