She will also be part of the HSHSL leadership team, responsible for making decisions about the library programs, services, and resources.
After a national search, Faith N. Steele, MLS, MIM, AHIP, was selected for the position of executive director of the National Network of the Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 1, effective Aug 26, 2024.
She joined the NNLM Region 1 in 2022 as an outreach and education librarian and since May 2024, she has served as interim executive director.
Steele brings experience in public outreach and health sciences librarianship, having previously worked as a librarian for the Office of Veteran Affairs Central Office Library. Additionally, she has a background in grants management and library engagement, having served as a grants management specialist at the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Steele holds a master’s degree in library science from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in information management with a focus on data analytics from the University of Maryland, College Park. She earned her bachelor’s degree in hospitality management and tourism from the University of Kentucky. Active in the Medical Library Association, she currently serves as chair of the African American Medical Librarians Alliance and in 2022, she earned membership into the Academy of Health Information Professions (AHIP).
As executive director of the NNLM Region 1, Steele will manage and guide a diverse team of librarians and staff. She will also be responsible for developing programs and services to address regional health information needs. In this role, she will report to the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) associate vice provost and dean of the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL), Emily J. Hurst, MSLS, and she will also be part of the HSHSL leadership team, responsible for making decisions about the library programs, services, and resources. The NNLM program is a competitive grant-funded cooperative agreement between UMB and the National Library of Medicine. The NNLM program is designed to advance the progress of medicine and improve public health by providing equal access to biomedical information and to improve the public’s access to information that can help them make informed decisions about their health.
Region 1 provides health information education and outreach programs to members in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The NNLM Region 1 offices are on the fifth floor of the HSHSL.