After more than 15 years of excellent service at Stanford Libraries, Mimi Calter has accepted the role of Vice Provost and University Librarian at Washington University in St. Louis. Calter will assume her new position on October 1.
“This new opportunity is a wonderful recognition of Mimi’s leadership,” said Michael Keller, The Ida M. Green University Librarian and Vice Provost at Stanford Libraries. “She has contributed greatly to the Stanford Libraries, and will undoubtedly have a tremendous impact in St. Louis.”
Calter joined Stanford Libraries from Goldman Sachs where she served as Knowledge Manager for the Technology, Media and Telecommunications team in Investment Banking. Her keen insight and management allowed for advancement at Stanford and eventually led to her serving as Stanford’s Deputy University Librarian. During her tenure, Calter managed major capital projects including the razing of Meyer Library and remodeling of what became Lathrop Library that includes the East Asia Library as well as staff offices for the Technical Services and Digital Library Systems and Services teams. Calter was also instrumental in the buildout of the David Rumsey Map Center, the development of the Robin Li and Melissa Ma Sciences Library and management of the current renovation of what will become Hohbach Hall, home to the Silicon Valley Archives on the first floor of Green Library-East. She also managed two separate expansions of Stanford Auxiliary Library 3, the offsite storage facility for library collections.
Shortly after arriving Stanford, Calter became the Stanford Libraries’ expert on copyright. She developed the Stanford Copyright Renewals Database under a grant from the Hewlett Foundation and took on the management of the University’s annual copyright reminder to faculty and students. She managed a number of special initiatives for the Stanford Libraries including management of the intellectual property of William Saroyan and coordination of the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing as well as the digitization of a significant historic newspaper collection in collaboration with the Hoover Institution and an outside vendor. Calter was also regularly engaged with the Libraries’ Advisory Council and the Faculty Senate’s Committee on Libraries (C-Lib).
More recently, Calter developed an internal feedback channel for staff to share their ideas and concerns and formed a working group to establish the Stanford Libraries' values as well as a new internal online policy repository. These efforts proved invaluable as the organization, and the world, headed into a pandemic and pivoted to remote work. Calter formed an Organizational Development team within Stanford Libraries tasked among other things to focus on strengthening efforts around diversity, inclusion and equity.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Stanford and have particularly enjoyed working with our extremely talented and dedicated staff and faculty,” said Calter. “I look forward to watching Stanford Libraries continue to excel and collaborating from St. Louis when opportunities arise.”
For more information about the Washington University appointment, please refer to the Washington University announcement.