Explore Magazine: Fall 2022

On the Cover

UC San Diego leaders cutting the ribbon at Geisel Library’s 2nd Floor Renovation Reveal event in September 2022. This celebration provided students the opportunity to explore the new spaces and interact with librarians and other Library employees who support student success. Left: A student holding a decorated UC San Diego Library branded bookmark at the Geisel Library 2nd Floor Renovation Reveal. PHOTOGRAPHY Camille Cannon, April Téllez Green, Erik Jepsen, Enno Kapitza - Agentur Focus, Nikki Kolupailo

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Explore magazine is the signature publication of the University of California San Diego Library, published for a broad readership of patrons and supporters both on and off campus.

As I reflect on everything that was accomplished in 2022, there is so much to be grateful for. First and foremost, I need to acknowledge and congratulate all my Library colleagues — current, former and retired — and our many campus partners who contributed to the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative (GLRI). The phrase “it takes a village” is an understatement when it comes to this multi-year initiative. Countless Library employees invested incredible amounts of time, energy and hard work to make each of the three phases come to fruition. I am so proud and grateful for their efforts to drive the renovation forward. See Pages 16-17 for profiles of two employees whose innovative ideas and leadership have helped transform the Library’s spaces and services.

Various campus departments also provided a tremendous amount of support — from those who designed and constructed interior spaces to the campus landscaping team who brought forward a new vision for the entryway light wells. I appreciate the collective commitment of our campus that ultimately made this project achievable. And of course, the entire initiative would not have been possible without the generosity of hundreds of Library supporters who donated more than $4.4 million to the Revitalization Initiative Fund. You can read more about the unveiling events we hosted for Library Associates and students (pictured above) on Pages 12-15.

Following in the footsteps of UC San Diego’s nontradition mindset, the renovations that were just completed throughout Geisel Library’s 2nd Floor represent a significant change in how we serve the campus community. Over the past few years, we have been rebuilding our services around a digital-first model, which allows users to have the same access to information and expertise regardless of their physical location. As you will read on Pages 10-11, the 2nd Floor renovation extends this vision through on-demand self-service options as well as an increase in digital access to research advisory and other services. By removing the large circulation desk that is at the center of most library interactions and embracing a digital-first approach, we were able to create more space for students to study, collaborate and ask for help.

While it is important to look back on the work that has been accomplished, it is also time to look ahead to the future. We recently released our 2022-2027 Strategic Plan which will serve as a roadmap for the Library’s goals and investments over the next five years.

The plan builds on our commitment to innovation, diversity and inclusion, and articulates our dedication to being a leading academic research library. Our renewed mission, vision and values statements, along with our four core pillars, speak to the essential areas of concentration that will guide the Library’s work for several years. A detailed overview of the plan is included on Pages 2-7.

I am excited to see the impact that has come from the planning process itself and the progress we are already making on several fronts. The feedback channels we have established to collect information from the campus community will be essential to measure our outcomes. I would like to extend my thanks in advance to those who will help guide and inform our work.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2023,

Erik T. Mitchell

Audrey Geisel University Librarian

Our strategic plan will help ensure that the Library provides foundational support for scholarship and research while seeking to enable high-impact learning and research experiences for students and faculty.

STRATEGIC PLAN

OVERVIEW

Launched in Fall 2022, the Library’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan serves as our roadmap for investment and assessment. Aligned with the goals of UC San Diego’s Strategic Plan, the Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence, and the vision, strategy and initiatives of Academic Affairs – specifically that of Collective Impact – the plan positions the Library to work in direct service to the academic mission of the university.

Through a sustained commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and social justice; through investments in information resources and academically-focused spaces; and through the time and energy of our expert employees, the Library provides foundational support for scholarship and research and seeks to enable high-impact learning and research experiences for students and faculty. This plan builds on the Library’s past successes and the ongoing contributions of Library employees that directly support the academic, research and public service mission of the university.

As a result of the collaborative strategic planning process through campus-wide engagement, four core pillars were established that speak to the essential areas of concentration and will guide our work over the next five years:

• Democratize knowledge

• Enable innovation and inquiry

• Advance diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and social justice

• Focus on responsible stewardship

Within each pillar, the Library already has areas of success and expertise. This plan seeks to build on these strengths that have been developed and nurtured by Library employees over time.

Serving as a guide to our annual planning and ongoing assessments, initiatives that are aligned with each pillar will be reviewed and adjusted each year to enable ongoing progress toward our vision. To support this annual process, the plan also includes an assessment framework to help us measure our progress.

To view the plan in full, visit lib.ucsd.edu/strategicplan

HEATHER

HERNANDEZ CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, LIBRARY OPERATIONS AND LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR

PLAN

MISSION, VISION AND VALUES

OUR MISSION

The UC San Diego Library stewards knowledge and empowers users to analyze and interpret information in order to advance transformational research, teaching, learning and creative endeavors.

OUR VISION

As a trusted leader in the democratization of knowledge, we make information accessible in order to inspire innovation, foster critical inquiry and advocate for social justice.

OUR VALUES

The UC San Diego Library is a usercentered, future-focused organization built on collaboration and a commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

• User-Centered: We value shared success and community engagement. We bring passion and expertise to our work in order to support our users.

• Future-Focused: We explore and employ innovative techniques and ideas to support our mission and grow along with the needs of our community.

• Collaboration: We cultivate partnerships on and off campus and work collaboratively within the Library. We believe that collaboration is fundamental to success.

• Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: We are committed to creating a better world and incorporating these principles into every aspect of our work.

STRATEGIC

PILLAR 1

DEMOCRATIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE

The Library is an advocate and a voice for making the knowledge of the university openly available in support of communities that value research and learning. We enable our students, faculty, staff and community to use that knowledge to advance a positive societal impact. The Library’s long-standing commitment to making information available and accessible is evident in the work of our service-centered employees and exemplified in the rich collections they curate.

Building on this strong foundation from past work, the goal of this pillar is to help UC San Diego realize an even greater impact from the scholarship generated by students, faculty and staff. The Library will achieve this through current and new investments in open access; through the development of shared collections; and through innovative approaches that support the curation and publication of research data.

Strategy 1  Center “open” in our collection development and management work

“Open” can expand the reach and impact of library collections, ranging from research data to course materials. We will strive to expand access to university-produced knowledge, and lower barriers to accessing information for our community.

Intended Outcome: The Library will be a campus leader and nationally recognized for enabling open scholarship, open data and open science.

Strategy 2

Develop and digitize primary resource and archival collections in order to be more accessible and usable in teaching and research environments

We aim to expand the reach of the Library’s extensive primary resource and archival collections, through increased digitization, description and exhibition. We will work closely with historically underserved communities to enhance collections that represent their experience.

Intended Outcome: The Library will maximize the impact of its primary resource and archival collections through digitization, collaboration, storytelling and open access.

Strategy 3

Maximize UC open access and collection management strategies, consortial licensing and purchasing to increase the richness and accessibility of scholarship

The UC consortium provides a unique opportunity for shared resource development. With our UC partners, we will lead the way in transformative agreements to drive open access and provide more equitable publishing options for UC researchers.

Intended Outcome: The Library will leverage UC-wide consortial collection strategies to address local needs and support UC-wide purchasing through our California Digital Library collaboration.

PILLARS 1 & 2

INNOVATION AND INQUIRY

Information literacy, access to materials and library spaces, and feeling a sense of belonging and agency within the Library’s physical and virtual spaces are essential to enabling a more impactful library experience.

The overarching goal of this pillar is to help scholars develop and pursue new research questions, enhance their teaching and learning skills, and increase their sense of campus and civic engagement. To do this, the Library will inspire innovation and foster critical inquiry through inclusive instruction in information research and information literacy. We will affirm our commitment to provide academically-focused, student-centered places to learn, collaborate and reflect. We will also build on our commitment as a learning organization to anticipate and meet the emerging needs of our scholars.

Strategy 1

Advance our users’ abilities to critically use, evaluate and synthesize information

The Library plays a key and unique educational role in the university, which we intend to deepen over the next five years. With expertise in information literacy pedagogy and the location and creation of information resources, the Library will be a critical partner in the campus teaching enterprise.

Intended Outcome: The Library will engage every student, postdoc and faculty member in their first year and work to advance a campus-wide understanding of information use principles.

Strategy 2

Make Library spaces places for experimentation, academic growth and student leadership

Our iconic buildings are central to the UC San Diego student experience, and our campus community members will be co-creators of their future. Similarly, the Library’s digital spaces are the foundation for research and learning activities, so we will enhance these spaces with usability, accessibility and 24/7 digital access as guiding principles.

Intended Outcome: The students see our Library buildings as a place they influence and belong.

Strategy 3

Anticipate evolving needs of users in delivering services and materials

The next five years will bring significant changes, so we must be proactive in meeting user needs through a portfolio of diverse methodologies. We will collaborate with campus partners to establish new and refined services, and expand services and collections that meet the interests and needs of our campus communities.

Intended Outcome: The Library meets user needs through service delivery modes informed by library professional expertise and aligned with user expectations.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

For the Library, a commitment to advancing social justice means working to enable the full participation of our campus community and Library employees. To achieve this, we must strive to equitably allocate resources, foster a sense of belonging, and treat all members of our Library and campus community with respect and care.

Aligning our efforts with UC San Diego’s Strategic Plan and the Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence, the Library approaches our work in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), social justice, and accessibility through the lens of our mission — to steward knowledge and empower users to analyze and interpret information.

The goal of this pillar is to strengthen and deepen our commitment through techniques that engage our community in planning and decision-making; through investments in collections, library spaces, services and programming; grounded in our Principles of Community, service and collaboration; and through efforts that address academic opportunity gaps for our students and faculty.

Strategy 1

Place the voice of our community at the center of our work

The Library will embrace its role as a center of community, both on and off campus, to sustain existing relationships and build new ones. We will ensure that the range of faculty, student, staff and partner voices are evident in our planning and that their needs are reflected in our investments and priorities.

Intended Outcome: The Library embraces equity-informed leadership approaches in making prioritization and investment decisions and reflects the needs and values of our campus community.

Strategy 2

Address opportunity gaps for students and faculty through areas of library investment

Information resources, learning and research support, technology, and spaces all play an important role in positioning students and faculty for academic success. The Library will invest in building collections and providing services to meet our users where they are and expand efforts to introduce campus community members to Library resources from their first day on campus.

Intended Outcome: The campus is a UC-wide and nationwide leader in addressing course material costs. The Library’s investments in course materials and curricular supporting materials directly and positively address opportunity gaps experienced by students.

Strategy 3

Contribute to the development of social justice awareness across campus

In partnership with other campus units and the collective impact strategies, the Library will support efforts through our information resources, expertise, and spaces. Additionally, we will work to promote leadership and development opportunities for Library employees around campus social justice efforts.

Intended Outcome: The Library serves academic and institutional memory needs of campus EDI-focused groups and contributes to a campus-wide understanding of EDI principles and issues.

PILLAR 4

RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP

As an organization whose work focuses on the current needs of our community as well as the future needs of researchers, the Library must always enable innovation and change by responsibly adjusting our existing work.

This pillar serves as the foundation on which we approach fulfilling the aspirations of this strategic plan. To achieve our mission and deliver high-quality services and access to our users, the Library must conduct a meticulous review of our resource allocations and processes. This includes employing a person-centered approach to leadership and management; reflecting on our users’ needs and redesigning our infrastructure for ongoing efficiency; evaluating and determining if our work can be adjusted, concluded, renewed or increased; and leveraging existing resources and identifying new areas of support. We must also seek to streamline workflows and our approach to delivering user-focused services so that we can align our staff’s time and expertise to pursue and extend our vision.

Strategy 1

Extend and leverage a people-first approach to Library leadership and management

We commit to respecting and recognizing the work of Library employees by engaging Library leadership deeply with their teams and giving employees agency to assess their work, identify opportunities for improvement and experiment with changes.

Intended Outcome: The Library places the employee at the center of our workflows and processes and aligns our operational work processes and capacity to create an operationally sustainable and positive working environment.

Strategy 2

Maximize investments that directly benefit Library users

Resource investments will center on meeting user needs, and we will review our current and future resource allocations through the lens of our mission, vision and values.

Intended Outcome: The Library becomes a more impactful place of work through increased diversity and career pathway opportunities.

Strategy 3

Implement continuous improvement methods to reduce the burden of work, and deliver measurable positive impacts on service performance

The burden of work required to complete tasks has increased in recent years with changes to foundational systems. We recognize this challenge and will apply continuous improvement methods to processes across the Library in order to minimize the time and effort required.

Intended Outcome: The Library maximizes the impact of available resources by focusing investments on collections, spaces, employees and services that directly support learning and research activities.

ShapingLibrary

AIf you have visited Geisel Library in recent months, you have likely seen the new exhibit gallery that is located right inside the front entrance. This space was established as part of the recently completed 2nd Floor renovation project, the third and final phase of the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative (read more on Page 10).

In September, we unveiled the inaugural exhibition — “Shaping A Library” — which is on display through December 22, 2022. Curated by Lynda Claassen, director of Special Collections & Archives, the exhibition features historical materials from Special Collections & Archives that outline the birth and evolution of what is now known as Geisel Library. Most pieces on display illustrate architect William Pereira’s early concepts through the final design to the construction of UC San Diego’s intellectual heart, the iconic Geisel Library building.

Fall 2022

“After eight years of looking at various campus locations, in 1965, architect William Pereira selected the geographic center of campus as the site location,” said Claassen. “We are proud of the fact that the site remains the center of the university’s academic life.”

Pereira studied several academic and public libraries around the globe before choosing a sphere as the basic form for the building. Although “sphere” may not be the shape that comes to mind when looking at the structure today, it was built as a five-level spheroid shape, raised 30 feet above a plaza level with two “operational” levels on the 1st and 2nd Floors.

As outlined in the various materials that are on display — including blueprints, architectural renderings, and the original 1969 Central Library building report — UC San Diego broke ground on the project in 1968 and the university’s stunning new library was dedicated in 1971. The exhibition follows the construction of the original

A 1966 conceptual piece by A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons created with cut paper and colored pencil depicting what the Central Library at UC San Diego could look like.

Top left: The new gallery at Geisel Library with inaugural exhibit “Shaping A Library” on display.

Top right: Director of Special Collections & Archives Lynda Claassen jotting down record numbers for the items on display.

Bottom left: An architectural rendering of Geisel Library, then known as Central Library, circa 1968, including the unbuilt addition for special collections.

Bottom right: An exhibit case in “Shaping A Library” showcasing sketches and drawings of the original concepts for the building along with the “project book” created by William L. Pereira & Associates, LLC.

building as well as the expansive (and necessary) addition by architect Gunnar Birkerts that took place from 1990 to 1992. The expansion virtually doubled the usable square footage of the building, giving the community room to ‘stretch its legs,’ so to speak, and study in comfort.

“Shaping A Library” will become a permanent online exhibition in January 2023. Until then, we hope you enjoy a glimpse of some of the items on display in this article.

“Still Shaping A Library”

Winter 2023

Geisel Library enthusiasts will be pleased to learn there is a new exhibition that will replace “Shaping A Library” during winter quarter. Once again curated by Claassen, Part II of the exhibition — “Still Shaping A Library” — reflects on the growth and development of the collections within the concrete and glass “container.” The items on display showcase the intellectual treasures and informational tools

that students and scholars use daily in their pursuit of knowledge.

While there is a chronological end to the completion of the physical building, the “contents” within are constantly evolving with the addition of new materials. The development of those collections is an ongoing business carried out by a cohort of librarians who continue to match campus instructional and research needs with materials.

As a university, UC San Diego is relatively young. For an institution of only some 60 years of age, it has built extraordinary collections, some of which have become the “library of record” for various scholarly areas. “Still Shaping A Library” pays homage to the many faculty, friends and donors who have helped, and continue to help, construct and curate this content.

“Still Shaping A Library” will be on display at Geisel Library beginning January 9 through March 17, 2023, and available online in June 2023.

While there is a chronological end to the completion of the physical building, the “contents” within are constantly evolving with the addition of new materials. The development of those collections is an ongoing business carried out by a cohort of librarians who continue to match campus instructional and research needs with materials.

FromVision to Reality

Revitalization Initiative

2nd Floor renovations

The much-anticipated renovation of Geisel Library’s 2nd (main) Floor was completed this fall and celebrated with great fanfare. The redesign of the space is the culmination of the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative, which launched in 2015 thanks to a $3 million lead gift made by philanthropist Audrey S. Geisel. The initiative was established to transform and rejuvenate the Library’s most heavily-used interior public spaces to meet the evolving needs of users in an increasingly digital environment.

In 2016, Audrey’s Café and lounge opened, marking the completion of the initiative’s first phase. Two years later, the renovation of Geisel’s 8th (top) Floor concluded the second phase. Now in 2022, the renovations throughout the building’s most active floor have completed the third and final chapter. Like the other two phases, the changes were informed by several assessments of contemporary user needs and traffic patterns, as well as feedback from students, faculty and staff.

It is safe to say that this was the most extensive and transformative segment of the initiative. Not only did it refresh the aesthetics of the main floor, making it as inspiring on the inside as the building is on the outside, it also molded the Library’s new approach to service delivery and renewed our vision for how we as a library spark inspiration, creativity and a passion for learning.

The Geisel Library

concludes with the completion of Geisel Library’s

What’s New

l The total footprint of the renovation is approximately 18,700 square feet, which includes the entrance, lobby and main corridor. Of that, 7,800 square feet of employee workspace was converted to public user space. More than 160 seats were added, creating additional locations for students to study and collaborate.

l When entering the building, visitors are first greeted by the Meet Spot. Formerly home to the large circulation desk, the design of this space was inspired by its original use as a reading lounge when the building opened in 1970.

The Meet Spot plays host to more than just comfortable seating. Housed on the bookshelves are new titles that have recently been added to our collections. While on display, they are still immediately available to be checked out. Adjacent to our new books are materials representing scholarship from the UC San Diego community. These include publications from faculty, alumni and students.

l As you walk toward Audrey’s Café in Geisel East, you cannot miss the open and spacious Service Hub — the center of our new vision for service delivery. Grounded in an innovative user-centered philosophy of service crafted by our employees, the Hub brings together our lending, technology, research and access teams who help students with everything from addressing research questions to finding a quiet place to work. This area also includes a gender-neutral restroom, a lactation room and new consultation rooms where librarians and other Library employees can meet with and assist students, faculty and researchers. The Nest and pop-up gallery are tucked inside this transformative space.

l In 2023, students will be able to access course textbooks and technology items 24 hours a day, 5 days a week (24/5) using the Library’s new BorrowBot, a self-service borrowing kiosk located in the Service Hub.

l Across the main corridor from the Service Hub is Classroom 1. Previously an employee work area, the classroom was added to address a pressing need for library instructional space while also creating a new location for student study when classes are not in session. With 70 seats, this interactive room is equipped with smart technology to enhance group discussion and active learning.

l Recognizing the value of showcasing our unique collections and the creativity of our students and faculty, a formal exhibition gallery was added to the 2nd Floor. When the building opened in 1970 this section of the Library was home to our card catalog. Over the years it has filled many roles — most recently as a print station and our information desk.

l The opening of the renovated space nearly quadrupled the existing 24/5 study area, which now encompasses both the 1st and 2nd Floors in Geisel East — something students have requested for many years.

Thousands of students consider Geisel Library a second home as they spend countless hours studying in the building. This motivated us to create fresh, modern spaces that bring in more outside light, dramatically open the floor plan and are more enjoyable to use. We brought the building back to its original look and feel by highlighting the structural concrete, restoring a welcoming meet spot and improving the flow that was part of the original design.

The Nest at Geisel Library

A place for patrons to relax, observe, converse, share and learn. The Nest at Geisel is dedicated in memory of Joan B. Freitas (1929-2019) and Archie E. Freitas (1930-2017) thanks to the generosity of their children, Kathleen Freitas Nelson, Kevin deFreitas, Kimberly Freitas and Kyle Freitas.

As professional teachers, Joan and Archie encouraged young people to explore their curiosity by reading, traveling and engaging in meaningful conversations. Born during the Great Depression as children of immigrants who had only rudimentary formal education, they deeply understood the transformative power of learning and understanding. They were inquisitive and respectful of the lived experiences of everyone. Joan and Archie raised their family with a sense of one’s responsibility to help others and an enduring joy in lifelong learning.

From left to right: Preston Duclos; Kylie, Kyle and Pat Freitas; Audrey Geisel University Librarian Erik Mitchell; and Kara, Kevin and Sebastián deFreitas

KEVIN DEFREITAS, PROJECT ARCHITECT PRINCIPAL, KEVIN DEFREITAS ARCHITECTS

First Look

To celebrate the completion of the 2nd Floor renovations, we held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for members of Library Associates and Library employees on September 15, 2022. Hosted by Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Elizabeth H. Simmons and Audrey Geisel University Librarian Erik T. Mitchell, more than 160 friends and supporters were the first to see and experience the new spaces. The energy in the building that evening was palpable as guests were excited to visit with friends and colleagues in person and have the opportunity to finally see the longawaited redesign.

Attendees had the privilege of hearing from special guest Melissa Heredia who received her Bachelor of Science in molecular and cell biology from UC San Diego in June 2022 and has gone on to pursue a master’s in biology. For the last four years, Melissa served on the Library Student Advisory Council (LSAC) where she and her peers played a direct role in the renovations through their feedback and ideas for the spaces. The experiences she shared were a powerful reminder of the role our Library plays in the lives of students.

As guests enjoyed touring the remodel, we also celebrated and extended our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the hundreds of Library supporters who donated to the

Revitalization Initiative. Without their generosity, the transformation of our building’s most heavily-used spaces would not have been possible.

In 2017, Chancellor Khosla provided a $1 million campus match to gifts made in support of the initiative due to the significant impacts it would have on student learning and the campus overall. Many supporters took advantage of this unique opportunity to double the impact of their donations, including those who purchased tickets to Dinner in the Library between 2016 and 2019; those who sponsored Geisel Library’s 50th Anniversary; former University Librarian’s Advisory Board (ULAB) members; and 184 gifts from alumni. The match was completed in 2021 when the Dr. Seuss Foundation made a significant donation in honor of Geisel Library’s 50th Anniversary in an effort to provide the remaining funds needed to complete the changes planned for Geisel’s main floor.

The renovation gave us the opportunity to reenvision how we provide service; putting the user experience at the forefront. Our goal was to create a more positive experience by delivering most of our services in a single space, with options for users to interact via online chat, person-to-person or self-service.

DANI COOK, ASSOCIATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN, LEARNING AND USER EXPERIENCE

Students Explore

Upon students’ return to campus for fall quarter, we hosted the Geisel Library Renovation Reveal event as a way to welcome Tritons back and celebrate the reopening of the main floor. On September 27, 2022, the Library’s senior leadership team was joined by Chancellor Khosla and EVC Simmons, as well as Graduate and Professional Student Association president Giulia Corno and Associated Students president Sky Yang, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Hundreds of students gathered to hear from campus leadership and their peers before venturing off to explore the newly-upgraded study spots.

One of the intentions behind the event was to help students familiarize themselves with the Library’s spaces and services. Many librarians and other Library employees lined the walls of the main corridor where they hosted information booths about the tools, resources and services they provide. This included information about tech lending, grab-and-go Chromebooks, course reserves, new collections, subject specialists, digital collections, the Library’s de-stress offerings and activities, the Digital Media Lab, the Data and GIS Lab, Special Collections & Archives, Library safety and security, research data curation, collections care and preservation, ways the Library’s sustainability committee is making an impact on lessening our carbon footprint, how to join the Library Student Advisory Council and more!

To liven things up, Tritons were treated to music by the deejays and vinylphiles student club (pictured below). There were also craft stations abound where students could decorate custom Geisel crowns and bookmarks to celebrate the occasion.

Here to Help

Library staff bring deep expertise, dedication to customer service and a passion for improving the user experience to their day-to-day work. Meet Jason Schulz ’93 and Ingred Mogilner Chamberlin, two employees whose innovative ideas and leadership have helped transform the Library’s spaces and services, thereby facilitating academic success for UC San Diego students, faculty and researchers.

Jason Schulz ’93 (he/him/his) Director of Library Facilities Services

You were a UC San Diego student. What does it mean to you to work for the Library? I started at Geisel Library (then Central Library) in November 1989 as a student employee in the circulation department where I helped check out items to users and answer account questions. Through the years, I have been continually impressed by the ongoing commitment of my Library colleagues to provide the best information and the highest level of service to the campus population.

What excites you most about the work that you do? I love that my work not only has a direct impact on the current cohort of students, but also creates infrastructure for the success of the future campus community. This involves coordinating closely

with campus facilities management for maintenance, custodial and landscaping at both Geisel Library and WongAvery Library, while working with Library administration to develop timelines and details for space improvements. While there are consistent themes of managing existing spaces and planning for future ones, every day is different.

What are you most proud to have accomplished within the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative? I am thrilled to see students embrace the new spaces throughout Geisel Library. The intent of the initiative was to create new, vibrant spaces suited to the needs of 21st century students and scholars. The Library is able to provide a palette of spaces — collaborative, silent,

comfortable, tech-enabled — so that users can choose the best location to meet their study, learning or social needs.

Tell us about a collaboration you are proud to have worked on and why? I am most proud of the work I did adding accessible/ gender-neutral bathrooms on Floors 4-7 in Geisel Library. Libraries have a long history of being inclusive spaces, so the project aligned well with our goals and values.

What is one thing about you that might surprise people? My background is not in the trades but customer service. I was the front desk manager at Geisel Library for more than 12 years. However, I think a large part of facilities management is customer service: understanding needs and finding solutions.

Contact Jason: jtschulz@ucsd.edu

Ingred Mogilner Chamberlin (she/her/hers)

Circulation Operations

How long have you worked in libraries?

I have worked for the Library since June 2018. Previously, I worked in the library at San Francisco State University, and my husband was a librarian, so I have been involved with library work for a while.

Describe your role at the Library. As a member of the Library’s Spaces, Lending and Access program, I provide paging and delivery services for user-requested physical materials. When people request books and other items from us or other libraries, we make sure those requests are filled and ready for pickup at the requested location. Sometimes filling requests can be challenging, due to the nature of materials or time constraints, but it is very satisfying to get these items to the requester quickly.

How does your work help facilitate academic success for students and faculty? The Library’s paging and delivery services allow students and

Specialist

researchers to request library materials 24/7, wherever they are. We make those items available for pickup at four different locations on campus, whichever is most convenient for our users.

You helped to relaunch the Library as a participating member in the San Diego Circuit libraries consortium. What is the impact of this work on library users? San Diego Circuit is a service that allows users to quickly borrow books we do not own, or are out on loan, from other San Diego libraries for check out and pick up on campus. After the launch of UC Library Search, we had to reestablish our ability to participate as a member of Circuit. We are one of the first libraries to use this combination of software and it has been a learning experience for everyone involved. It required a lot of collaboration between Library programs, the Circuit libraries and the developers to make everything run smoothly.

Tell us about a collaboration you are proud to have worked on and why. During the Library’s pandemic closure, we launched a Curbside Pickup service in collaboration with Transportation Services. Since our users weren’t able to visit the Library, this new service made our print collections available to them. The delivery methods went through a few iterations, requiring some creative thinking, collaboration and process improvements to get to where we are now.

What is one thing about you that might surprise people? I come from a family of creative people, and you can find quite a few of their works in our Library. Thanks to UC Library Search, I have even found a copy of my dad’s patent for a tensegrity puzzle he invented in the ’70s called the Philosopher’s Knot.

Contact Ingred: imogilnerchamberlin@ucsd.edu

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Presented by the UC San Diego Library Author Talk Series in partnership with the Holocaust Living History Workshop.

Registration details for this virtual event are forthcoming. Subscribe to the Library’s e-newsletter at lib.ucsd.edu/subscribe for event notifications.

UC San Diego Library’s Author Talk Series is made possible through the philanthropic support of our generous Sponsors and Library Associates. Learn how you can help support the Library by visiting lib.ucsd.edu/give