Sheli Pratt-McHugh
What’s your current position?
I’m the Research & Instruction Librarian for Technology and Outreach at the University of Scranton’s Weinberg Memorial Library and also the Department Chair of the Library. I teach students how to use the Library and understand the research process, including finding relevant articles and resources for their papers and projects, accessing those sources, and citing them. I also manage the Library’s social media accounts and plan events and programs for students.
As Department Chair, I mentor tenure-track faculty through the tenure and promotion process, represent the Library in campus committees, and advocate for Librarians.
What would you say most motivates you to do the work you do?
Every day is a little bit different, so it keeps things interesting. I think our students are bombarded by information 24/7, so teaching them how to evaluate where that information is coming from and who is saying that, is very rewarding. We need to teaching young people information literacy skills to be successful in all parts of their academic lives, but also as good citizens.
Where did you grow up and did you go to a college/trade school after high school?
I grew up in Moosic and went to Riverside Jr. Sr. High School. I went to Penn State University for undergrad where I majored in Media Studies—Film and Television Studies. I got my master’s of science in library and information science from Clarion University (now Penn West University). After finishing library school, I got my first library job at the Scranton Public Library, so I was able to stay in NEPA. Going from Penn State with 40K students to Clarion with 8K in a small town, was a little shocking, but I loved Clarion! They had the best little coffee shop so I became friends with many different people through that space!
Did you have any key mentors or people who deeply influenced who you are?
Oh boy, this one is hard. The previous Dean of the Library here at the University, Charles Kratz, encouraged me to apply for Leadership Lackawanna and helped me grow as a leader and as a librarian. My high school principal and his wife encouraged me to pursue a degree in Library Science. Betsey Moylan, an old family friend, encouraged me to become a librarian, what schools to investigate, and supported my career. Years later, she became my Department Chair when I first became a librarian at the University of Scranton.
How did you learn about Leadership Lackawanna?
As I mentioned above, Charles Kratz encouraged me to participate in Leadership Lackawanna. He went through the executive program years earlier and spoke so highly of it! While I was going through the program, I worked closely with my team on our projects and bonded over our historical research of Scranton. Our project was for the Historical and Architectural Review Board of Scranton, updating, updating, and cataloging the historic buildings. I still see many of my teammates around Scranton at fundraisers, workshops, meetings, and other events.
Since finishing, I’ve been involved with the alumni committee, helping to keep track of all LL grads. I’ve also attended fundraisers for LL and group projects over the years.
Let’s get personal: tell us your favorite movie, favorite book, favorite TV show, favorite NEPA landmark, or favorite local restaurant!
I try to read a lot—I am a librarian after all. I love a lot of fantasy and mystery novels, but my recent-ish favorites include Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
My favorite NEPA landmark would have to be the Iron Furnaces because that is where I had my wedding reception! I married my husband there in 2016, right after finishing Leadership Lackawanna and researching the Iron Furnaces as part of our project. I used the full list of historic places to pick a wedding venue. 😉