The year captured in this annual report was a year of great change and significant challenges for Clemson Libraries. We started the year off by announcing our reorganization into a new structure that helps position the Libraries to better support the University’s goals in teaching, research and service. In August, we kicked off a new academic year that would see us hit more than 1 million patrons for the first time since before the COVID pandemic. It was wonderful to see more students using our libraries, especially students who were discovering for the first time the resources and services we have to offer. Over the holiday break, however, I got the phone call that no library dean or director ever wants to receive — Cooper Library had a pipe burst due to freezing temperatures on Christmas Eve and water had flooded the first four floors of the building. I am so grateful to our faculty and staff, as well as the team from University Facilities, who responded quickly during a holiday week to assist with damage assessment and begin the process of cleaning up. Unfortunately, we did lose some books, and we did have to close certain areas of the library for a few months while repairs were made, but I am impressed with how quickly we pulled together and how we kept the disruption to our services minimal. I am proud of the resilience of our amazing Libraries faculty and staff, and I am grateful to everyone who came together to ensure that we were still able to serve our patrons during this incredibly challenging time. As you read this report and all that we accomplished this year, keep in mind that much of this was accomplished while we were still trying to recover from the flood. That work is now behind us, so just think of what we can achieve next. Go Tigers!
the Dean A message from
Chris Cox, Dean of Libraries
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