Nicholas Gardner has been named director of the Mary F. Shipper Library at West Virginia University Potomac State College, Dean of Academic Affairs Gregory Ochoa recently announced.
“The Mary F. Shipper Library has been an unwavering center of academic innovation on campus. While the pandemic has changed many things in higher education, the library still has a vital mission of providing a supportive space for students to study and access materials, both in print and electronically,” Ochoa said. “Nicholas knows where the library has been and where it needs to go in the future to keep up with the resource needs of students, faculty, staff and the community.”
Gardner began working at the College’s library in 2015 as a temporary employee. He completed an associate degree in geology from the College in 2008 and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Marshall University in 2015. He has served as a librarian since January 2020, after earning his master’s degree in library science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 2019.
“I’ve worked at every level of the library and observed many changes, which has given me a greater understanding of the library and the campus as it has transitioned into One WVU,” Gardner said. “During this time, a new cataloging system was incorporated enabling the library to become fully integrated with WVU’s library as well as offering a variety of services for students, including interlibrary loans, e-resources and many more.”
Gardner, along with other library staff, have taught sessions on emerging areas ranging from teaching students how to use 360-degree cameras to navigating copyright laws with electronic content and other complexities of the digital world.
“Libraries aren’t just a warehouse for books any longer, and knowledge doesn’t only live at the library,” he said. “Much of what students need today is found digitally and we’re here to help them navigate the digital world while teaching them how to sift through the information they find online.”
Gardner emphasized that he and his staff will still provide help with traditional library needs like searching for books, articles and citations. He said he looks forward to returning to pre-pandemic times when the library can reconnect with the community by hosting guest speakers and public workshops.
“We live in a difficult time when it’s hard for many to assess the veracity of information they find online in order to be well-informed or to make decisions based on accurate information,” Gardner said. “I believe this is an area where libraries are best poised to contribute to society.”