Joe Mocnik (photo courtesy K-State Marketing & Communications)
A new dean of the K-State Libraries has been selected.
The university announced Wednesday morning Joe Mocnik will begin in that role July 25. He will succeed Dr. Lori Goetsch who is retiring.
As dean of K-State Libraries, Mocnik, who serves in the same capacity at North Dakota State University, will oversee a research library system with a total budget of $13.5 million and a collection of 3.6 million titles.
Mocnik, who hails from Croatia, has been with North Dakota State since 2017 and has held similar positions at Georgia College & State University, Southern Adventist University and Mount Aloysius College.
K-State Libraries hosted a virtual ribbon cutting for Hale Library’s grand reopening.
K-State officials and donors read from the Tale of Hale about the history of the library and its reconstruction progress during a livestream.
Before the fire, plans on renovations of the library began back in 2016. Benefactor Ellie Everitt says she and her husband, Dave, believed in this new vision. The Everitts were the lead donors for the project as part of the K-State Foundation’s Innovation and Inspiration campaign.
Then in 2018, an accidental fire was started, but contained on the roof. However, water and smoke caused significant damage to the building. University Library Committee Chair Amy Rosine says 85% of the library was in need of repair.
K-State Libraries receives grant to support programs about climate change
K-State librarians Carol Sevin and Ellen R. Urton have received a $1,000 grant from Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change, an initiative of the American Library Association that will help libraries engage their communities in programs and conversations on the climate crisis. Resilient Communities strives to raise awareness and provide accurate information about the climate change crisis to the public through libraries. During the spring 2021 semester, Libraries staff will use the grant funds to support programming related to climate change. We are so honored to join Resilient Communities at K-State Libraries, said Sevin, science librarian. In a time when climate change is beginning to dramatically affect our everyday lives, we are eager to bring these fact-based, educational programs and important dialogues to our community.
Apply for Morse Scholarship: $3,000 for community-minded summer project or internship
Do you want to make the world a better place? Why not start this summer? K-State Libraries is now accepting applications for the 2021 Marjorie J. and Richard L. D. Morse Family and Community Public Policy Scholarship.
The $3,000 scholarship provides funds to support a project or internship that gives a student the experience of working in community, state or federal government or providing service in the nonprofit sector.
The project or internship must encourage the development of public policy that improves the quality of family and community life. Applications will be accepted until March 29, and award recipients will be notified by April 23.
National search for dean of K-State Libraries
The Office of the Provost announces a national search for the next dean of K-State Libraries at Kansas State University. The university has engaged the services of Academic Career and Executive Search, an executive search firm, to support the search committee with the process.
This is an extraordinary opportunity for a dynamic, visionary and experienced leader to serve as the next dean of K-State Libraries, a public R1, land-grant, university comprised of four campuses and nine colleges. The university serves approximately 21,000 students.
The successful candidate is a collaborative leader and prominent advocate who understands and provides the strategic direction necessary to meet the evolving role of libraries in the 21st century within a public research university setting. The dean will provide the strategic leadership and vision crucial in the support of the strategic initiatives and intellectual core of the university. As the c