Wilba Swearingen Appointed Director of Libraries
Wilba Swearingen was named Director of Medical Center Libraries effective November 1, 1998. Wilba began her career in medical librarianship at LSUMC when she helped open the new Dental Library in 1971. After spending nearly fifteen years as a librarian and publisher's representative in Wisconsin, Louisiana, and throughout the southwest, she returned to LSUMC in 1988 to take the position as Associate Director. Since then, she has served as Acting Director twice, in 1994-95 and from September 1997 until her appointment as Director.
Wilba received a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and a Master of Arts in English from North Texas State University. She earned her Master of Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1977. She has written extensively in the area of serials and is a member of Beta Phi Mu, the international library and information science honor society. In 1996 Wilba was named a distinguished member of the Medical Library Association's Academy of Health Information Professionals.
Professional associations have played an important role in Wilba's career. She has been active on the national level in both the Medical Library Association (MLA) and the American Library Association (ALA), serving on numerous committees for both groups. Regionally, Wilba participates in the South Central Chapter (SCC) of MLA. She has held several offices and committee appointments in SCC, and she served as the chapter's president in 1993-94.
Frequent visitors to the Library may have noticed some of the changes that Wilba has implemented. Her main priority as Director is to continue to improve user services. From moving service access locations and adding shelves to upgrading computer equipment, she has shown her commitment to that goal. While maintaining a dedication to traditional resources, Wilba hopes to expand into newer areas of service, such as distance education and document delivery.
The Library Staff is proud to have Wilba as our Director, and we look forward to helping her succeed in her new position.
-- Elizabeth Schafer
ebilli@lsumc.edu link removed