Meet Adrienne Strock, the University Libraries new Head of Science Spaces & User Experience!
Strock has worked in a number of public libraries, including Chicago Public Library, Nashville Public Library, and most recently, New Orleans Public Library. In her career, she’s largely worked in branch management and library administration, with a focus on youth library spaces.
She jokes that she’s following the students she’s worked with to college.
“In an academic environment, there’s always stimulation around you,” Strock said. “I’m the type of person who likes to learn new things, and I enjoy being surrounded by those opportunities. But also just being around students that are having their last opportunity to learn and explore freely before they have to be an adult, and that’s really fun to be around.”
Since she started on Nov. 1, Strock said it’s been affirming to see how the students on campus, who have grown up as “digital natives,” have transformed the way we learn. Strock also sees students today become their own personal advocates in ways that past generations haven’t been able to, in terms of diversity and inclusion.
“It’s really exciting to think through the engagement that we do with students of that age,” Strock said. “I’m kind of interested in playing around with what that could look like in terms of user experience and getting student feedback in terms of how to keep us up-to-date as generations change.”
Strock is excited to be part of an innovative campus community that is working to honor its commitment to serving marginalized communities. She said she is looking forward to collaborations between Gemmill Library and the Earth Sciences & Map Library and offering an extra level of support to the Libraries, the faculty that work with the Libraries, and the students that rely on a variety of resources and services.
As the weather warms up, Strock is looking forward to hitting the trails. But for now, the views are just as satisfying.
Welcome to the Libraries, Adrienne!