The provost’s office appointed a committee to select a new dean and university librarian to replace Kate Hickey, who is retiring from her current position. Nevertheless, the selection of the new dean and university librarian has been a university effort, according to Mary Wise, associate vice president of academic affairs and chair of the search committee.
“Because this is really a university position, not just a library position, we wanted to make sure that we heard widely from across the board,” Wise said.
The committee went to a variety of university groups to seek input on what they were looking for in a new dean and university librarian before actually advertising and taking applications for the position, she said. The committee spoke to faculty, staff, librarians and members of programs such as the doctor of physical therapy program to find out what qualities and characteristics they would like to see in the candidates.
“The first thing we look for in a candidate is (how they will assist) with The Elon Commitment,” said Shannon Tennant, catalog librarian and member of the search committee. “We wanted someone with vision.”
The committee narrowed down the nearly 100 applicants to seven people with whom they recently had video conferences to determine the final three candidates, Wise said. These three candidates were invited to campus to each give a presentation about the challenges and opportunities facing academic libraries in the 21st century and the role an academic library should play in the life of a university.
“Libraries are changing and constantly evolving in terms of technology,” Tennant said. “We need somebody to represent the library to the larger community and be a strong advocate for the library on campus. We need somebody who is going to position us for what’s here and what’s coming.”
The three candidates are Gail McClenney, deputy director of the Robert W. Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University Center, Inc., Joan Ruelle, university librarian at Hollins University in Roanoke, Va. and Hedi BenAicha, director of the library at Rhode Island College.
“They all have very different experiences, and I’m anxious to see how the community values those experiences,” Wise said. “They are not just the same qualities in three different packages. They are different packages and that’s good.”
Candidate presentations continue from Feb. 16-23. All members of the Elon community are allowed to attend.
“Candidates need to help the library serve 21st century students and the whole university because the library serves such a central role in university life for students,” said senior Mary Kate Hinshaw, a library intern. “The new dean and university librarian needs to be able to set definitive goals and define where library should go.”
Students who have attended candidates’ presentations are asked to email Mary Wise at wisemary@ elon.edu with their reactions to these presentations.