Katie Clark, the library's new assistant dean for public services, arrives at the University of Houston at the culmination of a somewhat unusual journey. She was born in Japan while her father was stationed in the Far East with the Navy. However, one month after her birth, her family left Japan and eventually settled in Rochester, New York, where she was raised. Clark's work in libraries began as a teenager when she found a part-time job in a public library.

She completed her undergraduate degree in Massachusetts, then finished her graduate work in Hawaii. She has worked in the libraries at Texas A&M and Penn State University before coming to the University of Houston. These diverse interests and experiences have helped Clark gain a clearer idea of what she desires from life.

Like most professional librarians, Clark did not begin her higher education intending to study library science. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. She then pursued a master's degree in Botany at the University of Hawaii. When asked how she liked going to college in a tropical paradise, she grins and admits she really had a good time. It was there that Clark first became acquainted with library science when an advisor suggested it as a possible career. She calls stumbling into the field of library science, "one of the luckiest accidents of my life."

In early April of this year, she began her tenure with the University of Houston Libraries as the assistant dean for public services. When asked why she chose to come to UH, she cites three main reasons.

The first is her excitement to have the opportunity to work with Dean Dana Rooks. She had known Rooks for years and always had been impressed with our dean's dedication to the Libraries. The dean's enthusiasm was infectious for Clark. She felt that she had to take advantage of her opportunity to work with Rooks.

Another major draw of the University of Houston is the city's rich resources. As home to numerous major universities and colleges, the world's largest medical center, and the headquarters of hundreds of corporations, Houston has no shortage of libraries. Clark notes that librarians thrive in an environment where they can talk with each other, sharing information and resources. For her, Houston is the perfect place to find this type of comradeship.

The third, and perhaps most important, reason is how much students enjoy using the M.D. Anderson Library and its branches. It is important for Clark to work in a library that is appreciated and enjoyed by its patrons. She takes recognizable pleasure in the fact that the library is constantly brimming with students and activity.

She could not have arrived at a more opportune time. Currently, the library is in the midst of three major events: the opening of the Jagdish Mehra Collection, the upcoming Two Millionth Volume Celebration, and the planning for a possible major expansion. Clark is naturally excited about all three and sees them as beginnings of a new and exciting era for the University of Houston Libraries.

Keith Heimbaugh