This month, we feature Elías Tzoc, Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Research, Clemson University Libraries. Elias, originally from western Guatemala, came to Clemson from Miami University Libraries in Oxford, Ohio, where he served as department head for Create + Innovate and principal librarian. He earned a bachelor’s in information systems management from Galileo University in Guatemala and a Master’s in Information Studies from UT Austin. He also graduated from the Library Leadership in a Digital Age Institute at Harvard University and the Institute for Miami Leadership Development at Miami University. More recently, he graduated from the EDUCAUSE Digital Learning Leaders Institute. Tzoc has published on digital scholarship, open access, institutional repositories, makerspaces, innovation, leadership, and experiential learning. He has also written successful grants to fund such services and initiatives.
How does your previous experience contribute to your role at Clemson?
When I became a department head at Miami University Libraries, I actively participated in meetings focused on creating shared plans aligned with University priorities. Those planning sessions and conversations motivated me to join professional organizations like EDUCAUSE, where I connected with colleagues who later became mentors. Several conversations led to successful library initiatives addressing student and faculty needs. Additionally, attending leadership programs, including one at Harvard, deepened my understanding of higher education. My previous experience in leading a team of 8 members, working closely with campus partners, and implementing new library services was key for my first two years at Clemson.
What attracted you to Clemson?
As part of a new organizational structure implemented in July 2022, Clemson Libraries hired three associate deans. This strategic move aims to enhance efficiency and intentionality in providing access to services and resources similar to those at other R1 institutions. The Teaching, Learning, and Research (TLR) division focuses on re-envisioning learning spaces, implementing personalized services, and revamping data and research support. What caught my attention about the Clemson opportunity were the plans to support Clemson Elevate through library services and the dedication and commitment of the 30+ TLR team members. Additionally, learning about the Commission on Latino Affairs was a great plus.
What should faculty know about the University Libraries?
That we are here to support them! Faculty can start by contacting their Subject Librarian and learn about multiple ways we can help them. From providing instruction sessions on information literacy, integrating library resources into assignments, working on in-depth reference questions, to assisting with research questions. We also invite faculty to explore the Library website, popular pages for faculty include: Research & Course Guides; Data Services; and Publishing & Copyright. Of course, we also welcome their suggestions. In fact, recent suggestions have translated into new resources such as:
- Scopus
, the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature in the world, including scientific journals, books, and conference proceedings. Scopus provides a comprehensive overview of worldwide research output across various disciplines and features smart tools to track, analyze and visualize research. - EndNote,
one of the most popular reference management software used to organize research citations, manage bibliographies, and streamline the process of writing and publishing scholarly papers. The newest version of Endnote has several new features, including library recovery from the cloud, tagging to references (color and name of the tags), and compatibility with both Microsoft Word and Google Docs. 
LibKey, a set of tools designed to simplify and streamline access to scholarly articles. LibKey Nomad is a browser plugin that identifies and provides access to full-text articles available through the Libraries on websites like Google Scholar.LibKey Discovery enhances article searches on the Libraries’ website by providing direct links and related article recommendations.
How can the library’s resources and services be leveraged to enhance experiential learning opportunities?
Clemson Libraries provide a range of creative and collaborative spaces that support active, hands-on, and experiential learning. We invite faculty to visit places such as: Adobe Studio & Makerspace, Data Visualization Lab, Learning Commons, EMC & DML Lab, and Special Collections and Archives. These spaces foster creative thinking, offer access to primary source and rare materials, and allow for designing and prototyping. A great characteristic of these learning spaces is that besides librarians and technologists, we also have a number of undergraduate and graduate students working and assisting their fellow students, peer-to-peer learning in action! We recognize that experiential learning occurs in multiple stages and often requires several lab visits. To optimize time, we can pre-package content using Canvas modules or Research Guides. These resources can include reading materials for students to review beforehand, step-by-step guides for creative assignments, and assessment elements. Finally, we can also serve as clients for class projects. This past summer, the Gunnin Library team collaborated with an ARCH 3510 class. The students’ primary project involved conducting a needs assessment, designing a prototype, and creating a set of top-tables crafted from Clemson wood -an inspiring experiential learning journey.
What role does the library play in supporting the data infrastructure needs of faculty, particularly in terms of data storage, management, and sharing?
As a land-grant research institution, we prioritize data sharing to foster collaborative research, enhance transparency, and accelerate scientific discovery. Our partnership with the Office of Research Development offers guidance for the Data Management Plan (DMP) section in grant proposals through training workshops, one-on-one consultations, and access to the DMPTool with templates for various funding agencies. We also provide services such as the OA Publishing Fund, Transformative Agreements, and Clemson OPEN (formerly TigerPrints). Additionally, this year, we are finalizing a two-year program led by ITHAKA S+R, focusing on data support services and tools for researchers. An exciting outcome will be a Research Data Support Concierge website, which will be developed in close collaboration/consultation with the Division of Research and CCIT. Finally, last year, the Libraries and the Division of Research co-led a Provost’s Open Access Task Force, shaping future initiatives to disseminate university research and scholarship widely.
How do you envision the role of the library evolving to support faculty in their teaching and research endeavors over the next 3-5 years?
Academic and research libraries are continually evolving to provide services and resources that support teaching and research activities. Reports like the EDUCAUSE Horizon Report, Teaching and Learning Edition, offer useful insights into trends in higher education. As we prioritize the student experience, we have taken steps to support emerging needs. For instance, we have launched an early initiative to enhance information and AI literacy, collaborating with other campus groups (OTEI, CCPD, CU-CHAI) to raise awareness and provide training. Last year, we subscribed to scite (ChatGPT for academic research), and this year, we are part of an exclusive beta test group for the new JSTOR AI research tool. Another new initiative related to teaching and learning, this summer a group of 20+ Adobe champions convened for a planning session about an Adobe 2.0 Proposal, a collaborative initiative designed to enhance digital and AI literacy, as well as experiential learning for all students. The proposal focuses on four major themes: Experiential Learning and Curriculum Integration, Training and Development, Outreach and Awareness, and Cross-Campus Collaboration and Partnerships. In regard to research, in line with our commitment to further support the university research priority, we recently established the Open Scholarship department, dedicated to assisting graduate students and faculty with their research and data needs. This department actively consults with fellow research and data groups at peer institutions, learning how to proactively support research activities. Key lessons include proactive planning with campus offices such as Research, IT, and the Graduate School; support for research impact to enhance visibility, reach, and societal impact; and assessing the feasibility of a local or shared data repository to enhance research, collaboration, compliance, and overall institutional effectiveness. Our collaboration with campus partners promises an exciting future, we look forward to championing high-quality and personalized services to everyone at Clemson. The next couple of years will be key for our aspirational plan to become a member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), which is a nonprofit organization of over 120 research libraries in the US and Canada, dedicated to advancing research, learning, and scholarly communication.
More information about Elias Tzoc
