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Ray Schwartz joined the Library as Systems Librarian in October 2004. His primary responsibilities included supporting the Library’s integrated library system and other library technologies, including linking the University’s IT systems (HRS and SIS) with the Voyager integrated library system. In 2016, Ray was promoted to Head of Library Information Systems and initiated a committee to review a replacement for the Voyager system and the EDS discovery layer. The committee selected Ex Libris’ Alma library platform and the Primo discovery layer. From fall 2018 through summer 2019, as project manager for the implementation of Alma and Primo VE, Ray shepherded the implementation process to completion.
Ray’s contributions to the University include chairing the Senate Technology, Assessment, and Elections Councils and presenting new technologies to faculty, such as the Jupyter Notebook application with co-presenter Business School faculty member Tao Guo. His liaison responsibilities included the academic departments of Computer Science, Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Ray has presented and participated at library associations and committees at the regional, national, and international levels for over 30 years. Serving on the Joint International Group of Ex Libris Users (IGeLU)/Ex Libris Users of North America (ELUNA) Analytics Community of Practice, Ray advocated for changes in the configuration of the analytics system that would benefit William Paterson University. For eight years, Ray served on the International Federation of Library Associations’ (IFLA) Standing Committee for Science and Technology Libraries (2001-2009), where he organized, chaired, and moderated multiple programs. Internationally, he has presented in Rabat, Morocco, at the Ecole des sciences de l’information (2009), in Irkutsk, Russia, at the Libway Conference (2019), and virtually in Cardiff, Wales at the IGeLU Conference (2022). Ray has given several presentations at the Ex Libris Users of North America (ELUNA) Annual Conferences. He has also chaired the regional user group Ex Libris Northeast User Group (ENUG) and organized two of their annual conferences. And through his service on the New Jersey Academic Library Network’s Systems/Analytics and User Experience/Discovery Teams, he has worked with the state’s other university libraries to adopt best practices and apply solutions jointly. A longtime member of the American Library Association, Ray served on and chaired various committees, including the International Relations Round Table Chair’s Program Committee, the Heads of Library Technology SIG, and the Diversity Research Grants Advisory Committee. Ray was one of four speakers asked to present in an ELUNA webinar highlighting the 2016 annual conference. In 2009 he received the Technology Innovation Award from the NJLA College and University Section. After 27 years with three state universities in New Jersey (18 years at William Paterson), Ray Schwartz retired on January 1, 2023. Ray will continue to be involved in library development, research, and mentoring. In addition, he plans to be more involved with the arts and community issues in Jersey City.
