Stephen H. Cox , Jr.

Branch Librarian, NZCBI

I serve as the branch librarian for the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park & Conservation Biology Institute, Mineral Sciences librarian at the National Museum of Natural History, and reference librarian at the National Museum of Natural History Library.  At the National Zoo, I am the veterinary medicine librarian, though I also provide research, reference, and training support in zoology; at Natural History, I maintain a collection that houses disciplines relevant to the study of the earth and its geological history and sciences, including volcanology.

I earned a Bachelor of Science in English Literature from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) and a Master in Library and Information Science from Kent State University (Kent, OH), where I focused on digital preservation. As a professional, I have worked in the public, private, university, and government spheres, providing research support, instruction, and even copy-editing services to my patrons. I have research and collections development experience in biology, biomedicine, environmental science, microbiology, occupational health, veterinary science, and zoology.

I became a librarian because I innately enjoy helping others. I strive to find the "question behind the question," to more effectively and efficiently serve the needs of my patron populations. 

I enjoy anime, British sci-fi, crosswords, fantasy novels, role-playing games, and traveling.  And obviously, I have cats.