2020 Impact Report

 Download the 2020 Impact Report

Welcome to the 2020 Yearly Impact Report for the Georgia Tech Library. Although I officially became Dean of Libraries on July 1, 2020, I can say unequivocally it has been one of the most challenging years we have ever experienced during my fourteen-year tenure at Georgia Tech.  And yet, the Georgia Tech Library continues to move forward, expand our services, and fulfill the vision of LibraryNext. Through the hard work, ingenuity, and an unending belief in one another and our partners on campus, our library team supports our student and faculty academic and research pursuits while our services, spaces, and collections provide knowledge, solace, and inspiration for the Georgia Tech community, especially within the challenging COVID-19 landscape. 

One of our crowning achievements this year was the re-opening of the Judge S. Price Gilbert Memorial Library this summer. In fact, this document, and all the work that went into it, is in honor of Dr. Rafael L. Bras – former provost and arguably one of the biggest proponents of the Library’s renewal. Without his belief, guidance, and advocacy, we would not be where we are today. I cannot understate the importance of his influence on this project, the vision of LibraryNext, and me. These beautiful buildings are truly a testament to his legacy. 

Leslie Sharp

Leslie Sharp, PhD
Dean of Libraries

 Download the 2020 Impact Report

He was not alone, of course. It was a concerted effort of units across campus, across the Library, and across the state that produced the incredible buildings, services, and web presence we enjoy today. Paramount in that effort was former Dean Catherine Murray-Rust, whose dream and more than a decade of work helped make the renewed Library a reality. Each of the Library’s employees and our facilities and OIT partners also deserve recognition for their commitment, expertise, hard work, and, of course, patience as they have experienced years of changes, moves, disruption, and restructuring. I am fortunate to have this team as my colleagues. They are a wonderful group of people whose knowledge, compassion, and dedication warms my heart and keeps me on my toes. 

Additionally, I am extremely grateful for our colleagues and partners at Emory University. Without their expertise and teamwork, we would not enjoy the shared resources or the Library Service Center (LSC). In fact, housing our materials in cold storage at the LSC allowed us to easily pivot services when COVID-19 stopped distribution of all physical collections. The team at the LSC never stopped providing service, which allowed us to meet the scholarly needs of both Emory and Georgia Tech.

Our incredible faculty and student advisory boards have been with us every step of the way to provide priceless insight into the needs of each of the groups they represent. Without their help, we truly could not have provided a Library driven by the needs of students, faculty, and staff. These advisory boards are essential to moving forward and to helping the Library meet the academic and research needs of the campus community. Likewise, embracing Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons is one of our priorities and the Clough Partners are an integral part or that.

Most importantly, I want to thank the students and faculty we see in the buildings every day. You are the reason we do this, and you are our number one priority. Your health, safety, learning, and scholarly needs drive the decisions we make, big or small. Your energy, ingenuity, and commitment to the best scholarship in the world give us something to aspire to daily. 

This has been a year of great change and uncertainty. I am proud of how we have come together as a community to handle it with grace.  Thank you to our staff, librarians, archivists, our partners, and everyone who uses the Georgia Tech Library and Clough. We will see you in 2021. 

 Download the 2020 Impact Report