Dr. Theresa R. McDevitt
Professor, IUP Libraries

Dr. Theresa McDevitt received her Ph.D. in American history from Kent State University in 1997. She has been employed at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the Division of Libraries since 1986. Theresa's current professional duties include oversight of the library's Archives and Special Collections Department. In this capacity, she provides reference service for the collection, oversees the acquisition, processing and description of collections, the maintenance of the web site, including digitization of individual items and creation of digital exhibits, provides instruction on the use of collections, the use of specialized software such as EndNote and Turnitin, and other topics, and is active with multiple library and university wide committee participation.

For nearly two decades Dr. McDevitt has served as Government Documents/Reference Librarian. During this period her research interests focused on Government Publications and Bibliographic Instruction and Women in the American Civil War. With her move in 2005 to Acting Special Collections and Archives Librarian, her interest has turned to documenting the history of the university and the region, particularly through the collection of oral histories.

In 2004-2005, Dr. McDevitt in collaboration with Acting Associate Dean Phil Zorich submitted a proposal which was awarded by the PA Historical Museum Commission to provide for the storage, access and records improvement of the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal Company Collection at the IUP Library. Most recently she was notified that she had received a LSTA grant to develop the infrastructure for a comprehensive digital library of primary and secondary sources that document the lives of SW Pennsylvania miners and their families. She has also worked collaboratively with others seeking funding from the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, PA Historical Museum Commission and the State System of Higher Education. Once awarded, these projects, which include the preservation of digital recordings of historically significant experiences of African-American residents of Indiana County will provide funding to capture and make accessible history of the region to researches across the state and across the world.