Last modified: Thursday, August 6, 2009
Walters named interim dean of IU Libraries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 6, 2009
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Carolyn Walters, who has served as executive associate dean of the libraries at Indiana University Bloomington since June 2005, has been named interim dean of the IU Libraries, Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson announced today. Walters will assume the duties of former dean Patricia Steele, who will begin a position as dean of the University of Maryland Libraries Sept. 1.
"The University Libraries are central to the institution's mission, and the resources they offer are vital to IU's faculty, students and staff," said Hanson. "Carolyn's long association with the IU Libraries and her strong skills as an administrator will serve the libraries and the university well. She is both an effective steward of our great traditions and a leader committed to keeping IU at the forefront of the innovations that are transforming research libraries in the 21st century."
"I feel privileged to lead the IU Bloomington Libraries as we prepare for a new dean," Walters said. "During this transitional period we will continue to move forward, and we will do so because of our exceptional staff and our shared belief in the value of libraries to the academic community."
In her role as associate dean of the University Libraries, Walters was responsible for public services, technical services, collection development and scholarly communication initiatives, and University Archives. She has led the planning for the proposed Research Commons in the Herman B Wells Library and the proposed renovation of the Business/SPEA Information Commons.
In her 22 years with the IU Bloomington Libraries, Walters has also served as head of the Journalism Library, acting director of Collection Development, head of the Undergraduate Library, head of Information Commons/Undergraduate Library Services and director of public services. In 2002, she became the first librarian to receive the Michael Gordon Faculty Award presented by IU's Division of Student Affairs.
Walters was a fellow in the Academic Leadership Program of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (2006) and was selected to participate in the Frye Leadership Institute (2005), sponsored by the Council on Library and Information Resources, EDUCAUSE and Emory University. She was a member of the inaugural group of IU's LEaD Program, a year-long leadership development program. In her positions at IU, Walters has distinguished herself in areas including undergraduate services, space planning, and scholarly communications.
Walters has a bachelor's degree from Miami University (Ohio) and a Master of Library Science from IU.
The dean of University Libraries provides administrative leadership for a system of libraries on IU eight campuses. On the Bloomington campus, the dean provides strategic planning and policy direction in the areas of collection development, public and technical services, facilities planning and personnel policies.
A search for a permanent dean of the IU Libraries is ongoing. The search committee is chaired by Robert Schnabel, dean of the School of Informatics and Computing.
