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Profile a Prof...
Ellen Detlefsen

Name: Ellen Gay Detlefsen
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Library & Information Science;
Lead Faculty Member, Health Librarianship Program and Project Director,
Highmark Minority Health Link
· Core Faculty, Center for Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine
· Chief, Information Dissemination Unit, Mental Health Clinical
Research Center/Late Life Mood Disorders, Western Psychiatric Institute and
Clinic 
Education: Smith College, Northampton MA AB, 1968 American Studies
Columbia University, New York NY MS, 1969 Library Service
Columbia University, New York NY MA, 1973 American History
Columbia University, New York NY DLS, 1975 [doctorate] Library Science
Columbia University, New York NY MPhil, 1978 American History
Research interests:  
    information behaviors of health professionals, including the
diffusion/dissemination of medical knowledge
· information behaviors of healthcare consumers, including patients,
families, and caregivers
· information behaviors of African-American healthcare consumers,
especially using the World Wide Web
· the structure of medical languages and literatures
· development of educational programs for health information
specialists
How she became interested in these subjects:  I have always been interested
in medicine; I vividly remembering reading a book on the history of surgery
when I was in junior high school. In retrospect, I probably should have
challenged the prevailing mindset about good careers for women in the 1960s
and gone to medical school instead of library school. I have discovered,
however, that work with health information combines the two fields well! 
Family:  My spouse is a internationally-known physician-researcher who
investigates mood disorders in late life; we have two sons (one son is a
medical student in Portland ME, who will be married this summer to a
wonderful woman who is a law student in Portland, and one son is a senior at
the Western Reserve Academy in Ohio and will attend Occidental College in
Los Angeles next fall), and an eight year old chocolate lab named "Beau".
What she likes about Pittsburgh:  old houses, good friends, 30 years of
opportunities for a co-professional couple, and the ability to walk to
work....
Hobbies:  cooking (especially soup!); traveling, especially to see great
architecture
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: coffee! 2nd favorite: Rocky Road
Book she is currently reading: Children of Cain, the latest mystery by Miriam
Grace Monfredo featuring the exploits of librarian Glynis Tryon and her
cohort in mid-nineteenth century upstate New York! And, The High Sierra of
California: The Poems and Journals of Gary Snyder (a brand new book by a
major Beat poet...)
Favorite Books: American historical mysteries; culinary mysteries;
anything by Tony Hillerman; the complete Pern chronicles of Anne McCaffrey,
and the Brother Cadfael stories by Ellis Peters
Favorite TV Show: ER; Decorating Cents/Design on a Dime; Molto Mario
Movie(s) you could watch any time: On Golden Pond; Driving Miss Daisy
Dream vacation: time on any one of three islands: Wellesley Island, NY;
Bermuda; Hawaii
The Final Question:  What else would she like students to know about her?
· I collect hippopotami (images and reproductions, not the real
beasts!).
· I also collect "antique information technology," AKA "things we
don't teach anymore...."
· I am passionate about supporting the Food Bank of the East End
Cooperative Ministry, through my Episcopal parish (Calvary Church)
· I spend summers in the Thousand Islands in the North Country of New
York State, where I chair the local community association which does
everything from church services and movies four times a week, to concerts,
children's activities, community picnics, and historical lectures. I even
review books for the local public library's weekly book group!
· I have been a peace advocate since 1968.
· I have been to Japan five times, to give lectures in two of their
three LIS programs.
· Once upon a time, I was an art librarian (a cataloger!) at the
Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
· I was teaching in the SIS Building before the first two floors were
added on to the structure.

Bibliofile thanks Professor Detlefsen for this interview.   

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Publication of the Department of Library & Information Science
University of Pittsburgh
135 N. Bellefield Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Last updated February 10, 2003