As UC Davis repositions its libraries to better serve a 21st-century academic community, Randolph M. Siverson, a distinguished professor emeritus and research professor of political science, will serve as acting university librarian.

Siverson is coming out of retirement to assume administration of the General Library from Helen Henry and Gail Yokote, who have been serving as acting co-university librarians since January 2009, when then-University Librarian Marilyn Sharrow went on leave. Sharrow retired as university librarian emerita in March.

Siverson officially assumed his duties on Dec. 1, after UC President Mark G. Yudof and UC Regent Bruce Varner, chair of the Board of Regents Committee on Compensation, approved the appointment. The action will be reported to the full Board of Regents at its January meeting.

Henry will return full time to her post as associate university librarian for administrative services and Yokote to her post as associate university librarian for the sciences and technical services.

The university librarian is responsible for the leadership and administration of the UC Davis General Library, which is ranked by the Association of Research Libraries as one of North America’s top 75 academic research libraries. The General Library comprises the Shields Library, Carlson Health Sciences Library, Physical Sciences and Engineering Library, and Blaisdell Medical Library.

“Randy knows the campus, has the respect of the Council of Deans and Vice Chancellors, and is well regarded by the UC Davis Division of the Academic Senate,” Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi said in announcing the appointment. “His leadership and communication skills are ideally suited to the needs of the UC Davis library during this critical transitional phase, as careful attention to the faculty voice will be necessary in the revisioning process.”

Search temporarily suspended

The campus has decided to temporarily suspend — for the remainder of this academic year — its search for a university librarian. Siverson will serve while the Davis campus conducts the national search for a permanent replacement.

The chancellor and the University Librarian Search Committee determined during the recruitment process and through interviews with the candidates that it was necessary to substantially rethink the university librarian position and how the library will best serve UC Davis in its second century.

“The library of the 21st century will require a different kind of leadership than is reflected in the current conception of the university librarian position,” Katehi said, “an individual who has the skills, knowledge and abilities to creatively integrate essential library functions with the best in information technology.

“Our new librarian will fundamentally restructure the University Library to become the campus hub of academic technology, a center of excellence in learning and scholarship for all faculty and students.”

What kind of librarian do we need?

To help identify the characteristics of the new university librarian and the library of the future, the campus has initiated two efforts:

• Last May, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Enrique Lavernia and Academic Senate Chair Robert Powell appointed the Joint Academic Senate-Administration Task Force on the University Library, and appointed Siverson to serve as co-chair, along with Ken Burtis, dean of the College of Biological Sciences. The task force is charged with providing advice and perspective on the future course of the UC Davis General Library.

• In October, Katehi appointed a Blue-Ribbon Panel on Information Technology Excellence. Among other tasks, this panel is charged with developing a vision for a library that is fully integrated into the campus’s academic technology infrastructure. “The campus is embarking on major changes to its libraries,” the chancellor said, “knowing that it must find more cost-effective ways to deliver high-quality library services to faculty, students, and staff.”

The two groups are expected to provide their recommendations by early 2011. Based on those recommendations, the campus will then restart the search for a university librarian, with a new hire expected to be in place by January 2012.

The university librarian reports to the provost and executive vice chancellor and is a member of the Council of Deans and Vice Chancellors, the UC Davis Academic Senate and its Library Committee, the Campus Council for Information Technology, the UC University Librarians Group and the Board of the Regional Library Facilities,

The university librarian is responsible for administering, managing, planning and policy formulation for the General Library’s resources, programs and services; working with campus constituents; fostering the library’s use of technologies; enhancing the library’s collections and services through philanthropy; and providing leadership at the national, regional, local and universitywide levels on academic research library issues.

As acting university librarian, Siverson will receive a 43 percent appointment based on an annual base salary of $180,000, for a 12-month period. In keeping with UC policy, Siverson will continue to receive standard health and welfare benefits. Additional details about the total compensation package are due to be posted in mid-January at the UC Board of Regents website on salaries and compensation.