We’re delighted to welcome Ann McCranie, PhD, who joins OCLC on June 8 as our new Director of Research Insights.
Ann joins OCLC at an important moment as OCLC Research advances Research Reimagined, a strategic effort to strengthen the relevance, visibility, and impact of our research for library leaders and their institutions. In her role, Ann will help connect research priorities to practical insights that support decision‑making across a rapidly changing library and higher education landscape. She will lead a team of research scientists and engineers focused on advancing the Research Reimagined strategy.
Ann brings more than a decade of experience leading research programs in higher education, with expertise in mixed methods research, research operations, and research communication. Most recently, she held senior leadership roles at Indiana University.
Her work has focused on building durable research services, guiding cross-functional teams, and helping researchers and administrators navigate change. Throughout her career, she has paired rigorous analysis with practical application.
Ann also brings a perspective shaped by close collaboration with researchers, research administrators, and campus leaders beyond the library. That experience informs how she thinks about the evolving roles libraries as institutions respond to changes in technology, AI-informed scholarly workflows, and research infrastructure. This perspective will be especially valuable as OCLC Research continues exploring future-focused questions facing libraries and higher education.
To help introduce Ann to the community, we asked her a few informal questions.
What drew you to this role at OCLC?
What attracted me was the opportunity to help connect research to the decisions library leaders are making today, while also contributing to longer-term thinking about where libraries are headed. In higher education, I’ve worked with researchers, administrators, and institutional leaders who rely on strong evidence and practical insights to guide strategy, services, and priorities.
I was especially excited by the chance to bring that experience to OCLC and support work that can have both immediate and lasting value for libraries. Research is most meaningful to me when it helps people navigate change, make informed decisions, and think differently about what comes next.
How do you think about “research insights”?
I tend to think about research insights through the lens of impact. I once asked a doctor about a medical test, and she explained that she would not order it because the result would not change the treatment plan. At first, I was a little disappointed because I was genuinely curious, but that idea stayed with me.
It became a useful way for me to think about research. I’m always asking whether the work can help inform decisions, shape action, or open up new possibilities. If the findings don’t create an opportunity to do something differently, it’s worth asking how we can make the research more purposeful and useful.
What are you most looking forward to as you get started?
I’m really looking forward to getting to know my team and connecting with colleagues across OCLC to understand their work, priorities, and how Research Insights can support them.
As a social networks scholar, I’ve always been interested in the connections between people and how relationships help ideas spread and grow. So much innovation comes from those informal networks, whether that is among coworkers, library partners, or the broader community. I’m excited to learn from those connections and help build on the momentum already underway with Research Reimagined.
Ann will be attending ALA at the end of June, and we look forward to introducing her to many of you there. Until then, please join us in welcoming her to OCLC Research.
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