Submitted by Michelle Kraft, AHIP, FMLA; edited by JJ Pionke
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Institution: Cleveland Clinic Health System, Cleveland, OH
Title: Library Director
Brief description of responsibilities
I make sure my staff has the tools to support the Cleveland Clinic caregivers in research, educational, and clinical endeavors.
Why is MLA important to you?
I am able to collaborate with other medical librarians, sharing best practices on how we are able to better serve and meet our clients’ needs.
Why did you become a librarian?
I LOVE finding things.
What was your first library job or first professional position?
I was a reference and electronic resources librarian.
What is your advice to someone taking on a new role in leadership in MLA or in some other capacity?
The more engaged you are with MLA, the more engaging MLA becomes to you.
What has been the most interesting project you have worked on?
The Insight Initiative was the most interesting project I have recently been on. Librarians and publishers coming together to try and solve the issues regarding information retrieval, processing, and knowledge of our customers.
What do you consider to be the most pressing issues or trends in librarianship?
Hospital acquisition has led to the closure of some hospitals and the merger of others. During this time, there is a failure of hospital administrators to understand that there are information needs for their employees, that it isn’t free, and they can’t just jump on to another hospital/academic medical library’s subscription. The failure to plan for adequate library funding results in several hundred thousand to millions of dollars in lost resources, duplicate efforts, and lost opportunities best practices.
Bucket list
I want to go to Australia and New Zealand.
What do you do in your spare time?
I like to watch football, swim, or watch SciFi movies.
What is the best thing you’ve read/watched/listened to recently?
Watched: The Old Guard, The Alienest, and What We Do in the Shadows (movie and TV series).
Read: Altered Carbon (although the Netflix Series is good, the books are way better), Robopocalypse.
Five words to describe you
Inquisitive, competitive, generous, fun-loving, realistic.
Is there anything about you that others might be surprised to know?
I am deathly afraid of ALL bugs, like go fetal and rock in the corner afraid.
What are you most proud of?
My kids.
Additional comment
I am so not a morning person!