Karen Diaz, Dean of Libraries, will be launching a fresh new chapter of her life this Spring when she retires from WVU. I serve proudly under Dean Diaz’s leadership, and I am incredibly grateful for her wisdom, generosity, kindness, warmth, and advocacy. Karen has a rare and special gift of finding the good in all things. On behalf of the entire Humanities Center community, I want to take this time to express our gratitude and wish her deep joy and personal satisfaction in retirement.
Dr. Sharon Ryan: What are you looking forward to in retirement?
Karen Diaz: I’m looking forward to returning to our home in Columbus and spending more time hanging out with our friends and grown children who live there. I am about to become a grandma, and I’m especially excited about meeting my grandchild and figuring out what that’s all about. My husband and I are going to do some home renovations. Top of the list is turning our backyard into a cozy social space to hang out in. I’m also looking forward to spending more time outdoors and gardening.
SR: Why did you decide to become a librarian?
KD: Like most people, I didn’t grow up with the idea of becoming a librarian. As a first-generation college student, I really had no idea about the many interesting, esoteric careers out there. It was through working at the campus library as a college student that I was first exposed to library work. My supervisor suggested that I might really enjoy this line of work, and she helped me get my first library staff job out of college. I did like it, so I decided to go to library school and made it my career.
SR: In your day-to-day work life, what aspects of your career especially suit you?
KD: I’ve been very happy in this line of work, and I feel that I climbed the right ladder. What I like most is that it is very mission and values driven work, and I am a value driven person. The mission of libraries is to connect people and information. I think building wisdom from information and discovery is the root of our joy, so I love being able to share that with people.
SR: What has been most personally satisfying to you about how your career worked out?
KD: My career trajectory. I started as an undergraduate worker in a library. I’ve been a graduate assistant in a library. I’ve been a staff person in a library. I’ve been a front-line librarian, a department chair, an associate dean, and now a dean. I love that I was able to work at all of those levels. I enjoyed each step along the way, and each one was satisfying in different ways.
SR: What was your favorite step in your career?
KD: Sometimes people talk about middle-management as being a “shit sandwich.” But I really love being in the middle. I think being Head of Teaching and Learning within OSU Libraries was the job I most enjoyed, and the one I was best at. I felt like I could really get to know my staff and appreciate and play to each of their unique strengths. Being in the middle puts you in the best position to get good information from colleagues at every level of an organization.
SR: As a leader, what have been the wisest investments of your energy, time, and passion?
KD: I have invested a lot into my own learning and care. I have put a lot of effort into learning how to be a leader and there’s a lot to learn. I had the privilege of working with an executive coach for a couple of years. Working with a coach boosted my confidence, helped me discover and articulate my core values, and helped me figure out how to be more intentional about drawing on those values at work. I have also benefited from networking with other university library deans who are navigating similar challenges. Although I work with outstanding deans at WVU, their work is quite different from mine. So, it has been especially valuable to work with a supportive community of library deans.
SR: A lot of people really admire you as a leader. Do you have any words of leadership wisdom to share with us?
KD: Understand who you are at your core and let those values guide you. Have a trusted group to support you but also call you out when you need that. Know that under titles and positions are individuals with their own set of values and stresses.
SR: What are some of the core values that ground you?
KD: I have a deep respect for people as individuals. When I get into tense situations, if there’s lashing out, I know that’s coming from someplace. Acknowledging this allows me to be solution-focused rather than getting caught up in the blame game. I want to leave something behind, and I hope that I have done something to make others’ lives better. I have a deep sense of optimism. When things get difficult, I trust that things are going to get better. As my husband would say, I have a simple faith in success.
SR: What are some of the most profound changes you have seen for the role of libraries on a university campus during the span of your career?
KD: Libraries used to be gatekeepers of information. People could not get to information without coming through a library. That has completely changed. Information is flowing all around us now. Libraries have evolved into information stewards, gathering, collecting, and curating content for our communities. We help people discover, make sense of, and navigate information. In the age of AI, libraries can provide the source record of truth. We will always serve to preserve and curate the historical record while also playing a vital role in repairing archival silences. There exist huge gaps of knowledge where materials and stories were not collected from groups who were not considered important.
SR: How do you view the role of public libraries in a democracy?
KD: Public libraries are essential to a democracy. They are as important as a free press, and it is a shame they are not recognized as such in the US Constitution. Public libraries promote literacy and we need literate people to run a democracy. They support language acquisition for immigrants. Public libraries provide individualized information some people need in order to solve life problems. Increasingly, public libraries are a safe place to help people connect to social services. Some people do not need the services a public library offers, and they sometimes question the value of public libraries. But if you are going to have a democracy, you need to make sure access to information is available to everyone.
SR: In addition to leading the WVU Libraries, you oversee the Humanities Center, the West Virginia and Regional History Center, Art in the Libraries, the Neal Museum, and the Press. What do you enjoy about this part of your job?
KD: This part of my job is really fascinating! While all of you come from a different place, you all connect people and information. You bring together people from all walks of life and mindsets to share ideas and knowledge. That’s where new discoveries are made. You spark the joy of discovery.