Announcement to the University Community from Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina

Suzanne E. Thorin, Dean of Libraries and University Librarian, and I want to let you know that she has informed me of her desire to step down from her administrative role effective June 30, 2013.

Dean Thorin will have served Syracuse University with distinction for nearly eight years. Under her leadership, the Library’s services to students and faculty have been transformed and dramatically improved, the print and electronic collections have been enhanced, the University’s renowned special collections were extended, and a successful fundraising program was developed. Dean Thorin’s leadership has led to a new Learning Commons in Bird Library, a master plan for all library facilities, the re-opening of the remarkable Belfer Audio Laboratory, the construction of the state-of-the-art SU Library Facility, and the renovation of the Carnegie Library. She has been a tireless advocate and representative for the SU Library locally and nationally, and has been awarded a significant number of grants for the Library that have increased our national profile and enabled key initiatives at the Library.

Before coming to Syracuse University, she spent nine years at Indiana University as University Dean of Libraries and Associate Vice-President for Digital Library Programs. She also worked at the Library of Congress for 16 years in various positions, including Chief of Staff to the Librarian of Congress. Last year Suzanne was appointed by President Obama to the National Advisory Board of the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

I look forward to discussions in the coming weeks with key constituencies, including the Library staff and the Senate Library Committee, about the search process to identify Dean Thorin’s replacement.  I hope you will join me in wishing Suzanne the very best and expressing thanks for her many contributions to the Library and Syracuse University.