With three branches holding more than two million volumes, Dwight B. Waldo Library is arguably the heart of Western Michigan University’s campus. Holding that heart, as of March 1, is Julie Garrison, the new dean of University Libraries at WMU.
Garrison was the associate dean of research and instructional services at Grand Valley State University before coming to WMU. She has also held positions at Central Michigan University, Duke University Medical Center, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, and the University of California-Los Angeles.
Garrison says libraries have changed a lot over the years. “One of the things we are looking at is how are we a part of the campus, how are we part of the students’ learning and success, how do we support faculty in that endeavor as well as the research. But we are more than a collection of materials. We are more than individuals sitting behind reference desks. We do a lot of different activities that are ingrained in the university culture in many different ways.”
When asked if she plans to make changes in the University’s libraries, in collections, staffing, services, or physical space, Garrison laughs and says, “All of them! Now we’re thinking about sequencing and priorities. What I’ve been saying early on to faculty and staff in the libraries is that I’m interested in how we are user-focused. What is it that we are doing for our community and how do we know that it is something our community needs instead of something that we are used to doing?”
Garrison says one weak point is a lack of space at Waldo Library. Besides making it more inviting, Garrison says she plans to look at that issue "fairly deliberately, fairly soon.” Plans for renovations on Waldo’s first floor are high on her priority list.
“I’ve asked that we step back and take a head-to-toe look at the whole building and develop a plan for what we want to do long-term.”
Garrison is active in several professional library organizations. She is chair-elect of the Michigan Academic Library Association's Administration Section; a member of the editorial board of Portal: Libraries and the Academy; a board member for the Association of College and Research Libraries; and an advisory board member for SAGE Library. She's written a series of book chapters and journal articles on library staff development and academic library operations.
Garrison replaces former WMU libraries dean Joseph Reish, who retired after a 43-year career at Western. Garrison lives in Grand Rapids with her husband, two children, and two cats.
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