The search is on for someone to fill the new position of Dean of Library and Learning Assistance.The Dean of Library and Learning Assistance will oversee the running of the new learning commons, scheduled to be built on the first floor of the Angelo and Jennette Volpe Library.
“One of the goals of the learning commons is, from a student’s perspective, learning assistance would be seamless,” said Allan Mills, chairperson of the Search Committee for the Library Dean. “Unfortunately, right now they’re broken up.”
Last August, a search began for a new Dean of Library and Learning Assistance, resulting in four candidates.
Each of the four candidates takes part in a two-day interview session. The first day consists of an interview with President Bob Bell; Jack Armistead, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs; and Mark Stephens, associate vice president for Academic Affairs. The second day is a public information and question-and-answer session.
Mary Duffy, interviewed last week, works at the University of Texas El Paso library as head of their library information resource services.
Douglas Bates is the university librarian at Brigham Young University-Hawaii. His interview took place earlier this week.
Eloise Hitchcock is the associate library director at Western Carolina University and previous library director at Cumberland University. Her interview finishes with her public question-and-answer session today.
Rachel Galan is associate director for library services at the Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Her interview will take place after Spring Break, on March 22 and 23.
The public information and question-and-answer session for each candidate takes place on the morning of the second day of their interview in Room 260 of the School of Nursing and Health Services Building. These sessions are open to the public, and students, faculty and staff are encouraged to come.
After each candidate has been interviewed, the Search Committee for the Library Dean will meet to make recommendations to Armistead.
“We hope to have the new library director in place by the end of the semester,” Mills said.
Each candidate participates in a public Q&A
session.