We are thrilled to welcome Adriana Popescu as our next University Librarian! Adriana is currently Dean of Library Services at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, and has previously held leadership positions at the University of Notre Dame and Princeton University, where she was Head of the Engineering Library and the Furth Plasma Physics Library.

At Cal Poly, Adriana has recently led a $78M major physical and programmatic transformation of the Library, including library spaces and services, collections, and information technology. In her email announcing Adriana's departure, Provost Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore wrote: "Over the past decade, she has led transformative efforts to advance library services, support student success and enhance the library’s role as a catalyst for interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation and research. One of Adriana’s most significant contributions has been her leadership in the Kennedy Library Transformation, a project that will reimagine the library as a modern, student-centered space to support learning and discovery. Her dedication to this project will culminate in the library’s grand reopening this fall. [..] She has also been instrumental in growing the library’s fundraising efforts, securing significant gifts and financial contributions that have supported library programs and the building transformation project."

Looking forward, in a period that promises to be both exciting and challenging, the Library staff are excited to work with Adriana on continuing our strong traditions of innovative, trustworthy and supportive services for students, development of new services and tools for researchers, and the ongoing renewal of our spaces. 

Adriana Popescu earned a joint bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from the Technical University of Civil Engineering in Bucharest, Romania, and a Master of Library Science degree from Rutgers University. She will join Caltech on July 1.

We are pleased to welcome Jess Ayers to the Library's Business & Operations team as our new Administrative Assistant! They agreed to answer some questions now that they've settled into the role.

Congratulations on your new position at the Library, Jess! Could you give us an introduction to what a Library Administrative Assistant does?

Thank you! I'm glad to be here and have felt very welcomed by everyone. While I'm still learning some of the specifics of my role, I mainly assist the library operations team with making purchases of supplies, books, etc. for our libraries and then processing the invoices and receipts of those purchases to make sure they are sent to the finance department. I also help with event organization (such as the upcoming Dissertation Bootcamp and Three Minute Thesis events). And once our new University Librarian starts, I will also assist them with finance reports and managing calendars.

What inspired you to apply to this position?

I have very fond childhood memories of trips to our local library. I love reading and learning new things, so working in the library at an institution of higher learning felt like a good fit!

What are some of the positions you've previously held that prepared you for this role?

I've had an abundance of different positions over the years that gave me valuable experience that I think is going to translate well to my role here at Caltech. I've had many different admin/reception positions in various corporate environments, I've worked in high-end catering and fine dining, and I have a lot of experience working different "below-the-line" jobs in the entertainment industry. All of which has given me a strong work ethic, mental flexibility, and made me able to learn new skills quickly. My experiences have also given me new levels of appreciation for people who have unique skill sets. (You never know what skill will suddenly come in handy!)

What does a day in the life of a Library Administrative Assistant look like?

So far, no day has been exactly the same for me, ha ha! My team has been really great at not overwhelming me with all of the systems and processes I need to learn. I've filed receipts and helped with organization and outdated paperwork disposal (which has made the paper shredder my new friend.) Bailey Westerhoff and I put together the Vroman's book display in the lobby of Caltech Hall. I even helped protect the books in the basement from the leaking ceiling on my fourth day here! In the words of Allie Brosh, I can do "All the things!"

What are you looking forward to at the Library?

Photo Credit: Rob Quigley

The 2024 California Library Association Conference took place at the Pasadena Convention Center on October 17-19, and several Caltech Library staff members attended. Benjamin Maggio, who supports Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan requests in the department of Access & Collection Services, reports from the field.

The California Library Association tackled the theme of mental health in the workplace at the annual conference in October. Titled “Balancing Act: Shelf Care & Self Care,” the three-day conference offered numerous lectures under a united theme of libraries as a safe environment for patrons and staff with mental health concerns.

Some librarians gave presentations on activities they had organized for their communities. During “Self Care is Fresh Air,” staff from San Mateo County Libraries described organizing outdoor summer activities for both kids and adults. This included nature walks in city and state parks, and watercolors in the library garden. In another talk, Camille Hyatt shared photos and videos from animal encounters and pet adoption events for kids at the San Diego Public Library.

Other lectures were for the direct benefit of the attendees. Some were geared toward offering career advice to librarians, including presenting at conferences or applying to jobs after finishing school. Still others, many themed around mindfulness, sought to help librarians by instructing them in practices for creating a psychologically safe workplace. Among these was a talk that acknowledged the inherent stress of working in library advocacy, and that included advice about mindfulness meant specifically for advocates. “Music, Intentionality, and Mental Health” concluded with presenter Scott Farthing asking the listeners to compile an individual “arsenal of songs” that makes each of them feel positive emotions. He recommended that listeners who live with anxiety use their personal playlist to counteract triggering situations.

During the Saturday talk “Mindset Matters,” Kathleen Farris encouraged librarians to utilize kindness and self-reflection in the workplace. Particularly effective in her presentation was a slide titled “Changing Mindsets,” which encouraged workers to replace self-defeating thoughts (“I will never find a path”) with more positive, reinforcing language (“What are my options?”). Some of these presentations did not necessarily use the word “mindfulness.” However, the conference overall repeatedly demonstrated that that theme was always on the periphery of what was being discussed.

By highlighting activities like music and being immersed in nature, and emphasizing themes like self-compassion, kindness, intentionality, and community, the presenters demonstrated the rewards that mindfulness can offer to library staff, students, and the public. For that reason alone, the conference was a very rewarding experience.

In fall 2024, Caltech Library is hosting Crossing Over: Art and Science at Caltech, 1920–2020, an expansive public exhibition that weaves together the history of science with historical and contemporary art. How, it asks, have scientists and engineers used images and collaborated with artists to discover, invent, and communicate? The exhibition features displays of about 250 objects, most drawn from the Caltech Archives and Special Collections, including rare books, paintings, drawings, photographs, scientific instruments, molecular models, and video. It will be open September 27 – December 15, 11–4 Wednesday – Sunday.

Photos found in the GALCIT collection of the JPL Arroyo Seco rocket experiments, c. 1936

A GALCIT Update by DiAndra Reyes