By ANNA HOLTON

Staff Writer

Ross Endowed Professor Dr. Rebecca Stenzel will resign as director of libraries Dec. 1 to assume a full-time professorship in the College of Education.

Stenzel said although she has enjoyed working as director of libraries, she is eager to return to a teaching position.

"I am looking forward to the challenges and rewards of working directly with students," Stenzel said.

"As library director, you are trying to provide resources to meet the needs of all students and faculty. A negative for me has been begging for money, while at the same time [having] little opportunity for meaningful student interaction."

Stenzel said health, family and a nine-month teaching position, as opposed to a 12-month administrative position, affected her decision to step down as director.

In the past six years as library director, Stenzel has made accomplishments to offer students and faculty more resources and added conveniences.

She has written grants to establish an Electronic Reference Center, an Electronic Classroom for library instruction and netLibrary collections.

Stenzel also automated many features by establishing a library Web page, discarding card catalogs and adding remote access to electronic resources, such as journals, books and databases.

She has been involved on the state level serving on numerous committees and councils, including the Louisiana Library Network Commission, LOUIS' Director's Advisory Council and DEED-Net, Distance Education Electronic Delivery, to enhance inter-library loaning statewide.

Ralph BoŽ, director of LOUIS, Louisiana Online University Information System, which maintains data for all Louisiana colleges and universities, said Stenzel has been a leader not just for Tech, but also on a statewide level promoting resource sharing.

"She has been very supportive of cooperation among libraries and advocating access to things at all schools, where the University of New Orleans and Grambling could borrow Tech's books," BoŽ said.

Mike DiCarlo, associate director of libraries, will serve as interim director until a permanent director is hired.