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University Library Director
Kansas City University
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Lori A. Fitterling, MLS, Medical Librarian and Instructor of Medical Informatics, D'Angelo Library, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCU). I have worked at the D'Angelo Library since 2002 and previously worked at the Kirkpatrick Library at the University of Central Missouri. I am actively involved in various committees at KCU including the Curriculum Committee, the Institutional Review Board, and the Strategic Leadership Research Committee. I served as the co-chair of the Research Committee for the Midcontinental Chapter of MLA. I am also actively involved with the Health Sciences Library Network of Kansas City, serving as past secretary and currently on the nominating committee. I am co-chair of the Osteopathic Libraries Special Interest Group (OLSIG). Having worked in libraries for nearly thirty years, it is my hope that I have contributed something to the field already, if nothing more than furthering the rank and numbers of library staffers. I think, though, it is the other way around here; that I have received more than I have given from this very unique and diverse science. It is with this in mind that I write this short statement, striving to give back to the field by furthering my knowledge of library and information management and what possibilities it presents for the future. My first job in a library was as a book shelver when I was in college. I was drawn to libraries because I loved to read books. After my four daughters entered school, I returned to the library to work, and eventually spent nearly ten years at Central Missouri State University (now the University of Central Missouri) with their Interlibrary Loan Department. Currently, I am the Digital Services/Reference Librarian for the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. This past year I have taken on a new role as the Instructor of Medical Informatics and Information Literacy, drafting a course for first year medical students which emphasize evidence based medicine research, information retrieval and grand rounds case presentation skills. Of all the library work that I have been involved with, I have found this work most rewarding. And going forward, it is not important to me if there are book shelvers working in the libraries of the future, what is important are that libraries are still here, available to all, bringing answers to the information seeker.