I opened 2024 watching the ball drop in New York City’s Times Square—from my sofa. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t have had it any other way, but it’s such a stark difference from the days when I would go out to ring in the New Year with friends. While the way I celebrate has changed—or matured?—my enthusiasm for new beginnings is the same as it ever was.
Before I can tell you why I’m excited to begin 2024, I have to go back.
In 2023, we laid the foundation for the River Campus Libraries’ Strategic Plan, which we are in the process of finalizing as I write this. We explored and started discussions (and quietly worked) on artificial intelligence, and we onboarded the University of Rochester Press. We also started engaging student experiential learning in a deeper way and updated backend systems to start “future-proofing” our digital footprint.
All of these projects put us in a strong position to tackle the work ahead of us—within our organization, at the University, in our local community, and through the research that makes the world ever better. And I’m excited to get to work.
I hope your year is starting on an equally positive note.
Meliora.
Kevin Garewal
Vice Provost and Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean
University of Rochester Libraries
