Victoria Montavon, President's Quality Service Award Winner

She’ll be marking her two-year anniversary at the University of Cincinnati on Oct. 1, and although she’s a relative newcomer, Dean and University Librarian Victoria A. Montavon is credited with smoothly paving new pathways for

University Libraries

, building even more on the libraries’ commitment to providing superior service.

Just walk through the main floor of Langsam Library to see one example of how the libraries are evolving to serve the needs of students, faculty and staff – needs that are ever-changing in this information age.

Last year’s renovation of Langsam Library literally opened up the fourth floor, expanding the

Info Commons

area that was created in the spirit of UC’s Quality Service Initiative. The

Student Technology Resources Center

(STRC), first introduced last fall, holds the most advanced equipment for student technology projects, plus has staff and student mentors to show students how to most effectively use it. A UCit Macintosh computer lab, with new updated hardware, also moved onto the fourth floor of Langsam Library.

“Dean Montavon defines initiative with an infusion of original ideas and an amazing capacity to stimulate the generation of other original ideas from her staff, making sound decisions for proceeding with those proposals and projects that are most beneficial to the university community and the libraries staff,” writes Erma Fritsche, management specialist for the division of library information technology. “Her tireless dedication and commitment to University Libraries has proven to be essential to the completion of the many and exceptional goals she has set…”

Born in Cincinnati, Montavon had said it was UC’s reputation for excellence that brought her back to the city. The libraries’ reputation for excellence continues to make gains in the Association of Research Libraries rankings – moving to 47 for the 2002 academic year, up from No. 49 the previous academic year. The ARL membership includes 114 research university libraries in the United States and Canada.

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