April 30, 2007
Mr. Richard E. Waller was a staff member at the former College
of Insurance (TCI) and joined the University Libraries in June
2001, following the merger of TCI with St. John's
University. At that time, Mr. Waller held the position of
Systems Librarian; he later served as Acting Director of the
Kathryn and Shelby Davis Library at the St. John's University's
Manhattan Campus from 2001-2003.
A native of Virginia, Mr. Waller earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University in
Richmond, Va., and holds a Master of Arts degree in Library
Information Services from Columbia University. He is
currently finishing his Master of Arts degree in Theology at St.
John's University and will receive his degree in May 2007. He
is a member of the Theology Honor Society, Theta Alpha Kappa, and
completed an independent study in Christian Apologetics at Oxford
University in 2005 as part of his master's studies.
Before his employment at TCI, Mr. Waller worked for the
headquarters of the American Management Association (AMA) as their
Librarian/Network Administrator. He was also employed with
the American Institute of Physics as Assistant Librarian of
Computer Services and served as a Personnel Recruiter at
the Administrative Offices of the New York Public Library.
Currently Mr. Waller is the Head of Digital Information Services at
the Davis Library. He is responsible for several areas of the
Manhattan Campus Library, including management of the library's
information systems, which are unique to the Davis Library.
He also oversees the library's reserves, serves as the membership
coordinator for the Insurance Society of New York (ISNY), and
provides reference and research services to students, faculty and
industry members.
Mr. Waller is actively involved in the American Library
Association (ALA) at the national level, serving on several
committees, including the Library and Information Technology
Association (LITA) Web Development Committee, the LITA Technologies
and Access Committee, the Library Administration and Management
Association (LAMA) Planning and Evaluation of Library Services
Committee, adn the LAMA Leadership and Development Committee.
Following the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center, Mr.
Waller was interviewed and participated in the ALA-sponsored video
documentary entitled "Loss and Recovery: Librarians Bear Witness",
which is now archived at the University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign campus. He was also featured in the article
"Remembering Septemberr 11th" in the journal American Libraries
(vol. 33, no. 8, American Library Association, Chicago, IL.).
Mr. Waller will soon assume the position of President of the
special interest group Fellowship of Christian Librarians and
Information Specialists (FOCLIS) for 2007-09.
Mr. Waller is an active sports fan. While at the American
Management Association, he founded the company's softball team, the
Global Warriors, who played corporate teams throughout New York
City in Central Park. The team went on to win the Divisional
Championship in 1995 and 1998, and the Playoffs in 1996 and
1997. In his free time, he enjoys woodworking, playing
bluegrass guitar, and volunteering at annual festivals such as the
Merle Fest in Wilkesboro,
North Carolina, and the Grey Fox Bluegrass
Festival in Ancramdale, New York.
Mr. Waller serves on the Board of Elders of Faith Lutheran
Church in Easton, Pennsylvania. This year marks his 23rd
anniversary with his wife, Gloria Jean. They live in
Washington, New Jersey, in the northwest corner of the state, and
enjoy the rural ambience in the company of their three cats.