Lamar University’s Mary and John Gray Library is the hub of the school and the community, and Dean Vivienne McClendon is at the center of that hub.
“The library is one of those places that connects,” she said. “A library serves the entire campus — students, faculty, staff, community. Everybody comes in here and there’s something for everyone.”
The Alabama native first came to Texas when she attended Midwestern University in Wichita Falls to obtain her master’s, but her family is historically from Fort Worth.
“My great grandfather was a German immigrant and he and his wife, they had 13 children, and she ran a dairy up on the hill above the stockyards,” McClendon said. “He was a cowboy and would go on cattle drives. So, I have a very strong connection to Texas.”
McClendon has lived in California, South Carolina, Washington, Georgia and across Texas. After experiencing many different environments, she said she was drawn to Lamar specifically for the atmosphere and sense of community that it creates.
“I’m really happy I made this move,” McClendon said. “I actually would like to settle down this time. I have lived in a lot of wonderful places, and while some places may be beautiful, you’re there to do work. So, it’s really about the people.”
Gray Library is undergoing an $83.5 million renovation and McClendon said part of her new role is to keep the doors open and offer students areas to study. She urges students to utilize virtual services.
“Librarians are actually sitting in their offices waiting for people to ask questions,” McClendon said. “But if someone would like to talk about research, you know, ‘I have a paper due in two months, and I need to narrow my topic down so that I can get the best information,’ librarians live to answer that question and they are experts. So, if you are able to get free expert help in writing a paper, I hope that everybody would take advantage of that.”
In her free time, McClendon said she enjoys being in nature, gardening, reading, cooking and spending time with her two dogs, Rory and Scooter. She also has a particular interest in architecture.
“The thing that speaks to my heart most is going out in nature,” she said. “People’s blood pressure goes down when they’re enjoying nature, and I think we all need to connect more to nature so that we’re not constantly spinning.”
McClendon said she enjoys traveling, not only for work, but also for leisure. In the past, she’s owned travel trailers and she road-tripped to different state parks with her friends and her dogs.
“When I was young, I absolutely wanted to live everywhere, and I do love traveling,” she said. “But as I approach my current age, I am looking for community. That feeling of being part of something larger — that’s really what I was looking for.”
McClendon has attended multiple institutions through her college career, before earning her doctorate at the University of Georgia.
“Every institution that I’ve attended as a student, I found that people supported me, and that’s what I hope to mirror in the way that I do my job,” she said. “It should be more than just making As in a class. (It’s also about) making connections with your faculty and fellow students who will be your colleagues in the future.”
McClendon said that she wants students to know the library is still open and groups, clubs or organizations are encouraged to meet here.
“The biggest thing I would want anyone to know is I’m here because I care,” McClendon said. “I really enjoy meeting people and learning their stories. We have some of the most wonderful stories from just students who work here in the library, and their success is our success.”
McClendon says her favorite part about her job is being able to help out students and see them succeed.
“The best thing that ever happens is for somebody to come back in with a million-dollar grin saying, ‘I made an A,’” she said. “That’s what I live for.”