Message from the Dean

With hints of spring outside my office window, including the purple crocuses I planted last fall, I’m feeling optimistic about the year ahead, especially in light of the excellent news we’ve recently received. I hope you’ll join me in congratulating our colleagues in Pullman, Spokane, and Vancouver on their tenure and promotion achievements. Ann Dyer has earned tenure and promotion, and Talea Anderson, Sam Buechler, Chelsea Leachman, and Greg Matthews have all been promoted.

Each compiled substantial dossiers documenting their accomplishments in primary duties, scholarship, and service. Their files were reviewed by external experts, colleagues across the WSU system, and the Provost’s Office. As full faculty members, WSU librarians participate in all aspects of faculty governance and receive faculty benefits, such as sabbaticals. Tenure and promotion to Librarian 3, associate professor, or Librarian 4 are significant career milestones.

I’m also pleased to share that we received four student technology fee (STF) awards this year, three on the Pullman campus and another at the WSU Vancouver Library. Our students prepared and presented the Pullman proposals—an impressive effort, as awards are evaluated in part on student impact. Congratulations to fellow San Diegan Patrick Bekono, Ivan Quintero, Hiep Nguyen, Alizée Hargrove, Michael Grund, Caitlyn Adkinson, Makenah Partain, Ari Morena, Everett Weeks, Gabe Heinrichs, and Sebastian Compton for their successful work. My gratitude to library staff members Amy Thielen, Brian McManus, and Jason Anderson for mentoring and supporting these students throughout the process. The funded proposals in Pullman include:

  • A new microform reader/scanner ($6,500 of a $10,000 request)
  • 30 new laptops, cases, additional power cables, and a laptop cart
  • Portable sound and performance equipment and music production kits

I also want to congratulate Sam Buechler and our Vancouver colleagues for securing student technology fee funding to continue their no-charge printing program and to expand their loaner laptop program. The no-charge printing program allows students to access printing for free, thus removing barriers to printing. The additional, newer laptops for the loaner laptop program create access to critical technology for WSU Vancouver students. The Pullman and Vancouver STF awards are now on their way to the WSU Board of Regents for final approval.

When I shared this news with one of our major supporters, he immediately offered to donate the remaining funds needed to purchase the microform reader/scanner. He has also generously provided a challenge gift for this April’s CougsGive, WSU’s annual day of giving, writing “‘Do your givin’ while you’re livin’ so you’re knowin’ where it’s goin’.” Last year, his match helped us unlock 15 additional donations; we are hoping to double that number this year.

Another bright development is the transformation of the Cougar Commons, WSU Libraries’ new academic support center. The space is open and bright. The removal of unnecessary cabinets and the repainting of the Terrell group study rooms, the Quiet Study Lounge, and other places has already made the spaces more inviting. Over the coming weeks, we’ll review proposals and samples for new furniture—an exciting next step. Students are already gravitating to the area to study and collaborate. Our Cougar Commons coordinator, Erica England, has already scheduled several events, including résumé workshops and a professional headshots photo shoot. (I even joined in—thank you to WSU Photo Services’ Robert Hubner for my new photograph.)

Later this month, as part of WSU Showcase, the libraries will host Crimson Reads, celebrating books published by WSU authors in the last year and highlighting the libraries as a place that brings all disciplines together. We are featuring WSU alumna Lauri Cruver Cherian, author of the historical novel Come On In, Don’t Get Lonesome; Samantha Noll of the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs, author of Ethical Omnivores: Better Eating for Everyone; and Nikolaus Leo Overtoom of the Department of History, author of The Parthians at War: Combat, Logistics, Reputation, and the First War with Rome. I’m also looking forward to spring readings from WSU Press authors.

WSU Arts Assistant Professor Jiemei “Mei” Lin at work on the “Virginia and Vanessa” mural. Photo by Trevor Bond.

One of my greatest joys in this role is sharing the remarkable collections that make up the WSU Libraries. This month, I led a behind-the-scenes tour of the Library of Leonard and Virginia Woolf, met with a class reading Shakespeare, and collaborated with former student JJ Martin—now tourism and promotions director for the Pullman Chamber of Commerce—on a video highlighting Jiemei Lin’s stunning mural of Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf, which we unveiled on Sept. 24. I also spent time exploring our collections with the new light sheet purchased with support from a longtime libraries’ donor. It’s a fantastic tool for studying watermarks and annotations in early paper, and I’ve included a short story about it in this issue.

Thank you to all of you who care about and engage with the WSU Libraries. I’m grateful to work with such talented colleagues and students. The libraries are the best place to work at WSU because what we do benefits the entire WSU community and beyond. Please share this issue of Browse with friends.

Trevor