The Fresno State Library recently received a $5,000 Technology Improvement Award from the Network of the National Library of Medicine Region 5 for its project titled “Transforming Healthcare Education Through Immersive VR at Fresno State.” The project is led by health sciences librarian Shuyi Liu and Dr. Nupur Hajela, associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy.

This grant will support the expansion of the Library’s capacity in virtual reality (VR) to provide immersive, hands-on learning experiences for students in health-related programs such as physical therapy, nursing, kinesiology and public health. The funding will be used to acquire new VR hardware and software, enhance the Library’s technological capabilities, and offer training workshops for students, faculty and staff.

The project will also promote the use of trusted health information resources from the National Library of Medicine, including MedlinePlus and PubMed. Overall, the initiative aims to strengthen digital health literacy and foster innovation in health sciences education across the region.

“I’m really excited about how this project will open new learning opportunities for our students,” said Liu. “Using virtual reality alongside trusted health information from the National Library of Medicine will help students gain hands-on experience and build confidence in applying what they learn. Expanding our VR capacity will also allow the Library to collaborate more closely with faculty and community partners to support innovative, interdisciplinary learning across the Central Valley.”