Since Vivienne McClendon departed Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) in January 2021, the position of dean of the University Library has been in flux. As of March 6, Jacqueline Grallo is the new dean after having served as the interim twice already, and with it will come new direction.
Originally struck by “the role that information plays in a democratic society,” Grallo entered into a communications track at Fort Lewis College in Colorado, studying censorship, information literacy and learner-centered teaching. It eventually led to her becoming a librarian.
Having started with CSUMB in 2007 as an instructional technology librarian, Grallo’s role was unique at the time. “They wanted someone that could set up a service that was technology based like instant messaging. I implemented an open source software product, which made it very easy for the librarians to create guides to the research,” said Grallo.
The program allowed users to browse the catalogue of sources the university has more efficiently. Since its implementation, a large portion of Grallo’s work has been to further the user’s ability to interact with databases. Now as the dean of the University Library, her responsibilities lie with understanding the needs of the library’s visitors as education changes.
Recently the role of artificial intelligence in education and academia has been questioned. Grallo, now as dean, oversees the integration of artificial intelligence as a tool for information technology at CSUMB. As of March, the library’s database has the capacity for indexing its catalogue by key terms appointed by faculty who manage it. There is the potential this could change greatly with the implementation of artificial intelligence.
“There are A.I. research assistants popping up all over the place. We know that students are using them and so we want to help students learn how to use them effectively, ethically and think critically about the information that they’re finding,” said Grallo.
Grallo’s task is to understand these tools and how they can be used to help students in the context of CSUMB’s outcome-based education.
“That information environment is constantly changing. So it’s important that we constantly be thinking about our learning outcomes,” said Grallo.
The university library does not only operate to help students understand their information environment though. Academic purposes are the first of two roles the library serves, the second being what Grallo describes as “to support belonging.”
Culminating in programs such as “Welcome to Finals Week” and the Makerspace, the library aims to cater to that feeling of belonging.
“[The library] is definitely a place that students are going, finding their people and developing relationships … I guess it’s very nice to have an activity to do on the side and then just have a conversation,” said Grallo.
The Makerspace has certain amenities it alone provides. In 2019 the space was opened as an aside from the library’s usual thoroughfare to provide certain tools, both fabrication and artistic, that might not be available to students otherwise. “Everyone and anyone can come in and just make something without any training or prior knowledge,” said Grallo.
Grallo’s mission going forward is to continue this accessibility and provide greater opportunities to the library’s users.
“We’re trying to find ways to design our spaces so that they meet the needs of the widest possible variety of library users,” said Grallo.