Future of the Libraries
“The work of the committee is designed to determine not what the future holds, but rather to determine what Vanderbilt’s own needs are as we move forward...”
- Cynthia Cyrus, vice provost for learning and residential affairs
The Report of the Future of the Libraries Committee (.pdf)
April 2015
The work of the two committees was completed in April and submitted for review to the Provost's office. Review and consideration of how to proceed in light of the report's recommendations will continue for the next few months.
Your thoughts or comments are invited. Please send any comments or questions about the report to viceprovostcynthiacyrus@vanderbilt.edu.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan R. Wente has charged a new committee comprising faculty from across the university and library leadership and staff with developing a vision for the future direction of the library, to support the research and teaching needs of Vanderbilt University. The Future of the Libraries Committee will be guided by the goals of the Academic Strategic Plan.
Two subcommittees, one comprising faculty and the other comprising library leadership and staff, will each gather broad input, particularly from students. The subcommittees will write a joint report, but the process allows for conflicting recommendations to emerge. The joint report will be delivered in March 2015 to a small team from the Office of the Provost consisting of
Camilla Benbow, Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development;
Chris Guthrie, dean of the Law School; and
Cynthia Cyrus, vice provost for learning and residential affairs
The committee will address questions that include:
- How can the library create conditions for faculty and students to do their work at the highest levels?
- How does the library need to adapt to address new technological capabilities?
- What are the crucial services that cannot be compromised in this process?
- How does the library leverage its national visibility and collaborative relationships to further support Vanderbilt’s strategic plan?
James Hudnut-Beumler, Anne Potter Wilson Professor of American Religious History, chairs the faculty subcommittee;
William Hook, associate dean of the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries and director of the Divinity Library, chairs the library staff subcommittee;
Sandy Stahl, assistant provost for learning and residential affairs
, serves as an ex-officio member of both subcommittees
The faculty sub-committee members are:
- Clifford Ball, professor of management in finance
- James Booth, professor of political science and philosophy
- Daniel Cornfield, professor of sociology
- Paul DeHart, professor of theology
- Mark Ellingham, professor, mathematics
- Guilherme Gualda, associate professor, earth and environmental sciences
- Lutz Koepnick, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of German
- Melanie Lowe, associate professor of musicology
- Melanie Lutenbacher, associate professor of nursing and medicine
- Clare McCabe, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering
- Bonnie Miller, associate vice chancellor for health affairs
- Ann Neely, associate professor of the practice of education
- Daniel Sharfstein, professor of law
- Alvin Strauss, professor of mechanical engineering
The library sub- committee members are:
- Cliff Anderson, director, scholarly communications, Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries
- Hilary Craiglow, director, Walker Management Library
- Marcia Epelbaum, assistant director, Annette and Irwin Eskind Biomedical Library
- Lindsey Fox, GIS scholarly communications, Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries
- Nancy Godleski, assistant dean of collections, Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries
- Julie Loder, e-resources librarian and team leader, Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries
- Pamela Morgan, subject liaison, Central Library
- Keegan Osinski, circulation assistant, Divinity Library
- Larry Reeves, associate dean and director, Alyne Queener Massey Law Library
- Jacob Schaub, music cataloger, Anne Potter Wilson Music Library
- Holling Smith-Borne, director, Anne Potter Wilson Music Library
- Rick Stringer-Hye, subject liaison, Science and Engineering Library
- Jim Toplon, manager of interlibrary loan, Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries