Tag Archives: staff

UC Libraries Welcome Charli Muszynski, Student Outreach Coordinator

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UC Libraries would like to welcome Charli Muszynski to the Operations and User Services Team as the Student Outreach Coordinator. In this role, Charli will be responsible for generating ideas for and orchestrating innovative events and programming that demonstrate the value of the libraries to users and stakeholders. She will have a leading role in orientation, Welcome Week, exam weeks, and other popular UCL standards. In addition, she will be part of the operations and services team that keeps Langsam Library open and operating.

Charli comes to us from Miami University, where she worked as the Assistant Director in the Office of Student Wellness. There, she led campus-wide programming surrounding mental health and worked with peer educators to curate and disseminate information and resources to students. Before her time at Miami, she earned bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Theater Arts from Duquesne University, and a Master’s in Health Education from Penn State University. Charli is looking forward to helping students engage with the many resources and opportunities available through UC Libraries and hopes to provide moments of connection and joy for the students and staff.

Welcome, Charli!

Charli Muszynski

UC Libraries Welcomes Heidi Reis, Social Sciences Librarian

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UC Libraries is excited to welcome Heidi Reis as the new Research & Teaching Social Sciences Librarian. In this role, she will be the selector and liaison for Psychology, Sociology, and the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies.

Heidi Reis, Social Sciences Librarian

Heidi comes to us from East Carolina University’s Laupus Health Sciences Library, where she worked as an Information Resources Service Librarian. More specifically, a Liaison Librarian for the Brody School of Medicine. She holds expertise in evidence synthesis methodology, including co-authorship of systematic reviews, meta-analyses and scoping reviews. In addition, she has experience as a peer reviewer for evidence synthesis journal articles.

Outside of the library, she enjoys baking, reading and hiking, and is excited to be living in Cincinnati with family nearby. Welcome, Heidi!

UC Libraries welcomes Jordan Finkin, head of the John Miller Burnam Classics Library

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UC Libraries is pleased to welcome Jordan Finkin, PhD, as the new head of the John Miller Burnam Classics Library. Jordan joins UC from Hebrew Union College, where he most recently served as deputy director of libraries, overseeing a four-campus system, as well as serving as the rare book and manuscript librarian. He brings extensive experience in library leadership, collection development and the stewardship of rare books and manuscripts.

jordan finkin

Jordan holds a doctorate in Near Eastern studies and is the author of several scholarly monographs and numerous academic articles. He is also a productive literary translator from Yiddish, German and French, and the founder and director of the Naydus Press, a nonprofit publisher of Yiddish literature in English translation. His work with multilingual collections, together with his administrative experience, positions him well to steward the Classics Library’s exceptional collections and serve UC Libraries’ mission.

The John Miller Burnam Classics Library at the University of Cincinnati possesses one of the world’s largest and most distinguished collections of Classical Studies with particular strengths in Greek and Latin philology, Aegean Bronze Age archaeology, and Latin palaeography. It is unique in housing under one roof the full spectrum of sub-disciplines within the broad definition of Classics — language and literature, art and archaeology, history, philosophy, religion, law, science and medicine in addition to Modern Greek studies, papyrology, epigraphy, palaeography and more. The collection spans five millennia of recorded history and the vast geographic areas of Ancient Greece and the full expanses of the Roman Empire, including Eastern Rome (Byzantium) in addition to sizeable collections covering the Near East and Ancient Egypt.

The Classics Library is located at 417 Blegen Library and features a Reading Room, Palaeography Reading Room, Epigraphy and Papyrology Reading Room and impressive stack floors.

Corey Ferguson joins UC Libraries as Classics Library Operations Supervisor

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UC Libraries is excited to welcome Corey Ferguson as the Library Operations Supervisor of the John Miller Burnham Classics Library.

In this role, Corey will lead the various day-to-day library operations, including student supervision, service point management, and stacks maintenance. Other duties include engaging in and overseeing events, exhibits, instructional materials, collections processing, student and supplies budget management, and operational data and assessment activities.

Corey most recently was the Youth Collection Development Librarian for MidPointe Library System. In addition, she has worked at public libraries in Cincinnati, Springfield (MA), and New York. She also brings experience in various editorial and publishing roles.

Welcome, Corey!

Corey Ferguson standing in front of the stacks in the Classics Library.

Patrick Bois joins UC Libraries as evening and weekend supervisor

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We are delighted to announce that Patrick Bois joined the University of Cincinnati Libraries on May 12 in the role of Langsam Library evening and weekend supervisor. Patrick will be working Sundays – Thursdays, providing critical staff coverage for Langsam’s seven-day-a-week schedule during the academic year. 

Patrick is a UC alumnus in history and is currently working on his MLIS at Kent State, with a concentration in archival studies. Before coming to UC, he worked in the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Libraries since 2021, and this experience will be a great asset in his new role. He is excited to work in an academic library that he experienced as a student.

Welcome back to UC, Patrick!

patrick bois

Introducing Lindsay Taylor, assessment and evaluation specialist in UC Libraries

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Lindsay Taylor joined the University of Cincinnati Libraries Operations and User Services Team on March 17 as the new assessment and evaluation specialist. Lindsay brings a wealth of experience in library assessment, financial administration and instructional services to the university. 

lindsay taylor

Lindsay previously served as an adjunct reference and instruction librarian at Cincinnati State and as a financial administrator at the University of Cincinnati’s Department of History. Additionally, she was a graduate assistant in library assessment while completing her MS in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Lindsay is a proud alumna of the University of Cincinnati, with a B.A. in Classics and classical civilization. Her knowledge of UC and libraries will be invaluable as we strive to strengthen our organization by building a culture of assessment and data-informed decision making.

This is one of the new strategic staffing positions outlined in the UC Libraries Strategic Plan and we look forward to Lindsay working with the entire organization on assessment and evaluation.

Welcome, Lindsay, to UC Libraries!

Acknowledging a job well done

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june taylor-slaughter

In the spring of 2024, June Taylor-Slaughter, research and services specialist in the Science & Engineering Libraries, was working the UC Libraries help-line chat when author D. B. Borton asked an out of the ordinary question.

Borton attended UC in the 1980’s and wanted to use Langsam Library as a setting for a mystery novel she was writing. Unable to recall information about the library carrels, she used Library Chat for answers. Barton said she wasn’t sure if anyone would be able to assist her. Coincidentally, June told her that she was also a student at that time working in Langsam Library. She was able to provide Borton with exactly the details she needed to include in her book. Borton was so grateful and told her she’d send her a copy.

After not thinking about the instance for a while, June was pleasantly surprised one day when she received a copy of Borton’s finished novel along with a hand-written thank-you note – and on the third page of the book, a special acknowledgment.

When asked about the acknowledgment, June said, “It was the best reward from working Library chat. You can help someone with the smallest thing, but you don’t know how much it’s appreciated until it’s acknowledged, so I am humbly grateful. This acknowledgment wasn’t just for me, but also for UC Libraries. I’m really looking forward to reading this book!”

acknowledgments and thank you note
thank you note

Carly Fledderjohann joins UC Libraries as the digital content specialist

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Carly Fledderjohann joined the University of Cincinnati Libraries on November 18th as the digital content specialist. In this new role, Carly will be responsible for managing the Libraries various social media accounts and creating animated and video digital content for promotional purposes. She will work closely with the communication design co-op student and the director of library communication to raise the external profile of UC Libraries.

carly fledderjohann

Carly is a 2024 graduate of the University of Cincinnati, majoring in film and media studies. She worked as a creative communications intern for the Dayton Dragons where she created still and animated video board graphics, produced content for social media and filmed videos for promotional purposes. Prior to the Dragons, Carly was social media manager and office assistant for Closets & More and was an intern for UC Athletics.

Welcome back to UC, Carly!

UC Libraries names Brian Gray Associate Dean of Collections

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brian gray

Brian Gray will join the University of Cincinnati Libraries on October 21, 2024 as associate dean of collections. In this role, he will join the Libraries’ senior leadership team to be a part of a continuing transformation, working to realize our mission and strategic directions. Gray will be responsible for managing general collections, preservation, special collections and archives within UC Libraries. In addition, he’ll serve as the senior administrator for the Archives & Rare Books Library, John Miller Burnam Classics Library and the Albino Gorno Memorial (CCM) Library.

Gray has an M.B.A in organizational development & leadership from Case Western Reserve University, a masters of library and information science from Kent State University with a focus on management, and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Akron. He comes to UC from Case Western Reserve University where he served as the collection strategies librarian. Previous roles include the team leader of research services, research services librarian of chemical and bio-molecular engineering and macro-molecular science, as well as head of reference.

“I look forward to working with Brian and welcome him to the UC community,” said Liz Kiscaden, dean and university librarian. “His experience and knowledge of OhioLINK, collection development, reference and research will make him a wonderful associate dean for collections especially as we embark on implementing our new strategic plan.”

“Finding My Space:” Meshia Anderson recounts her experience at this summer’s IDEAL conference

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By Meshia Anderson, interlibrary loan specialist, UC Libraries

Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Belonging are often terms associated with those in marginalized communities. Finding a space that allows one to be authentic, feel a sense of belonging and add value to the lives of others is what I set out to do. Just over a year ago, I sought to find unique professional development opportunities that would allow me to serve as a key contributor to Equity and Inclusion practices, enhance current skills and adapt new ones and contribute to the support of marginalized communities.

“Finding My Space:” Meshia Anderson recounts her experience at this summer’s IDEAL conference
IDEAL Conference 2024, Association of Research Libraries, ARL, Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility in Libraries & Archives (IDEAL) Conference. Photo by Harry Choi.

As a result of my pursuit, I was selected to serve as member of the ARL/IDEAL Conference Planning Task Force and to additionally serve as Production Committee Co-chair. The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) offered a great opportunity for me to connect with those exhibiting my same passion for Equity and Inclusion practices. The task force consisted of 10 members outside of ARL, primarily deans and department heads, in addition to multiple ARL directors, which presented a significantly inclusive experience for me. More than 70 volunteers across the United States and Canadian Universities, along with additional ARL staff, contributed to the conference success serving well over 500 attendees.

My role as a task force member allowed me the opportunity to provide suggestions and/or feedback for the conference working groups as conference plans progressed. The Production Team in particular was responsible for overall onsite conference support. As co-chair, I oversaw all aspects of onsite conference check-in and information support locations throughout the conference, providing training for multiple shifts in those work spaces and providing support for my co-chair who oversaw most other volunteer spaces. Initial training lead by ARL leadership for task force members and volunteers helped to establish conference standards and safety expectations.

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