Deborah Halsted has over 30 years of professional library experience, primarily in academic medical libraries. It was after severe flooding in the Texas Medical Center Library in Houston caused by Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 that she became involved in disaster planning and recovery. In 2005 she coauthored Disaster Planning: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians based on her personal experiences. She has remained active in disaster planning, especially in extensive training in the National Incident Management System Incident Command System, which is vital to any incident, large or small. She received her master's degree in library science from Florida State University.
Shari Clifton has been a health science librarian for more than 20 years and is currently Professor/Head of Reference and Instructional Services at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center's Robert M. Bird Library in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. An active participant in professional organizations at the state, regional, and national levels, Clifton has held a variety of elected/appointed positions and has presented numerous papers, posters, and programs at professional meetings. She is a distinguished member of the Medical Library Association's Academy of Health Information Professionals. For many years, Clifton has served as the coordinator of outreach activities for the Bird Library, and she has been actively involved in preparedness activities in Oklahoma and her region. In addition, she directed mediated search services and support for individuals working on systematic reviews and other comprehensive projects. Clifton earned her master's degree in library and information science from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma.