Music Library Association

Bio's of Current Reviewers


Beth Christensen is Music Librarian at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she supervises professional, paraprofessional, and student staff. Her responsibilities and interests include reference, instruction, collection development, and administration.  In addition to her work as Music Librarian, Beth has served as Interim College Librarian at St. Olaf and has participated in numerous search committees throughout the College.  Currently a member of the Personnel Subcommittee and Dena Epstein Award Committee, Beth has been involved with a variety of MLA committees, has been a member of the MLA Board, Chair of the MLA Midwest Chapter, and was Program Chair for the 1992 meeting in Baltimore.  She holds a Bachelor of Music degree, and Master’s degrees in both Library and Information Science and Musicology.

Catherine Dixon is Head of the Reader Services Section of the Music Division, at the Library of Congress where she supervises professional and paraprofessional staff, interns, and volunteers.  She has been at the Library since 2002.  Prior to working at the Library of Congress, she was Chief of the Music and Recreation Division at the D.C. Public Library.  There, in addition to the personnel responsibilities within the Division, Catherine served on job search panels for positions in various Divisions throughout the library.  She has experience with both technical service and public service aspects of music librarianship.  Catherine holds a BS and MS in Library Science, and an MA in Musicology.  She coordinated the Résumé Review Service for two years.

Alan Ringwood is Head of the Music Cataloging Unit for the University of Texas Libraries.  Previously he was the Faculty Music Cataloger at the University of South Carolina.  Alan has supervised professional librarians, paraprofessional staff, graduate assistants, and library school interns.  He is Co-Chair of the Professional Staff Affairs Committee of the University of Texas Libraries.  At South Carolina he served on the Library Faculty Development Committee, including one year as Chair, as well as a number of search committees.  As a member of SEMLA, MLA's Southeast Chapter, he was appointed Asst. Editor, then Editor of Breve Notes, the chapter's newsletter.  Alan holds an M.L.S. degree from Indiana University, as well as B.M. and M.M. degrees from Boston University.  He is a member of the MLA Personnel Subcommittee, and Coordinator of the Résumé Review Service for the 2008 MLA Conference.

Sheridan ("Sheri") Stormes - received her M.S. degree in Library and Information Science from Indiana University in 1982.  She has taken classes in general library management, academic library management, and advanced personnel management.  Sheri has been a librarian at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana for over 31 years.  Throughout her tenure, she has served in various administrative capacities, including Acting Head of Reference, Assistant Director of Public Services, Acting Director of Libraries, Associate Dean and Head of Public Services and Music & Fine Arts Librarian.  She has supervised both professional and support staff members and has been actively involved in search committees for positions in virtually all levels of the academic hierarchy, including faculty, administrative and professional staff, and support staff.  She has been active as a member of the Résumé Review Service review team since the service was begun at the MLA Annual Meeting in Arlington, Virginia in 2004.  Sheri has served two terms as a member of the Personnel Subcommittee, including one year as the Subcommittee Chair.

Laurel Whisler served for six years as Music Librarian at Furman University, where she was head of the branch library, before accepting her current position as Assistant Director of Library Services at Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina.  She was a member of the MLA Personnel Subcommittee and currently serves on the Development Committee.  Her publications include "Résumés, Curricula Vitae, and Cover Letters for Music Librarians," published in Music Reference Services Quarterly (8.4, 2004: 1-46).