Ochs

Mary Ochs '79 is the new director of Albert R. Mann Library, Cornell University Library has announced. Ochs has served as interim director since October 2008, when she replaced Janet McCue, who became associate university librarian for teaching, research, outreach and learning services.

"Mary's strong ties to the teaching and research mission of Cornell and involvement with some of the most innovative initiatives on the information frontier make her uniquely qualified for meeting the tough challenges currently confronting higher education in New York state," said Anne R. Kenney, the Carl A. Kroch University Librarian.

During her long career at Cornell University Library, Ochs has left her mark on collection development, instruction, reference, interlibrary loan and international initiatives. She has an extensive track record in grant writing and project management and has received awards from the Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

"With [Mary's] extensive 20-plus-year career as a librarian, I know she will be a wonderful director and continue the tradition of excellence that has set Mann Library apart as one of the world's premiere agriculture and biosciences research libraries," said Susan A. Henry, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

After earning her undergraduate degree at Cornell, Ochs received a master's degree in library science from Syracuse University in 1982.

Mann Library, a New York state land-grant library, supports the instruction, research and extension programs of Cornell's Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences and of Human Ecology.

Gwen Glazer is a staff writer for Library Communications.