Suzanne Thorin, associate librarian since January 1996 and a member of the Library staff for more than 16 years, is resigning from the Library to become dean of university libraries at Indiana University in Bloomington on July 5.
She will head one of the largest research library systems in the United States, with 7 million bound volumes, 27 million other items and 32 libraries, including the main library, the Lilly Library - which houses a major collection of rare books and manuscripts - and 15 departmental libraries.
The Indiana University board of trustees confirmed her appointment at its meeting on May 3.
"This is a wonderful job, and it is an honor for me to be a part of this great university," Ms. Thorin said. "This will be a great opportunity for me to use the broad experience I have gained at the Library of Congress. It is hard to leave the Library and my friends and colleagues, but I am looking forward to being part of an academic community again."
"We will all keenly miss Suzanne's remarkable skill in assessing problems, formulating solutions and balancing the best interests of the institution and staff, but we share her excitement as she embarks on the new opportunities and challenges she assumes in Indiana.
"Her successes at the Library have clearly prepared her for this opportunity to direct a major library system within a great university," said Dr. Billington.
As associate librarian, Ms. Thorin has authority for administrative support services, including information technology, human resources, security, space planning and the National Digital Library Program. She was appointed by the White House as the U.S. representative for the G-7 electronic libraries project, one of 11 G-7 pilots for the Global Information Society.
Until her latest appointment, Ms. Thorin served for nearly four years as the Library's chief of staff. She was the acting director of Public Service and Collection Management (PSCM) I, August 1991 to March 1992; chief, General Reading Rooms Division 1988 to August 1991; assistant chief of that division, 1985-88; head, Research Facilities, 1983-85; and head, Music Section, National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), 1980-82. She was associate professor of music and music librarian at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, Pa., from 1968-1980.
Thorin earned master's degrees from the University of Michigan in library science (1968) and music history and literature (1964) and a bachelor's degree in music education from North Park College in Chicago (1963). She is a member of several professional associations and lectures and gives speeches about library subjects.
One highlight of her Library career, Ms. Thorin said, was serving as chief of staff, "which gave me experience with the political process, formulating the budget and working closely with the Librarian of Congress, who is a visionary leader. I also learned a lot working with our oversight committees."
Another highlight was being involved in the beginning of the Library's digital library effort, which included planning and collaborating with 14 other libraries to create the National Digital Library Coalition and creating the Digital Library Visitors' Center.
"My involvement in the National Digital Library made me realize I wanted to be more directly involved again in the education of young people," Ms. Thorin said.
"There is real excitement at Indiana University, with Ameritech building a new online public-access catalog and the Big 10 universities working together on all sorts of projects and shared goals," she said.
Ms. Thorin said she is especially grateful to Congressional Research Service (CRS) Director Daniel Mulhollan "for teaching me the political process"; to CRS Deputy Director Angela Evans for her guidance during Evans's service as acting director for congressional relations; to former Associate Librarian for Collections Services Henriette Avram, with whom Ms. Thorin worked while she was responsible for the Library's special collections; and to National Library Service Director Kurt Cylke - "he's a fine manager; I learned a lot from him."