It’s been a busy first year for Matt Shaw, dean of the University of Dayton Libraries. Shortly after he started in July 2024, Shaw helped lead a transition to a new library services platform and worked with library faculty and staff to reorganize instructional models to fit UD’s curricular changes – all while adjusting to a new life in Dayton after decades in Indiana.
Q: What brought you to UD?
A: I was dean at Ball State University for eight years. I loved Ball State – it’s my alma mater and I was happy in my position. A search firm had me look at UD, and I was interested but didn’t pursue the opportunity at that time. The firm got back in touch and said there was a good alignment with the University of Dayton, and I should take a second look. I decided to apply and completed a Zoom interview, but the on-campus interview was incredible. My meetings with the provost, the president, the vowed religious and the library team were extraordinary, but what I found most compelling was a breakfast with students. I saw a genuine intellectual curiosity and commitment to service. The students were all thinking about futures where they could make a difference. That was the tipping point where I realized I wanted to come to UD. I’m thrilled to be part of the University and build on the great work of my predecessor Kathy Webb.
Q: How has your first year been?
A: Obviously this has been a year of significant and strategic change at UD with curricular, organizational and structural changes. I think everyone hopes they'll have that luxury of a first year of listening and learning, but I knew that wasn’t going to be my first year experience. Thankfully, everyone on the team was willing to roll up their sleeves and take on some big initiatives. With the changes in curriculum, we had to change our instructional models and build new frameworks for student learning outcomes. There's a lot of intentionality around making sure we're thinking of the common good and preparing UD students to enter a different kind of world where lifelong learning is a vital skill for adaptation to a rapidly-evolving market and technology landscape.
Q: You also helped lead a library services migration. Could you explain that process?
A: A lot of energy went into that migration and we went live in June. All of the libraries that are part of OhioLINK moved to this new platform, which will greatly improve the student search experience when they're looking for resources on our website, using UDiscover. It’s going to be easier than ever before for students to connect to the resources they need in the Libraries and beyond. The migration was an 18-month process, and it’s something a library does maybe every 15-20 years. A migration changes everything - the catalog, acquisitions, workflows. I led the migration to this same tool at Ball State and we did a migration when I was at the University of Indianapolis, so that seems to be a theme for me. We're really excited to see how it helps us to continually improve, and hopefully it will be a better and more intuitive experience for everyone.
Q: How can University Libraries continue to serve students?
A: The student voice matters. Our libraries are for the students. If you're not meeting their needs, you're not fulfilling your role. I think the Libraries are called into an important role now in developing information literacy, digital literacy, and all sorts of meta literacies. It's hard to believe but AI technologies aren't that old, and they’re changing the way we educate our students about information. We need to make sure we’re empowering our faculty and students to understand the complexities of this information environment and give students the skills to be successful in the classroom and their profession, and to be lifelong learners. We also want to continue to integrate our unique collections into the learning experience. While many of the books upstairs can be found around the region, the nation and even the world, our special collections hold materials that have been carefully curated and focused on our institutional history and identity as a Catholic, Marianist institution.
Q: How did you become interested in working in libraries?
A: I was working on my master's degree in English to teach at the college level when one of my dear professors, a mentor, said the market for humanities instruction was declining, and I should consider something else and maybe come back to English later. After doing some exploration, I thought about library sciences as a career alternative, and Indiana University had a program. Almost immediately I recognized this was what I wanted to do and cared about. I worked in a public library. I've worked in school libraries. I was a head librarian for a school corporation for two years. When, through a process of discernment and experience, I landed in academic libraries I felt this was the context I was intended to serve.
Q: Did you ever see yourself as a library dean?
A: I never intended to move into administration, but the more experience I got, the more I cared about making decisions to benefit our students and faculty. I took that first opportunity at the University of Indianapolis as the director of the Krannert Memorial Library. I now enjoy administration and facilitating the collaboration and team building it takes to be an excellent academic library. It's certainly something you cannot do alone. My success is only realized when the people I'm serving with are successful as well. When you’re in library school, you never learn about the very practical parts of administration such as managing facilities issues, planning renovations, or handling disruptive user behaviors. These are critical skills I’ve developed over time, learning from so many members of the university community. Every crisis situation or planning opportunity allows you to build a strong, collaborative network with other faculty and staff across campus. It's a very relational position, I don't know how you could do this work and stay in your office and just think big thoughts – you really have to be a part of the community. You have to really aim to be a good university citizen.
Q: Now that you’ve been here for a year, what are your thoughts about living in Dayton?
A: My wife and I have enjoyed the community here, whether it’s just a nice walk on a beautiful day or going to the Schuster Center. You can tell there's something coming alive in Dayton, and it takes the community wanting to actualize a better tomorrow, and I get that sense here. I also enjoy this campus. It always looks beautiful because they keep the grounds so well. Sometimes I'll go to the chapel or Serenity Pines and sit in the quiet beauty of the moment and reflect, and there are so many other great places here like the Roger Glass Center. When my wife and I moved here, we were empty nesters – our four sons and their wives are all back in Indiana. Moving here has been a great way to start a new chapter, and we already feel a strong sense of belonging. While I’m relatively new to UD, I feel deeply connected to the history, mission and identity of this place. I’m humbled by and grateful for the opportunity to serve in such a special community of learners.
— Shannon Miller is the associate director of News and Internal Communications at the University of Dayton.