Meet the dynamic new and highlighted members of the Cal State LA University Library team! This list introduces our diverse faculty, dedicated staff, skilled student assistants, and visionary administration. Each brings unique talents and perspectives, enriching our library's mission to support academic excellence and community engagement.
Faculty Librarian Highlights
Ariana Varela arrived at the University Library as the Head of Learning, Research, and Engagement Services just this month. In this role, Ariana leads the development and assessment of new and innovative services supporting teaching, learning and research and will develop and lead student engagement and library outreach services and strategies. She is interested in critical pedagogy, feminist approaches to library instruction, and creating student-centered services. Prior to Cal State LA, Ariana was the Information Literacy Instruction Librarian in the Teaching and Learning Department at USC. Ariana has a BA in History with an emphasis in Latin American History from the University of San Francisco and a MLIS from San Jose State University. In her free time she enjoys road running, making vegan versions of traditional Mexican dishes, and trying to keep her plants alive. She can be reached at avarel34@calstatela.edu.
Katherine (Katie) Perry joined the University Library as the Social Sciences Librarian in January 2024. Over the past decade, Katie has had various roles in public and academic libraries. She comes to us from our sister campus, CSU Dominguez Hills, where she was a Library Faculty member in the Reference, Instruction, and Outreach Services (RIOS) Department. Katie has a BA in Sociology from CSU Fullerton and an MLIS from San Jose State University. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she enjoys yoga, painting, reading literary fiction, and traveling and camping with friends and family. She can be reached at kperry8@calstatela.edu.
New Team Members (Spring 2024 & Fall 2024)
Britt Burns | Metadata Librarian | Special Collections & Archives |
Chris Gedos | Senior Interlibrary Loan Assistant | Operations & User Experience |
Cybele Lyle | Assistant Librarian | Library Faculty |
David McCaslin | Director | Operations & User Experience |
Nicole Pasini | Director of Fiscal Operations and Planning | Library Administration |
Katie Perry | Social Sciences Librarian | Library Faculty |
Ariana Varela | Head of Learning, Research, and Engagement Services | Library Faculty |
Haze Walker | Library Service Desk Evening Coordinator | Operations & User Experience |
Caitlin Wilhelm | Electronic Resources Analyst | Collections, Discovery, and Content Management |