Staff Report
The next dean of University Libraries might keep Zimmerman Library's doors open all night.
"We need to be sure that our facilities are open the hours that you (students) need them," Martha Bedard said.
Bedard was selected Thursday.
She is associate dean for Information and Collection Services at Texas A&M University Libraries.
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Bedard said several libraries at Texas A&M are open 24 hours a day during the week.
The first thing Bedard will do when she starts at UNM on Aug. 1 is learn as much as possible about the University, she said.
"I want to spend a good deal of time listening and getting to know the UNM faculty and students," she said. "For me, that's the most important thing to do first - pay a lot of attention in a lot of venues."
The way space is used in libraries needs to be adjusted to meet the needs of students, she said.
Group study sessions are gaining popularity, and the library should provide enough study spaces to accommodate the groups, Bedard said.
"What I'm finding is students are learning in different environments these days," she said. "They're not just sitting in study rooms at libraries. So, we need to pay attention to the kind of spaces we're using to facilitate their learning."
Bedard said she won't be a stranger to UNM, even though she doesn't start for more than
three months.
"Although I won't be there until Aug. 1, I'll be very much involved over the summer," she said. "I wish I was there now, but that can't happen. So, I'll be staying closely in touch."
