Robert Karels is the new head of collection development. He started his career in libraries as a student employee at Northern Illinois University in technical services nearly 20 years ago. Since then, he has worked in many different roles ranging from interlibrary loan and circulation to electronic resources management. His previous position was at the UW-Oshkosh Libraries.
Robert’s bachelor’s degree is in history from NIU and his MLIS is from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“I am excited to oversee the Collection Management department and the excellent collections staff at the UWM Libraries,” he says. “This is a great opportunity to shape the future direction of one of the region’s finest research institutions.”
Outside of the library, Robert’s interests include “reading (of course!), long dog walks, and exploring the many breweries that Milwaukee has to offer.”
Jeremy Steen, the new interlibrary loan assistant, says that at the UWM Libraries he is “excited to be part of a team that connects individuals with the materials they need to complete their research. It’s always interesting,” he adds, “to see the stuff that people request. I am constantly adding books to my reading list as a result!”
A native of Austin, Texas, Jeremy holds an associate degree in creative writing from Austin Community College, a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in fiction from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Outside of work, he says, “I spend a lot of time reading, writing, and watching movies (I am a chronic indoor kid) and hanging out with my dog Bandit and cat Sleaford. My partner and I enjoy exploring Milwaukee’s food and beverage scene and we’re hoping to see more of Wisconsin this summer.”
William White joins the Libraries as the new health sciences librarian, serving as the subject specialist for the College of Health Professions and Sciences, Zilber College of Public Health, and biological sciences.
Will earned his undergraduate degree in English literature from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and his MLIS from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His article, “Disinformation in Scholarly Communications,” was published in January 2023 in Defence Strategic Communications.
At UWM he is looking forward, he says, “to the opportunity to help students and faculty find and organize the information they need to produce cutting-edge medical research that can save lives.”
Originally from Knoxville, Will enjoys hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains on trips home. He likes video games and has been playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. He is also “a big foodie,” and says that he is looking forward to checking out the myriad cultural festivals Milwaukee is having this summer.