Christopher Doll Named Director of the Charles C. Myers Library
Aug 17, 2018 | Stacey Ortman, University Relations
Christopher Doll was recently named director of the Charles C. Myers Library
DUBUQUE, Iowa - In his new role as director of the Charles C. Myers Library, Christopher Doll plans to continue to evolve the library on University of Dubuque’s campus to best serve the needs of the community. He will initially focus on technology, digital collections, and support for student scholarships.
“All the while, we want to continue to make sure that the library is a central place on campus for our community,” Doll said. “We want the library to be the place where students engage in their education, pursue excellence in scholarship, and challenge each other to live lives of worth and purpose.”
Effective August 1, 2018, Doll, the former assistant director of technical services and archivist at the library, accepted the position of director of the Charles C. Myers Library. He replaced Mary Anne Knefel, who retired earlier this summer after almost 38 years of dedicated service to UD.
“First and foremost, I must give credit to my predecessor Mary Anne Knefel. She did a great job pioneering the Charles C. Myers Library to be ahead of the curve. Compared to other colleges and universities our size in our region, we are much further ahead. But we can’t rest on our laurels,” Doll said.
A native of Minnesota, Doll earned a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Master of Arts in Korean Studies from Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies, and Bachelor of Arts in English from Saint John’s University. He was a faculty member at two universities in South Korea and a librarian at the University of Notre Dame and Divine Word College, where he served as library director.
“I love being a librarian. I love research. I love actively working with students. I love how libraries have evolved from being a gatekeeper of knowledge and have become an inviting common space where the community becomes educated, creates and shares academic work, and engages in lifelong learning,” Doll said.
He felt a connection to UD as soon as he began to work in the campus library.
“It’s a community that allows the library to flourish and, in return, everyone in the library works hard to serve the community. And I mean the word community. I love the interactions I have with UD students, staff members, and faculty members,” Doll said.
Mark Ward, PhD, vice president for academic affairs at the University of Dubuque, said Doll brings a strong and varied background in higher education to the position.
“He has served libraries large and small, domestic and foreign, public and private in staff and director positions. His own faith and multicultural commitments make him an excellent fit for UD’s mission and diverse student body,” Ward said. “The Charles C. Myers Library has been at the forefront of many innovations in library services, from the use of technology to the development of information literacy in students. Chris has been an integral part of those innovations during his time as assistant director. I am confident that, under his leadership, the library will continue to be a model of excellence.”
