Kenney

On the recommendation of Provost Kent Fuchs and President David Skorton, Anne R. Kenney has been reappointed the Carl A. Kroch University Librarian for a five-year term effective July 1, 2013. The Executive Committee of the Cornell Board of Trustees voted to approve the appointment Sept. 6.

"We are fortunate to have someone of Anne's experience and expertise leading our renowned library system, and I am particularly pleased that she will continue in that position. In addition to her respected leadership, she has forged creative collaborations across campus and with peer institutions as a way to strengthen our library resources during a time of fiscal constraints," said Fuchs.

Kenney is the 11th university librarian at Cornell, which boasts one of the largest research libraries in the world, with a budget of nearly $53 million, a staff of more than 400 and almost 8 million volumes. More than 4.2 million people passed though its doors last year, a number that continues to rise.

"I'm pleased and proud to be reappointed for a second term," Kenney said. "I can't imagine a better job than leading Cornell University Library."

Under Kenney's leadership, the library established the successful 2CUL resource-sharing partnership with Columbia University Library. She said the two libraries are looking at merging their technical services -- processing, cataloging, acquisition, e-resource management -- over the next couple of years, which will lead to efficiencies and greater capacity in dealing with digital content and global collections. "In many ways, the idea of 'one institution, one library' is a 20th-century construct," she said. "Today's research library must partner with others around the world to collect, preserve and make available important scholarly resources and to provide effective solutions to support new forms of learning, teaching, research and creative expression."

"I'm very proud that we've continued to build strong special collections, such as the hip-hop collection, which led to the appointment of Afrika Bambaataa as our first visiting scholar," Kenney said. "Another coup for the library was bringing in the Loewentheil Collection" of 16,000 19th-century photographs.

In addition, the Olin Library safety project, which included asbestos abatement, fire suppression systems, proper egress and alarm systems, was completed.

Throughout her term, the library has taken a strong stand on open access, Kenney said: "We have removed all restrictions on digital versions of public domain materials, and we no longer sign licenses with publishers that require a nondisclosure clause that would keep secret the prices and access terms of journals or other materials."

Graduating seniors ranked the library as one of the top campus services, and the library is an important factor for faculty satisfaction in the faculty work-life survey.

The library has secured funding for arXiv.org, the world's leading e-print repository. Five libraries have been consolidated, "and our virtual library presence has been strengthened," Kenney said. "Library Salons" bring the library to thousands of alumni across the country. The academic deans are also collaborating with the library on a $15 million Campaign for Collections.

In her second term, Kenney said, "We have the challenge of supporting the New York tech campus, making resources available on new devices and addressing the massive amount of data that results from major research projects." She continued, "We also are anticipating how best to meet the needs of a truly diverse Cornell undergraduate population to help them thrive."

Kenney serves as a fellow at Keeton House and is on the board of the Association of Research Libraries. She was named a digital pioneer by the Library of Congress and is a fellow and past president of the Society of American Archivists.