Barbara Cavanaugh: Associate Director for the Health Sciences Libraries and Director of the Biomedical Library	Print Issue
March 31, 2009, Volume 55, No. 27

The Penn Libraries announce the appointment of Barbara Cavanaugh to the position of Associate Director for the Health Sciences Libraries and Director of the Biomedical Library, effective April 1. Her responsibilities include leadership of the Biomedical Library and oversight of the operations of the Dental and Veterinary School Libraries. She will play a key role in re-imagining Biomedical Library spaces and services in support of the joint renovation planning efforts between the Penn Libraries and the School of Medicine.

Ms. Cavanaugh has more than 25 years of medical library experience. She began her career at Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Library, Historic Library, and Archives. She also ran the School of Nursing and Medical Staff Libraries at Roxborough Memorial Hospital. Ms. Cavanaugh came to Penn in 1993 as the Health Sciences Libraries Liaison.

In 2001, Ms. Cavanaugh was promoted to head of Veterinary Libraries. That same year, she was a recipient of the Veterinary Medical Student Government’s Commendation Award for Excellence in Teaching. As head of the Veterinary Libraries, she played a pivotal role in the planning and development of the School’s new, cutting-edge facility, the Steven W. Atwood Library & Information Commons, in the School’s new Vernon & Shirley Hill Pavilion.

“We are delighted to have Barbara in this major leadership role. Her experience with the Atwood Library will be invaluable as we re-envision the facilities and redefine the services offered by Penn’s Health Sciences Libraries in response to the Medical School’s planned renovations,” said Carton Rogers, Vice Provost and Director of Libraries.

Ms. Cavanaugh is a member of the Medical Library Association, and is currently involved in a project funded by the Elsevier Foundation to support the information, healthcare, and medical education needs of Penn programs in Botswana. She has a BA from Temple University and an MS in Library and Information Science from Drexel University.