NLM Names Babski As Associate Director of Library Operations

NISO Member News

National Library of Medicine Director, Patricia Flatley Brennan, RN, PhD, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dianne Babski as Associate Director for Library Operations at the National Library of Medicine (NLM), a position in the Senior Executive Service.  This appointment became effective November 22, 2020. Ms. Babski has served as Acting Associate Director for Library Operations since March 1, 2020.

In her new role, Ms. Babski is responsible for overall management of one of NLM’s largest divisions with more than 450 staff who provide health information services to a global audience of health care professionals, researchers, administrators, students, historians, patients, and the public.  She will oversee budget, facilities, administration, and operations, including of a national network of more than 8,000 academic health science libraries, hospital and public libraries, and community organizations to improve access to health information. Ms. Babski will also serve as the Scientific Review Administrator to the federal advisory committee recommending journals for MEDLINE (Literature Selection Technical Review Committee) and will represent NLM to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the Association of Research Libraries. 

Ms. Babski began her NLM service in 2005 as a Technical Information Specialist. Three years later, she became Head of the MEDLARS Management Section, and she advanced to the position of Deputy Associate Director for Library Operations in 2013. As Deputy Associate Director for Library Operations, she led the inaugural year for the Data Science @NLM Training Program for NLM staff, served as Acting Head of the Coordinating Office of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, and Acting Head of the National Information Center on Health Services Research & Health Care Technology, headed planning efforts for the Building 38 renovations, and played a key role in implementing the first phase of NLM’s reorganization. In these roles, Ms. Babski has made many important contributions to NLM and its Strategic Plan.

“Ms. Babski combines deep knowledge of NLM operations with an innovative spirit that will ensure NLM remains a library leader as we continue to pursue our strategic directions,” said NLM Director, Patricia Flatley Brennan, RN, PhD. “I am pleased that NLM will continue to benefit from Ms. Babski’s strong leadership and depth of experience.”

Prior to joining NLM, Ms. Babski worked in the Scientific Review Program of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, developing peer review tools and database resources. She also worked on NASA’s SPACELINE data project that supplied space life sciences citations and indexing to MEDLINE.  She has a BS in Biology and Biochemistry and Master of Information Management degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.