2008 Woodie Awards
Dean trains Iraqi librarians in the UAE
Marc Larocque
Issue date: 8/1/07 Section: News
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After the U.S. military invaded Iraq, its academic infrastructure there was ravaged. But one British bookworm stepped up to help. And he has stepped up again to help students and teachers at Northeastern obtain all the knowledge they need.
William Wakeling, a seasoned librarian and information science specialist, was appointed Northeastern's acting dean of libraries last week.
Wakeling was associate dean of libraries since August 2002 before being asked by the Provost Ahmed Abdelal to replace Ed Warro, who recently resigned to lead in the building of the Library of Education City in Qatar, a state in the Persian Gulf. Wakeling will retain the position until a long-term dean of libraries is installed.
"This all came pretty much out of the blue for the administration and the library," Wakeling said. "The job [Warro] is taking on is so big that he is getting there as soon as possible."
Last summer, Wakeling was the one in the Middle East, helping to heal Iraqi's shattered academic community.
Wakeling joined other librarians and translators in training 32 Iraqi librarians and library teachers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) The three-week program, run by the National Endowment for the Humanities, included seminars and classes focused on preservation, cataloging and managing digital collections.
"Many of the large university and research collections were devastated in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion," Wakeling said. "They were looted, damaged and the staff fled or was threatened. It was the pits."
Since the war started, Wakeling said Iraqi librarians have spent all their time repairing the damage inflicted.
"What we are trying to negotiate at the moment is that six or seven [librarians] come to the United States for further training," he said. "That is proving very complicated because of visa restrictions and other complications. They can't send us e-mails very easily because their e-mail is watched by colleagues, and there are sectarian and other anxieties."
William Wakeling, a seasoned librarian and information science specialist, was appointed Northeastern's acting dean of libraries last week.
Wakeling was associate dean of libraries since August 2002 before being asked by the Provost Ahmed Abdelal to replace Ed Warro, who recently resigned to lead in the building of the Library of Education City in Qatar, a state in the Persian Gulf. Wakeling will retain the position until a long-term dean of libraries is installed.
"This all came pretty much out of the blue for the administration and the library," Wakeling said. "The job [Warro] is taking on is so big that he is getting there as soon as possible."
Last summer, Wakeling was the one in the Middle East, helping to heal Iraqi's shattered academic community.
Wakeling joined other librarians and translators in training 32 Iraqi librarians and library teachers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) The three-week program, run by the National Endowment for the Humanities, included seminars and classes focused on preservation, cataloging and managing digital collections.
"Many of the large university and research collections were devastated in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion," Wakeling said. "They were looted, damaged and the staff fled or was threatened. It was the pits."
Since the war started, Wakeling said Iraqi librarians have spent all their time repairing the damage inflicted.
"What we are trying to negotiate at the moment is that six or seven [librarians] come to the United States for further training," he said. "That is proving very complicated because of visa restrictions and other complications. They can't send us e-mails very easily because their e-mail is watched by colleagues, and there are sectarian and other anxieties."
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