Columbus State University News
Fall semester marks changes in CSU Libraries' leadership
August 23, 2024
In addition to welcoming a new head of Library Systems and eResources, the Columbus State University Libraries is embracing new leadership appointed from among the university’s current faculty ranks.
Whit Gaines, MLIS ’19 joins the Schwob Memorial Libraries faculty as head of Library Systems and eResources,
after serving in information systems and archival roles. Their professional areas
of interest include user-centered design, digital libraries, digital repositories,
local history preservation, and leadership theory and development. The American Library
Association recently named Gaines one of its 2023 Emerging Leaders. In addition to
their bachelor’s degree in special education from Columbus State, they hold a master’s
in library and information science from Valdosta State University, and a master’s
in instructional technology from New York Institute of Technology.
On Sept. 1, Dr. Bryan Banks begins his tenure as the interim inaugural dean of Libraries & Graduate Studies.
This position combines the duties of two positions—dean of Libraries and dean of Research
& Graduate Studies—and will build on existing connections between CSU Libraries, Research
and the Graduate School. A faculty member in the Department of History, Geography & Philosophy since 2018, Banks was promoted to associate professor and named department chair
in 2023. He will serve in this interim capacity until a permanent dean is in place.
David Owings, who served as interim dean during the summer, returns to his previous duties on
Sept. 1 as associate dean of libraries, head of Archives & Special Collections and associate professor. He has served on the library's faculty since 2013.
CSU Libraries maintains the Simon Schwob Memorial Library on the university’s Main Campus, and the Music Library and Art Library on the RiverPark Campus. Through its 72,500-plus patron visits annually, students, employees and the community benefit from its team of subject-matter librarians, nearly 400,000 printed volumes, Archives & Special Collections, Federal Depository Library Program resources, and wealth of electronic journals and databases.
Gaines is among the 19 new full-time faculty members joining the university for the 2024-25 academic year. For a directory of and information about Columbus State’s faculty and staff, visit columbusstate.edu/profiles.
Media contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu
