FY 22 Annual Report
Health Sciences Library System
About HSLS
The Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) at the University of Pittsburgh offers a wide array of research and information services, educational opportunities, and resources in electronic and print format to faculty, students, and researchers in the Schools of the Health Sciences.
Our Mission
Through our innovative services, high-quality resources, collaborative spaces, expertise, and partnerships, we advance learning, teaching, research, and service across the health sciences community at the University of Pittsburgh. While maintaining our foundational commitment to excellence, we respond to the changing health sciences and information environments.
Leadership Changes
Barbara Epstein retired as Director Emeritus on July 1, 2021. Under Epstein’s guidance, HSLS programs, services, and resources transformed with the changing information and research landscape, positioning HSLS as a recognized leader among academic health sciences libraries. Notably, she developed multiple specialized programs, including a nationally recognized molecular biology information service. She is well known for influencing the entire field of medical librarianship, serving in roles as president of the Medical Library Association and on the Board of Directors for the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries. Epstein became the director of the Middle Atlantic Region (MAR) of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) in 2011, and led the initiative for another five-year contract starting in 2016.
New Associate Vice Chancellor
Renae Barger, formerly Associate Director for Research, Instruction, and Clinical Information Services, was named Associate Vice Chancellor of the Health Sciences Library System. Barger came to HSLS in 2002 as a reference librarian and trainee in its competitive Health Sciences Library and Biomedical Informatics Program. In partnership with Epstein, she secured two consecutive contracts to make HSLS leader of NNLM MAR. She served as executive director and then program lead, building a highly regarded program, recognized regionally and nationally.
Four new assistant directors were named in FY 22:
- Julia Dahm, Assistant Director for Technology Integration and Fulfillment Services
- Tristan Lucchetti, Assistant Director for Administrative Operations
- Melissa Ratajeski, Assistant Director for Data and Publishing Services
- Rose Turner, Assistant Director for Liaison Services and Instruction
The leadership team, continuing their roles, included Fran Yarger, Associate Director for Digital Library Services; Jeff Husted, Assistant Director for Collections; Ansuman Chattopadhyay, Program Director for Molecular Biology Information Services; and Mary Lou Klem, Assistant Director for Advanced Information Support and Engagement Initiatives.
Our Team
Staff & Faculty Changes
HSLS New Hires
- Maria Davies, Main Desk Assistant
HSLS Retirements
- Barbara Epstein, Director
- Jill Foust, Research and Instruction Librarian
HSLS Promotions
- Renae Barger, Associate Vice Chancellor
- Kirsten Crowhurst, TEC Program Innovation Strategist
- Julia Dahm, Assistant Director for Technology Integration and Fulfillment Services
- Stephen Gabrielson, Scholarly Communication Librarian
- Tristan Lucchetti, Assistant Director for Administrative Operations
- Melissa Ratajeski, Assistant Director for Data and Publishing Services
- Julia Reese, Technology Integration Services Administrator
- Rose Turner, Assistant Director for Liaison Services and Instruction
- Tess Wilson, TEC Program Manager
Awards and Honors
Rebekah Miller, Research and Instruction Librarian, received the award for Professional Excellence by a New Health Sciences Librarian from the
Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association.
Helenmary Sheridan, Data Services Librarian, received an honorarium to participate in the NSF “Leveraging Data Communities” workshop run by Ithaka S+R, where she was invited to serve as an expert consultant for the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging’s AI Taskforce.
Workplace Changes
In August 2021, many who had worked remotely for 17 months returned onsite with a hybrid schedule. Hybrid scheduling was coordinated with Pitt’s Interim Flexible Working Agreement policy.
Library Space
In FY 22, the library hosted 30,061 visitors.
Construction work within the library to prepare for the West Wing and Scaife renovation continued throughout FY 22. Although study space was heavily impacted, Falk Library provided over 125 study and technology seats by way of study carrels, standing desks, and a variety of tables to accommodate the multitude of ways students study alone or together.
A meeting space in the to-be newly renovated library was announced to be named in honor of Nancy Tannery, former HSLS Senior Associate Director, with funding from the memorial endowment in her name.
Professional Service
Pitt Service Positions and Membership by HSLS Faculty and Staff:
- Accreditation Commission on Midwifery Education site visit
- Board of Trustees Institutional Advancement Committee
- Board of Trustees Student Affairs Committee
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
- Community Engagement Center Internal Advisory Health and Wellness Group
- Diversity Fellowship and Residency Steering Group
- Electronic Information and Technology (EIT) Working Group
- Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Discrimination Advocacy Committee (EIADAC)
- Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC)
- ITAC Data Governance subcommittee
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
- Research Ethics Consultation Service (RECS)
- Senate Computing and Information Technology Committee (SCITC)
- Senate Election Committee
- Senate Library Committee
- Student Admissions, Aid and Affairs Committee (SAAA)
- University Library System InCites Coordination Group
- University Library System Institutional Repository Data Advisory Team
- University Library System Open Educational Resources Committee
- University Research Support
- University Senate Executive Committee
- University Senate Faculty Representatives
- Working Group on Interprofessional Education
- Year of Data and Society Events Subcommittee
- Year of Data and Society Steering Committee
Regional and National Service Positions and Membership by HSLS Faculty and Staff:
- Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
- American Public Health Association, Annual Meeting abstract review
- Data Discovery Collaboration
- DMPTool NIH Working group
- Medical Library Association Awards Committee, Chair
- Medical Library Association Colleague Connection program, mentor
- Medical Library Association Continuing Education Grant Jury
- Medical Library Association Core Clinical Journals project
- Medical Library Association Medical Informatics Career Development Grant Jury
- Medical Library Association Scholarly Communications Caucus Talk Shop Series Committee
- Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association Diversity & Inclusion Committee
- Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association Honors and Awards Committee
- Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association Nominating Committee
- Network of the National Library of Medicine Steering Committee
- Research Data Access and Preservation Association (RDAP)
- RDAP Education and Resources Committee
- Sewell Travel Award for Public Health committee
- The Carpentries
