Jim Coombs, Associate Professor of Library Science and the Maps and GIS Librarian at the Missouri State University Libraries, retired on May 15th, after over four decades of praiseworthy service to the communities served by the MSU Libraries, and to the profession of maps librarianship. Congratulations, Jim!

 

 

On June 1st, after over 47 years of excellent service to the Missouri State University Libraries and its users, Ginger Allard retired. Congratulations, Ginger! Best wishes to you in your retirement. 

Also on June 1st, after over 48 years of outstanding service to the MSU Libraries, Janet Erickson retired. We all wish Janet a wonderful retirement. All three of these exemplary employees have been granted emeritus status. Because of the current pandemic, retirement receptions will be scheduled and announced at a later date.  

When the pandemic and the resulting fiscal crisis first affected the university and southwest Missouri, MSU placed dozens of employees on two-thirds salary, with full benefits, and with no expectations of work. Also, because of the financial challenges currently faced by the university, by families with students at MSU, and by the local, state, national, and world economies, MSU has placed a freeze on all vacant positions until at least July of 2021. 

Several Library employees were put onto two-thirds pay status, and a couple of employees volunteered to have that status during May. Tomorrow, June 5th, Lisa McEowen will return to full-time, at-work status. Her new principal role will be in Cataloging and Metadata Services, where she has considerable experience and expertise, because that unit has lost several employees. We are working to bring all employees on two-thirds salary status back to full-time at-work status this summer.