Anne Kenney named interim university librarian

Anne Kenney, a senior associate university librarian for public services and assessment, has been appointed interim university librarian at Cornell, succeeding Sarah Thomas, who is leaving the university to direct the University of Oxford's libraries.

"It is a tremendous honor to be named the interim university librarian at Cornell, especially following Sarah's decade of leadership," said Kenney, who is the co-author of three award-winning monographs and more than 50 articles and reports. "The library is truly one of Cornell's most precious assets -- its collections, services and especially the staff are among the very best in the world."

"Anne Kenney's thoughtful leadership and her depth and breadth of knowledge will ensure an excellent learning environment for faculty and students and a stable work environment for the entire library staff," said Cornell Provost Biddy Martin. "I am so pleased she agreed to assume this responsibility."

Martin is in the process of putting together a search committee to select a permanent replacement for Thomas. Kenney's appointment begins Feb. 1 and will run until a new university librarian is named.

Kenney received her bachelor's degree from Duke University in 1972, a master's degree in history from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1975 and a master's degree in library services in 1979 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She came to Cornell University Library in 1987 and served as associate director for the Department of Preservation and Conservation until 2001. From 2002 to 2006 she was the associate university librarian for instruction, research and information services.

Active in the archival and preservation communities, Kenney is a fellow and past president of the Society of American Archivists. She currently serves on the Social Science Research Council's Committee on Libraries and Archives of Cuba and is a member of Advisory Committee of Portico, a nonprofit digital preservation service. Kenney has served as a commissioner of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (National Archives), the National Science Foundation/European Union Working Group on a Digital Preservation Research Agenda and was a member of the Clinton/Gore Transition Team. Her research interests include digital imaging, preservation and public services in research libraries.

"Under Anne's facilitative leadership, I am confident the library will continue its forward momentum," said Thomas, whose appointment at Oxford begins next month. "Anne brings extraordinary talent and creativity to the role, and her strong national and international reputation will maintain and strengthen external relationships during the time the search for a new librarian is under way. Anne has a Midas touch in her ability to get grants, so I hope that quality will bear fruit as the library advances in the campaign. We are fortunate in the library to have a highly seasoned and truly outstanding team of managers who have collaborated to build many innovative services, and I know they will sustain their collaboration in the coming months."

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