Type Of Business:
University
Marketing Area:
International
Expertise:
Database management; Information organization and retrieval; Creation and maintenance of metadata for library resources
Major Product/SVS:
Higher education
Hobbies/Sports:
Theory of translation; Studying French, German, Russian, Polish and English; Gardening; Ballet; Opera; Theater
Education Degrees:
Ph.D. in Humanities and Book Marketing, Uniwersytet Lodzki, Lodz, Poland (1995); Postgraduate Certificate in Modern Latin, Uniwersytet Lodzki, Lodz, Poland (1986); Master of Library and Information Science, Uniwersytet Lodzki, Lodz, Poland (1985); Coursework in Health Consumer Resources and Services, Conversational French, Fiction Writing, Bookbinding, and Computers, University of Pittsburgh; Coursework in Computer Programming and Business Calculus, Community College of Allegheny County
Affiliations Awards:
Technical Services Section Standards Committee, Medical Library Association (2002-2006); Medical Library Association (2000-2006); Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, American Library Association (1999-2011); American Library Association (1999-2011); Popular Culture Association (1995-2003)
Work History:
Executive Committee Member, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh (2007-2011); Head of Technical Services, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh (2004-2011); Cataloging and Database Management Librarian, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh (1999-2004); General Language Team Leader, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh (1998-1999); Supervisor, Barnes & Noble Bookstore (1996-1998), Cataloger, Children’s Materials, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh (1996); Kosciuszko Fellow, Cataloging Department, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh (1993-1995); Assistant Professor of Bibliography and Information Sources, Assistant Professor of Descriptive Cataloging, Katedra Bibliotekoznawstwa i Informacji Naukowej Uniwersytetu Lódzkiego (1985-1995)
Number Of Years In Profession:
19
Number Of Years In Current Position:
6
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
She attributes her success to being fearless, flexible and able to embrace change with enthusiasm.
Why did you become involved in your profession or industry?:
She became involved in her profession because her professor wanted to change theory building skills into practical problem-solving experience, and after lecturing and researching in library and information science at a University in Poland for 10 years.
Extended Bio Profile:
Dr. Fort has extensive experience as a librarian on both sides of the Atlantic. As a result, she has developed a skill set that enables her to adroitly manage all aspects of library technical services in constantly changing environments, such as the migration to new systems. She retains an in-depth knowledge of international and American cataloging standards, subject systems, and classifications, and possesses the knowledge and ability to organize a library's collections efficiently. In addition, Dr. Fort has experience with serials collection evaluation, development and maintenance, hands-on knowledge of authority maintenance issues, and a proven ability to catalog monographs and serials in major languages, including English, German, French, Italian, Latin, Polish, and Russian. She is also knowledgeable about Access reporting, HTML, Microsoft Office applications, and bibliographic utilities.
Before relocating to the United States, Dr. Fort taught at Uniwersytet Lodzki in Lodz, Poland. She has published a number of articles professionally and delivered numerous papers at international conferences. Her doctoral thesis was published as "The Bestseller on the United States Book Market." Dr. Fort's accomplishments also include organizing a book exhibit covering more than 100 years of Polish publishing outside Poland; it was on display from October 1996 to April 1997 in the in the Special Collections Department at the University of Pittsburgh.
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Overseeing description and organization of library collections and data sets; Managing cataloging and acquisitions records; Promoting and providing data mining from the integrated library system; Managing the database; Researching; Advising; Consulting; Cooperating
Awards/Honors:
Two-Time Grant Recipient, The Kosciusko Foundation (1993-1994, 1994-1995); Rector's Award, Uniwersytet Lodzki, Lodz, Poland (1986)
Where Will You Be In 5 Years:
In five years, Dr. Fort intends to experience professional growth.