Tarida Anantachai Appointed Interim Head of Department of Learning and Academic Engagement

Aug. 4, 2020, midnight

Learning Commons full of students sitting at rows of desktop computers

Tarida Anantachai has been appointed Interim Head of the Department of Learning and Academic Engagement at Syracuse University Libraries effective July 1, 2020. Tarida succeeds Lesley Pease, former head of Learning Commons, who recently retired. The Department of Learning and Academic Engagement oversees student engagement services, many of which are offered on the Lower Level, first, and second floors of Bird Library, the space known as the Learning Commons.

Tarida has been a librarian with SU Libraries since 2011. She received a master’s in library information studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and a bachelor’s in English and American Literature from Brandeis University. Her prior work experience includes positions at the UIUC History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library, a public library, and an academic publisher.

“Lesley Pease leaves behind a legacy as the Learning Commons’ first leader,” said Lisa Moeckel, Associate Dean for Academic Success. “She developed and defined the Learning Common’s ethos of collaboration, partnership, experimentation, and engagement with students and faculty. This led to a wide variety of events and installations in our spaces, programming, and exhibits for our campus community. Fortunately, Tarida has been working closely with Lesley for nearly a decade and has experience in the Libraries and relationships across campus. The Libraries is delighted that Tarida has embraced this expanded role.”

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