Library Reorganization: Staffing Transitions Underway

In addition to the many physical changes in the library building, the library recently underwent an internal reorganization.  The new structure allows us to be more productive and efficient.  We will continue to provide you with the outstanding library services you have come to expect.  After many discussions over the past year, the library staff developed the following goals:

External Goals

1. Build, sustain, and preserve services and collections that support teaching, learning, research, and scholarship.
2. Provide physical spaces that ensure the Gordon Library provides an inviting, functional, and safe environment in which to engage in study and research.
3. Use technology wisely to ensure the broadest access by the WPI community to scholarly information resources.

Internal Goals

1. Encourage staff effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity by incorporating routine assessment practices into Library service delivery.
2. Build on the connections between IT and library departments to ensure that we fully exploit opportunities to advance learning and research through technology.
3. Optimize financial resources

With support of the WPI leadership, the library staff is poised to make significant changes in the library.  As staff transition to new roles, do not hesitate to contact me with any suggestions, questions or concerns you have about library services.  During this time of change, you may notice that some people are taking on different roles and some are moving to new spaces.

PROMOTIONS

Don Richardson is now Associate Director for Technology and E-resource Management.  Under Don’s leadership, the library will be able to continue to improve our digital and technical infrastructure and provide seamless access to library subscription sources and internal digital collections.  Martha Gunnarson now reports to Don and will continue to manage our serials collections and many complex systems.

Debbie Bockus, now Assistant Director for Access Services, leads a department that includes circulation, reserves, interlibrary loan, and stack maintenance.  Debbie also oversees building security, library student budgets and hiring.  Ginny Julian, Betty Goodrich, Judy Fallon, and Tressa Santillo are members of the Access Services department.  Another promotion in Access Services includes Tressa Santillo, now Access Services Coordinator.  Tressa will take on the role of training and supervising student employees.

Margaret Anderson is now WPI Archivist.  The Archives & Special Collections includes university records of historical importance as well as manuscript collections.  She oversees Archives & Special Collections reference services, coordinates the work of students and volunteers, and works on library exhibits.

TRANSITIONS

This summer the Collections Management team, in collaboration with Research and Instruction and Access Services staff, shifted the reference collection moving most titles into the general collection.  Collections Management staff spent time this summer gathering the films from various parts of the building into one area on the main level of the library.  The music CDs, bestsellers, and recent acquisitions book shelves also shifted location over the summer, making room for our new Information Commons.  All of these collections are on the entry level to the left as you enter the library.

This summer Judy Fallon moved from Collections Management to our busy Information Desk.  She now serves as Access Services Associate overseeing stack maintenance.  Betty Goodrich in Interlibrary Loan supports both lending of materials to other libraries and borrowing of the thousands of conference papers, journal articles, books and other materials from libraries worldwide.

In the area of Research and Instruction, there are many exciting changes as we continue to expand and improve our research education services.  Christine Drew has accepted the position of Associate Director for Research and Instruction, and now  leads a team of Research and Instruction Librarians consisting of Laura Hanlan, Joanne Beller, and Lynne Riley, who are ready to provide a range of services from course-integrated instruction for first year students to graduate-level classes to ongoing support for faculty scholarship.  Christine’s office is now in GL208A behind the Information Desk. Lynn Loftus and Robin Benoit serve as Evening/Weekend library supervisors and provide research assistance. There is a vacant position at this time for a Research & Instruction Librarian, visit WPI Human Resources for details.

As our mission states:  The library partners with the WPI community in teaching, learning, and scholarship by providing resources and innovative services that anticipate and respond to changing information needs.  Please stop by and share your thoughts and ideas.

See Also:

• Staff Directory
• WPI Library Organization Chart