Getting to know WHSLA member Rita Mitchell

Get to know WHSLA member, Rita Mitchell, of Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee!

Q. How did you get started in libraries?  

Oh, I get to blame my sister, Eileen Severson, also a WHSLA member!  We were living together when she was working on her MLIS.  I thought her classes sounded interesting so after completing my master’s degree in music I continued with a MLIS degree.  My first library job was as an intern in the Music Library at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

Q. How are you/have you been involved with WHSLA?  Why did you join?

I am a newish member.  I joined because being a member is a great way to network with other health librarians and continue to learn. 

Q. What are three personal items currently on your desk.

Coffee mug, cell phone, and a magnet photo of my first cat, Gus.

Q. Do you have a professional goal for 2019? What is it?  

To incorporate activities in my instruction sessions to increase engagement and learning. 

Q. If you could hop on a plane right now, where would you go?  

Geneva, Switzerland.  It is beautiful there in the summer, zero humidity.

  

Q. What is your advice to people who want to get into librarianship?

Shadow at different types of libraries & talk to librarians to find out what they do.  This will help you decide what elective courses to take.  Keep an open mind and be creative – librarianship is changing constantly.

Q. What do you do for fun outside of work?

I am a free-lance musician and I play oboe. I also like to knit, XC ski, camp, cook, bake and hula hoop.  FYI: I just started hooping. I am not very good, but it is a lot of fun!

Q. What book(s) are you currently reading? 

• Less: A Novel by Andrew Sean Greer
• 101 Asian dishes you need to cook before you die: discover a new world of flavors in authentic recipes / Jet Tila ; foreword by Alton Brown 
• Poldark Series by Winston Graham