Library Faculty and Staff

Greta Earnest, Associate Professor-Librarian, Director, Gladys Marcus Library at FIT

Greta joined the FIT library in 2003. She contributes to the FIT community in a variety of capacities while providing leadership and direction for the FIT Library's operations and as its Collection Development Officer. Her leadership vision focuses on offering high caliber services and resources by empowering personnel, seeking quality efficiencies, creating consistent policies and procedures while incorporating both assessment and strategic planning. Greta has held leadership positions at the Bard Graduate Center, Pratt Institute and the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as consulting at the Museum of Modern Art, Cooper Union and the Clark Art Institute. She holds a BA from Bard College and an MLS from SUNY at Albany.

Greta is the Library's Collection Development Officer

(Preferred pronouns: She, Her, Hers)

Joseph Anderson, Assistant Professor, Digital Initiatives Librarian, Acquisitions and Metadata Services

Joseph joined the library in 2015. He serves as the Digital Initiatives Librarian. Joseph holds a BA in fiction writing from Columbia College Chicago and a MLIS in library and information science from Dominican University. He has seven years of library experience and has previously worked on digital projects at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and Mutter Museum. In his spare time, Joseph enjoys reading, writing, cycling, and baking sourdough bread.

Library Liaison to the following departments: Computer Animation and Interactive Media, Science and Math

 (Preferred pronouns: He, Him, His)

Sara Belasco, Assistant Professor-Librarian, Acquisitions and Metadata Services

Sara joined the library in 2023. She is responsible for cataloging materials across units including gifts, special collections, and current print periodicals so that they are accessible in the library's online catalog. Sara holds an MLIS and Certificates in Archives and Digital Humanities from Pratt Institute, a BA in Art History from Skidmore College, and is currently pursuing an MA in Liberal Studies from the CUNY Graduate Center as well as a Certificate in Collections Cataloging and Description from Rare Book School. In her spare time she enjoys embroidery, historical fiction, and planning future travels. 

Library Liaison to the following departments: Fabric Styling, Jewelry Design, and Social Sciences

(Preferred pronouns: she, her, hers)

Lana Bittman, Associate Professor-Librarian, Head of Periodicals and Electronic Resource Services

Lana joined the library in 2008. She oversees the Periodicals and Electronic Resource Services unit, supervising all aspects of public and technical services for electronic resources, print serials, and fashion and trend forecast collections. Lana is currently a member of the Sustainability committee of the Faculty Senate, and the College's Faculty Development Grants Awards committee. She holds an MLIS from Rutgers University, an MA in FIT's Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice program, and a BA in English literature from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to FIT, Lana has worked as a librarian at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and at the City University of New York.

Library Liaison to the following departments: Interior Design, Photography, and Electronic Resources and Periodicals 

(Preferred pronouns: She, Her, Hers)

Naomi Schwer Bricker, Adjunct Assistant Professor-Librarian, Research and Instructional Services

Naomi serves patrons at the Research Services Desk, teaches Library instruction sessions, and oversees the usage of the Library's "Ask the Library" online service. Naomi also authors Library research guides and serves as the Web Development Manager for the Library's website. She has a BA in English from City College of New York and a Master of Science in Library Service from Columbia University.

Library Liaison to the following departments: English and Communication Studies, Modern Languages and Cultures, Exhibition and Experience Design, Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing (undergraduate), Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management (graduate) .

(Preferred pronouns: She, Her, Hers)

Helen Lane, Assistant Professor-Librarian, Instructional Design

Helen joined the FIT Library in 2009. She is responsible for designing digital learning resources, maintaining and enhancing the library’s presence in FIT’s Learning Management System, and outreach and engagement with blended and online courses. Intrinsic to her work is exploring, identifying and providing training in emerging technologies that support teaching, learning, and research goals. She has previously worked at libraries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Public Library, Pace University and Columbia University. Her interests include instructional design and data visualization. She holds a BA in English literature from Earlham College and an MLIS from Pratt Institute.

Library Liaison to the following departments: Advertising and Marketing Communication, Entrepreneurship, Illustration (undergraduate), Illustration (graduate), Textile Development and Marketing, Global Fashion Management. 

Tiffany Nixon, Assistant Professor-Librarian, Head of Special Collections and College Archives

Tiffany joined the library in 2024. She oversees all aspects of the special collections unit which specializes in rare books, periodicals, oral history recordings and extensive manuscript collections documenting fashion design and study. Prior to FIT, Tiffany was the Director of Archives at Roundabout Theatre Company where she conceptualized and managed the production and institutional archives for one of the largest not-for-profit theaters in the U.S. Her interests include archival theory and practice, performing arts, design, and literature. 

(Pronouns: she/her/fluid)

Leslie Preston, Assistant Professor-Librarian, Head of Acquisitions and Metadata Services

Leslie joined the library in 2008. She oversees all aspects of the AMS department including; acquisitions, donations, resource budgeting, and cataloging/metadata services workflow. Leslie holds a BA in art history from the University of Georgia and a MLS in information science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has 25 years of library experience and has worked previously at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Atlanta College of Art. Leslie dabbles a bit in jewelry making. She also enjoys an occasional art/fashion history class here at FIT.

Library Liaison to the following departments: Accessory Design, Fashion Design (Art, undergraduate), Menswear

Maria Rothenberg, Associate Professor, Instructional Services & Assessment Librarian, Research and Instructional Services 

Maria joined the library in 2011. She loves working with students and faculty to help them become excellent researchers and discover all the amazing resources the FIT Library has to offer. Maria holds a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and a MFA and MLS from Queens College. Maria has previously worked as a librarian at LIM College. A fun fact about Maria is that she discovered librarianship while pursuing a career in the visual and performing arts and is happily surprised she became a librarian.

Library Liaison to the following departments: Academic Skills Tutoring Center, Fabric Styling, Educational Skills, Fashion Design (apparel, undergraduate), History of Art, Home Products Development, Writing & Speaking Studio, Fashion Business Management  

(Preferred pronouns: She, Her, Hers)

Miyo Sandlin, Assistant Professor, Instructional Services and Student Engagement Librarian, Research and Instructional Services                  

Miyo joined the Library in 2018. She provides reference service to students, faculty and visitors, as well as library instruction. She was previously the Digital Services & Instruction Librarian/Library Webmaster at the St. Francis College Library in Brooklyn, NY. Prior to that she was their Technical Services Librarian for five years. Her previous Library experience comes from various institutions including; The Art Institute of Washington, Library of Congress, Long Island University, National Portrait Gallery Library at the Smithsonian, and Brooklyn Public Library. Miyo holds a MLS from University of MD, College Park and a BA in History from Vassar College.

Library Liaison to the following departments: Fashion Design MFA (graduate), Production Management, Technical Design, Textile/Surface Design, International Trade and Marketing for the Fashion Industries.

Carli Spina, Associate Professor-Librarian, Research and Instructional Services

Carli joined the Library in 2018. Before coming to FIT, she was the Head Librarian for Assessment & Outreach at the Boston College Libraries. Her previous library experience is from various institutions including; Harvard Law School Library, Segel Library Ctr.-Temple Israel of Boston and the Boston Herald Library. In addition, she was an Associate Attorney in a Boston Law Firm for 4 years. Carli holds a EdM from Harvard Graduate School of Education, MLIS from Simmons College, J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and a BA from Harvard College. She also has a professional certificate in museum studies from the Harvard Extension School.                             

Library Liaison to the following departments: Fashion and Textile Studies (graduate), Film and Media (i.e. nonprint materials, across disciplines), Film and Media and Performing Arts, Social Sciences, Toy Design, Spatial Experience Design, Art Market Studies, Direct and Interactive Marketing

Hiroko Suda, Assistan Professor-Digital Assets Librarian, Acquisitions and Metadata Services

Hiroko manages various aspects of the Library's digital assets derived from campus-wide sources, which include student/faculty scholarly output, exhibitions/events, instructional materials, and unique visual materials from the Library's collection. Her responsibilities encompass organizing, describing, and preserving these digital assets, as well as providing support for the development and administration of the Library's diverse digital collection platforms, such as the Institutional Repository, Archive on Demand, SPARC Digital, and FITDIL. Hiroko is a graduate of Kanda University of International Studies (BA in English), the City College of New York (MA in Art History), and Queens College (MLS and Certificate in Archives and Preservation of Cultural Materials).

Yiwen Wang, Assistant Professor, Continuations and Metadata Librarian, Periodicals and Electronic Resource Services

Yiwen joined the library in 2017. Her position is responsible for managing the electronic resource lifecycle, maintaining the access and usability of subscription resources in all formats, assisting in all aspects of electronic serials and databases and providing daily reference and research service at Periodicals service desk. She also helps to manage unit opening and closing workflow, verify and update desk schedules.

Click to view our Library Staff page