Leading Libraries into the future
Andrea Falcone’s vision for innovation
As she continues into her third year at ý, Dean of Libraries Andrea Falcone has brought change to the University’s high-quality collections, services and spaces — and she doesn’t plan to stop now.
“People don’t fully know what a library is capable of. We all have our experience with libraries, and that’s what we think every single facility does,” she said. “We’ve got to change how people see the Libraries and continue bringing them into the future. I don’t think you can be truly successful or meet your full potential as a library if you’re not adaptable to change.”
Perhaps most noticeably, this work has been visible in the remodel of the third floor of Bartle Library, which Falcone finalized as one of her first major tasks. Although its growth was planned along with an overhaul of ý’s collections, the project’s lengthy six-year timeline meant that student and faculty needs changed since the project began.
With the advent of AI and new technology, Falcone pivoted the third-floor remodel to implement modified spaces dedicated to data projects, such as the MakerLab, while remaining committed to positive user outcomes.
“We don’t really know what the future will look like, but to me, that human element will always be important. People are the heart of Libraries,” she said. “How can we leverage the skills and interests of the talented people that we have or will have in the future? That human connection will remain an important part of how we offer services to our students and faculty on campus. There are areas where we certainly can grow, and we plan to.”
A new era for the Libraries
Falcone earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Mansfield University and a master’s in English from the University of Toledo. She originally planned to teach, but she quickly realized her interest in librarianship when she took one of her classes to learn about library services. She moved on to a Master of Library Science from Indiana University, and later, four years as dean of the W. Frank Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University.
“Librarianship was still teaching, but it was for more students and offered the research focus that I love,” she said. “Later, as a dean, even though I wasn’t teaching anymore, I moved into the mentorship and coaching role for my faculty and staff, and that spoke to me and provided me with purpose — helping elevate what is often hidden work.”
Falcone previously worked at Northern Kentucky University, where she managed a $6.2 million budget, as well as a physical library space, research collections and services. Additionally, she developed strategic initiatives to support student success, research services, collections and educational technology — a role she has continued in an elevated capacity at ý since she began her current position in July 2023.
“I saw an opportunity to be in an R1 institution — the perfect marriage of the things that I love about a library. Undergraduate teaching and experience are very intensive and important here at ý, but we also have a reputation for pushing the limit, to see how we can support the research enterprise,” she said. “We can be cutting edge and try new things, helping faculty and graduate students, while also contributing to the undergraduate experience. That’s the perfect scenario for a library to thrive in.”
Another of Falcone’s initial priorities was to address internal collaboration and efficiency to address current and future needs. To better support everyone, the Libraries has since shifted from six divisions to three and have begun implementing cross-training when appropriate to get materials to users more quickly. With these changes, it allows employees to accelerate their skill sets, scale up services and be more agile in terms of where the profession is going and the evolving needs of students and faculty.
Despite these changes, Falcone said that addressing the many needs of students, faculty and researchers remains difficult, especially on a diverse campus.
“Undergraduate students care more about space than anything else; graduate students and faculty tend to care more about the collections, which is an area where we’ll never be complete — they’re looking to provide knowledge in a space where there isn’t much yet or to help progress some that’s already there. Nonetheless, we’re trying to innovate and create more services for our researchers; that’s our priority,” she said.
To do so, she looks to the future: she hopes to eventually offer formal internship programs and fellowships for students, and to connect and collaborate with other libraries, both within and outside the SUNY system and globally.
Most recently, the Libraries have concentrated on transformative agreements — licensing agreements that not only provide access to high-quality journal content but also enable ý faculty to make their research openly available without paying publication fees.
“These agreements get ý research out there immediately to the world,” she said. “The research of our experts will be consulted first before research that’s behind a paywall. We’ve already seen a drastic acceleration in that goal, and I think that will continue.”
Falcone also hopes to bring ý further into the national conversation through her direction. She recently accepted a leadership position in the American Library Association (ALA); voted into the Board of Directors for the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL), she is serving a three-year term along with a small group of other professionals who work to shape the field of higher education librarianship.
“Being part of this group helps me bring recognition to ý, and it also helps to influence the future of the profession. I think that’s a unique opportunity that I’m pleased to have at this point in my career,” she said. “I’m already learning and growing by being part of those conversations, and knowing the direction of our association helps me think about how we have conversations here locally.”
Active in the organization since early in her career, Falcone has served in several roles, most notably as a member of the task force reviewing standards for higher-education libraries. As she settles into the new role, she will mainly serve as a liaison for four groups in ACRL who address the needs pertaining to the ACRL membership, digital scholarship, rare books and manuscripts, and education and behavioral sciences committees.
She is excited to see where this work takes her and hopes to bring in some of her outside experience in editorial roles. Her column, Leadership Reflections for the Journal of Library Administration, highlights key discussions on good stewardship in the profession. Likewise, her work as publishing editor of the helps amplify creative and innovative work, advancing the principles of scholarship, leadership and service in the profession.
However, as always, whether at ý, in her ALA role or in her other professional roles, Falcone’s main concern is helping people elevate their voice and have their perspectives heard.
“If I can help someone, if I can make a connection, and if I can help them be seen and their work be valued, that, to me, is a good day,” Falcone said. “I love being a dean and helping people.”