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WVUToday on the radio
Libraries Dean radio spot - September 2, 2026
Transcript
Shauna Johnson: Go with West Virginia University.
Mark Paris: In many ways, libraries are the bridge between thought and action.
Shauna Johnson: Meet Mark Paris, the new Dean of WVU Libraries and Press.
Mark Paris: We're West Virginia's flagship land grant university, and I was really attracted by the university's commitment to student success, really groundbreaking research, and serving the people of our state. And libraries play a really important role in that, and so I want to really help position the libraries to support the next generation of leaders and innovators.
Shauna Johnson: Busy locations on the Downtown, Evansdale and health sciences areas of campus and online serve faculty, staff, students, other members of the university community and the public. In all, libraries houses three million unique titles, 700 databases, hundreds of thousands of journals and newspapers, and unique West Virginia and regional history collections preserving significant Mountaineer moments.
Mark Paris: Libraries are one of the few places that every student, every faculty member in every discipline interacts with. So whether someone is studying engineering, healthcare, business, education, or the arts, libraries provide tools, information, and connections that support discovery and success. So we're really the hub that connects the entire university.
Shauna Johnson: A hub that's always evolving.
Mark Paris: We are a place where people can get help, they can get services, learn how to do data analysis, get help with citations and writing a paper. They can do many, many things beyond just getting a book.
Shauna Johnson: Growing up in the rural Midwest and working on both the library and vendor sides of scholarly communication have shaped how Paris thinks about libraries' access, partnership, and impact.
Mark Paris: The people of West Virginia are so committed to this place and the institution is so committed to the place. And so there's a real power in that, in people's lives. When they come here, they're going to leave being ready for a career, they're going to leave being ready to innovate and do something really dynamic and powerful.
Shauna Johnson: So let's go. Follow our stories at wvutoday.wvu.edu.
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