Christine Avery EDUCATION 1986 M.L.S. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas Recipient of an award of full tuition and stipend as a University Fellow 1981 M.S. in Applied Social Research, emphasis on quantitative methods in evaluation research. Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas Recipient of an NIMH Fellowship for full tuition and stipend 1976 B.S. Sociology. Texas A&M University, College Station Texas EXPERIENCE 2015 present Senior Director of Commonwealth Campus Libraries and Strategic Projects, Penn State University Responsibilities include administrative oversight of libraries and library services at all 20 Commonwealth Campuses of Penn State University. Serve as direct supervisor for Head Librarians/Directors at each of the 20 campus locations; provide support for all faculty and staff at Commonwealth Campuses. Manage implementation of University Libraries 2014-2019 Strategic Plan. Lead Global Librarianship initiatives for the University Libraries. Liaison to University Libraries Development Office. 2011-2015 Director of Commonwealth Campus Libraries, Penn State University Responsibilities include administrative oversight of libraries and library services at all 20 Commonwealth Campuses of Penn State University. Serve as direct supervisor for Head Librarians/Directors at each of the 20 campus locations; provide support for all faculty and staff at Commonwealth Campuses. Handle faculty recruitment, professional development for faculty and staff, faculty retention issues, library staffing plans. Take part in strategic planning and budget preparation for campus libraries. Collaborate with campus administration and Libraries administration in planning and securing funding for campus library renovation projects. 2005 to 2011 Head, University College Libraries, Penn State University and Collection Development Coordinator for Commonwealth Campus Libraries Responsibilities included administrative oversight of libraries and library services at all 14 University College campuses of Penn State University. Served as direct supervisor for Head Librarians and supported all faculty and staff at each of the 14 locations. Handled faculty recruitment, professional development for faculty and staff, and faculty retention issues. Took part in strategic planning and budget preparation for campus libraries. Collection Development responsibilities included co-chairing the Collection Development Council which had operational responsibility for collection development programs for the University Libraries and oversight of $16,000,000 budget.
1999 to 2005 Head, Commonwealth College Libraries, Penn State University Responsibilities included administrative oversight of all libraries and library services at the 12 Commonwealth College campuses of Penn State University. Supervised, evaluated and supported the faculty at each of the 12 locations. Handled faculty recruitment, professional development for faculty and staff, and faculty retention issues. Assisted in creation of strategic plans and annual budgets for campus libraries. February 1995 to October 1999 Social Sciences Librarian, Pattee Library, Penn State University Responsibilities included general reference and provision of library instruction services as well as collection development liaison activities for the departments of Sociology and Anthropology. 1990-1995 Business Librarian/Cataloger, Pattee Library, Penn State University. Responsibilities included general reference and provision of library instruction services as well as collection development liaison activities for the departments of Marketing and Accounting. For initial 2 years half of this position was assigned to the cataloging department and responsibilities included original cataloging of business materials in a variety of formats and languages. 1988-1990 Head, Coe Library Reference Department and User Services. University Libraries, University of Wyoming. 1987 Business Reference Librarian, University Libraries, University of Wyoming. 1985-1987 Information Specialist, Fellers, Lacy & Gaddis Marketing Consultants, Austin, Texas. SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Avery, C.C. (Co-Editor, 33%), Albitz, B. & Zabel, D.M. (2014). Rethinking Collection Development and Management. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. Avery, C.C. (Co-Author, 50%), & Zabel, D.M. (2002). Sociology. In Nancy L. Herron (Ed.), The Social Sciences: A Cross Disciplinary Guide to Selected Sources. (3 rd ), (pp. 259-285). Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited. Avery, C.C. (Co-Author, 50%), & Zabel, D.M. (2000). The Flexible Workplace: A Sourcebook of Information and Research. Westport, CT: Quorum Press. Avery, C.C. (Co-Author, 50%), & Zabel, D.M. (1996). The Quality Management Sourcebook: An International Guide to Materials and Resources. London: Routledge. Avery, C.C. (Co-Author, 75%), & Ketchner, K. (1996). Do Instruction Skills Impress Employers? College and Research Libraries 57(3): 249-258.
Avery, C.C. (1995). Business. In Nancy L. Herron (Ed.), The Social Sciences: A Cross Disciplinary Guide to Selected Sources, (2 nd ), (pp. 96-115). Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited. Avery, C.C. (Co-Author, 50%), & Zabel, D.M. (1995). Gathering Client Data: What Works? Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on TQM and Academic Libraries. (pp. 19-28). Washington, D.C.: Association of Research Libraries. Avery, C.C. (1995). Poverty, Welfare, and Unemployment. In Nancy L. Herron and Diane Zabel (Eds.), Bridging the Gap: Examining Polarity in America (pp.77-98). Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited. Avery, C.C. (Co-Author, 50%), & Dow, R. F. (1994). 1993 Salary Survey of Pennsylvania Academic Libraries. Pennsylvania Library Association, College and Research Libraries Division. Avery, C.C. (Co-Author, 50%), & Dow, R. F. (1993). 1992 Salary Survey of Pennsylvania Academic Libraries. Pennsylvania Library Association, College and Research Libraries Division. Avery, C.C. (Co-Author, 50%), & Zabel, D.M. (1992). Total Quality Management: A Primer. RQ 32(2): 206-216. IN PROGRESS Avery, C.C. (Co-Editor, 33%), Albitz, B. & Zabel, D.M. (est. publication date 2016) Leading in the New Academic Library. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS (2000-present) University Libraries Strategic Plan Implementation (2014-present). Co-chair the Steering Group charged with implementing the Libraries Strategic Plan. Three working groups have been appointed to articulate tactics, as well as matrices for assessment and sponsors/administrative responsibility. University Libraries Strategic Plan 2014-2019. Co-chaired the strategic planning steering committee from April 2014-June 2014. Solicited comments and edited the final version of the plan (submitted June 30, 2014) as well as supporting appendices. University Libraries Development Executive Committee (2014-present). This small group is responsible for setting the agenda for the spring and fall meetings of the Libraries Development Board (all major Libraries donors) and steering Libraries fundraising efforts. Faculty Recruitment. Since 1999 chaired over 45 search committees for Reference Librarians and Head Librarians at various campus locations. Responsibilities have included writing position descriptions, drafting advertisements, appointing committee members, complying with all HR and Penn State policies, interviewing candidates, etc. Recruiting for a more diverse faculty has been a personal goal with demonstrated results (several librarians from underrepresented groups with some in leadership positions). Acting Head Librarian. Have filled in on a temporary basis over the years as acting Head Librarian for numerous campuses. This was done during periods when a new Head Librarian was being recruited, or when a Head Librarian was on sabbatical and geographical (or other) considerations made alternatives impractical. Campuses ranged from Abington and Altoona to Shenango and Wilkes-Barre.
Mentoring. Provide mentoring to campus faculty on the tenure track or in fixed terms faculty positions as a basic function of positions held. Also provide guidance and opportunities for professional development to campus staff. Frequently serve as manuscript reviewer for journals such as Library Resources and Technical Services, portal, and Reference & User Services Quarterly. Knowledge Commons Initiatives. Virtually every campus location either has a Knowledge Commons in place (Berks) or is planning to implement a Commons environment. Architectural feasibility studies have been conducted at several campuses (Behrend, Brandywine, Hazleton), are underway at others (Abington, Greater Allegheny), and in the planning stages at the remainder. Responsibilities include getting program planning committees started at campuses, negotiating campus/library partnerships for funding these projects (everything from the cost of the feasibility studies to furniture purchases), and working with campus development offices on outside funding (2011-present) University Libraries Internal Faculty Staff Fundraising Committee. Co-chaired the group charged with assisting the Development Office with internal fundraising efforts for the University Libraries as part of Penn State s For the Future capital campaign. Campaign was successfully concluded in 2014 with a final total of over $5.4 million raised within the University Libraries. Campus Library Staffing Plans. A major challenge at campus libraries is determining what level of staffing is appropriate throughout the year. Efforts were initially aimed at bringing levels up to a consistent minimum (at least 2 librarians and 2 staff members), but once that minimum was achieved it became apparent that changing campus environments would necessitate adjustments. Since 2011 responsibilities have included analyzing each faculty and staff position vacancy to determine whether it needs to be filled, and if so whether a 9-month or 12 month contract is optimal. Some positions have been permanently eliminated, and several positions have been filled as 9-month contracts. Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Visiting Program Officer. Served as ARL staff liaison to the ARL Task Force on 21 st Century Research Library Collections. This group held two forums on the future of research library collections and published an Issue Brief entitled: 21st-Century Collections: Calibration of Investment and Collaborative Action. Responsibilities as a visiting program officer included scheduling task force meetings, setting agendas, submission of minutes, planning forums, and writing successive drafts of the Issue Brief (2010-2012) University Libraries Strategic Plan Writing Group. Served on the task force responsible for gathering input and writing the 2009-2014 Strategic Plan for the University Libraries. (2008) University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Task Force. Chaired a task force charged with revising the University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Criteria and Guidelines. Result was a complete revision of both criteria and administrative processes. Brought University Park library faculty (in both public services and technical services) as well as Commonwealth Campus Libraries faculty under one unified set of expectations and processes. (2004-2007) In 2015 the Task Force was charged again, and is currently undertaking a similar examination of criteria, guidelines, and administrative processes. Work will continue through 2016 and recommendations will be presented to Libraries faculty as formal legislation and put to a vote. Postcard Survey of Commonwealth College Library Users. Conducted a postcard survey in the 12 Commonwealth College libraries to gather student input on what improvements could be made in the libraries. Analyzed data from 775 completed postcards, shared data with Commonwealth College librarians. Data has been used in strategic planning. (2000)
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS (2000-present) Numerous formal and informal internal presentations to all University Libraries faculty. These have included many collection development budget overviews, strategic planning presentations, forums on writing collection development policy statements and presentations on various promotion and tenure issues. Additionally, as part of my role in organizing and hosting a fall and spring meeting of all Commonwealth Campus librarians, have spoken on topics ranging from new outreach initiatives in campus libraries to strategic planning to changing work duties of library staff members. (1999- ) ARL Fall Membership meeting. Formal Presentation on the work of the work of the Task Force on 21 st Century Research Library Collections. Last discussion before the final draft of the Issue Brief was written and subsequently published by ARL. (2011) Library Development Advisory Board formal presentations on the status of Commonwealth Campus Libraries, facilities upgrades, active proposals, etc. (2010- present) MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES American Library Association, (1988- ) Association of College and Research Libraries. (1994- ) Association of Research Libraries, Research Library Leadership Fellows Program (2006-2008) EDUCAUSE, Subscribing Representative for Pennsylvania State University (2008- ) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) (Institutional member) IFLA Indigenous Matter Section, (2015-) SELECTED UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES COMMITTEE SERVICE (1999-present)* Library Faculty Organization, Faculty Affairs Committee (elected Chair, 2014-2015, member 2015-2016) Dean s Library Council (1999- ) Executive Committee, University Libraries Development Board (2014-) University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Peer Review Committee (2014- ) (This is the Libraries first level P&T review committee) University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Task Force (2015-) (This task force is charged with reviewing University Libraries P&T Guidelines, Criteria, and Administrative Policies and suggesting changes)
University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Committee (2010-2015, chair 2011-2012) (This is the Libraries second level P&T review committee) Library Management Council (1999- present) (Council name has undergone changes over the years) Commonwealth Campus Libraries Peer Review Committee (2006-2008, Chair 2008-2009) LibQual Spring 2008 Survey Task Force (2008-2010). University Libraries Internal Campaign Committee (2006-2014) Collection Development Council (formerly Collection Development Steering Group) (Co-Chair 2004-2011, member 2015-) Libraries Promotion and Tenure Task Force (Chair 2004-2007) SIRSI Steering Committee (2002-2008) Access Services Council (2000-2004) Inside Web Implementation Group for User-Initiated Document Delivery (1999-2000) SIRSI Implementation Group. Assessment Team Co-Chair (1999-2000). SELECTED UNIVERSITY SERVICE (2000-present) President s Commission for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equity (appointed 2013-2016) Penn State University Faculty Senate. Senator representing University Libraries. (2008-2010). Penn State University Faculty Senate. Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs (2008-2010). Penn State University Faculty Senate. Senate Committee on Curricular Affairs (2007-2008). * Not listed are the over 45 Libraries search committees I have been part of as chair or member