After graduating with degrees in music and education, she taught in Chicago while trying to make it as a singer; years, miles and decibels away from the silence typically associated with her current position in charge of Syracuse University libraries.

Dean of Libraries and University Librarian Suzanne Thorin’s mother instilled in her daughter the need to have an income providing job, so she decided to change paths, but kept music as her primary interest.

Thorin received a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Michigan and went to work at the Library of Congress, hoping to become a music librarian, a position that involves working with historical audio records.

Though Thorin never achieved that goal, she said she was good at management, quickly allowing her to climb the administrative ladder. But she now applies her proactive attitude from her musical background to the job and has new plans to improve SU’s libraries, most notably creating a plan to completely redesign the interior of Bird Library.

Walking into Thorin’s office, one might think she decided to start there: The walls are bare, a painting yet to be hung sits on the floor beside two out-of-place chairs and in the back corner sits a plain wooden table and several chairs where informal yet important meetings seem to have taken place.

While she is awaiting new furniture, since she started Oct. 1, Thorin has worked to improve SU’s library system.

‘I think she’ll bring a whole new look, a whole new feel to this place,’ said Bill Garrison, deputy university librarian and associate dean of libraries.

Thorin has talked with deans and administrators of each college at SU, as well as the individual departments of the library system, to hear their ideas about improvements that can be made, Garrison said.

‘She has a can-do sort of attitude,’ said Lisa Bankert, a supervisor in arts and humanities services who is pursuing her master’s degree in library sciences. ‘Funding is always an issue, and it’s easy to say, ‘We can’t do that; we don’t have the money.’ She doesn’t want that.’

Thorin has made changes to the library committee structure, Bankert said. She also has formed a library management group, to which she has delegated a lot of authority.

‘She’s expecting a lot of action from people,’ Bankert said.

Thorin said she has also created a student advisory group, and is looking for student focus groups to discuss with architects how they would like to change SU’s libraries. The first focus group is open to undergraduates and will meet today.

Some ideas for the redesign of Bird Library include modifying its interior to create more study space, both in quiet and group environments, self-checkout machines and a connector to the Schine Student Center, Thorin said.

A caf in the library should be completed by next semester, Garrison said.

Many of Thorin’s ideas are part of a new trend called the ‘library as a place,’ Bankert said. Libraries are increasingly becoming a place for students to meet, talk and learn, especially as more information is available in dorms through online databases.

Part of what makes Thorin an effective administrator is her approachability, Garrison said. She is often tied up in meetings, partly because she is willing to meet with anybody.

Thorin seems to be friends with the people she works with, said Dana Varin, a sophomore communications and rhetorical studies major who works in Thorin’s office. But that just contributes to her success in business situations.

‘For a library, you kind of expect people to be more reserved,’ Varin said. ‘But she’s in; she’s hip.’

One day during winter break, Thorin took lunch on Marshall Street and came back with lime-green cowboy boots, Varin said. She came back and tried them on, wearing the boots around the office and thinking up outfits to match.

Thorin has worn the boots to work – stylishly – several times, Garrison said.

‘She doesn’t appear to have her head in the clouds,’ said Nicole Morrissette-Ugoji, who has worked at the circulation desk for 15 years. ‘She’s less formal, more approachable – it’s not an us-and-them mentality between administration and staff.’

As dean of libraries and university librarian, Thorin is responsible for the libraries’ external face in terms of university and community relations, fund raising and donor relations, said Garrison, who served in interim as dean before Thorin.

Thorin received her bachelor’s degree in music and education from North Park College in Chicago, where she taught as a music teacher for four years while trying to become a professional singer, she said.

Thorin was dean of university libraries at Indiana University when an SU search committee contacted her for the dean of libraries position, she said. Thorin ignored the request, but after hearing about Chancellor Nancy Cantor from colleagues at the universities of Illinois and Michigan and recalling her own experiences with Vice Chancellor and Provost Deborah Freund at Indiana, she contacted the search committee.

Thorin said she is eager to take the experience she has gained at each of her previous positions and apply it at SU. This past weekend, she was in New York City at conferences learning how she can make SU’s Belfer Audio Laboratory more accessible to students and faculty.

Published on March 26, 2006 at 12:00 pm