Reappointment of Virginia Steel as University Librarian

UCLA Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

To: Administrative Officers, Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, Vice Chancellors and Vice Provosts and Library Staff

Dear Colleagues:

Following a customary five-year administrative review, Chancellor Block and I have asked Virginia Steel to continue as university librarian. I am pleased to inform you that she has accepted the reappointment.

During the past five years, Ginny has established herself as an open, inclusive and collaborative leader. The review committee lauded her commitment to excellence and her singular focus on, as she says, “offering all the library’s users access to all of the collections, resources, services, facilities and spaces that allow them most effectively to discover and create knowledge.”

Ginny initiated a comprehensive strategic planning process that resulted in the 2016–19 Strategic Plan for UCLA Library, which comprised six overarching goals as well as concrete achievable actions for the library and its staff. To date, the strategic plan has led to a new open scholarship and collections policy and substantial new collaborations with faculty and students supporting digital humanities; expanded research data collections, services and engagement; deeper partnerships in teaching and learning support; increased undergraduate participation in research; and major facilities enhancements that are now underway. Her commitment to diversity is reflected in the appointment of two equity, diversity and inclusion advisors to assist with recruitment of librarians and staff, and her re-establishment of the library diversity committee.

Externally, she has provided national and international leadership on open access with the goal of providing the broadest possible public access to UCLA-authored books and journal articles as well as collections and library services in support of teaching and research. In addition, she has built upon UCLA’s already-strong leadership in several national and statewide research library associations, which sustain and strengthen the UCLA Library’s profile as a leader and model for research libraries worldwide.

In the coming years, Ginny will focus on the development of a master space plan for the UCLA Library, sustain efforts to find new models to support open scholarship, expand collaborations with faculty and students across the campus and continue to secure external funding for the Library.

Chancellor Block and I look forward to continuing our work with Ginny to advance the goals and accomplishments of the eight libraries at UCLA. Please join me in congratulating Ginny and extending our appreciation to her.

Sincerely,

Scott L. Waugh
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost