I am pleased to announce that Aira Lipson, has been appointed the UCSF Library’s manager of access services.
Aira first joined the UCSF Library in 2002 as a library assistant I, with a focus on shelving. In 2003, she began working as the stacks work leader, a library assistant III level position she held until 2006. During a brief departure from UCSF, Aira served as a reference intern for the Graduate Theological Union Library in Berkeley, California, for six months in 2007 and as a public services and outreach librarian for Golden Gate University’s library from 2008 to 2015. Aira rejoined UCSF Library in 2015 as a public services assistant.
Over the past eight years, Aira has been responsible for night and weekend oversight of circulation services, core information, and contributing to the UCSF Makers Lab offerings by providing workshops and support for sewing equipment. Aira has also collaborated with colleagues across the library to support efforts such as the UCSF Open Access Fund, the UC Open Access Policy implementation at UCSF, the Be Smart About Safety committee, etc. Most recently, Aira served as the interim access services manager from January – April 2024.
Leading innovation in access services
As Manager of Access Services, Aira will provide leadership and coordination for developing, assessing, and sustaining the Library’s access services to support the teaching, research, and clinical activities of UCSF faculty, students, and staff. This includes direct oversight for circulation, reserves, stack maintenance, and information desk staffing across Parnassus Heights, Mission Bay, and the Zuckerberg San Francisco General (ZSFG) Library locations. Aira will contribute to the planning, policy formation, decision-making, and communications related to library access services. Furthermore, she will lead articulating and executing an innovative and forward-looking vision for library support provided by the Access Services team, which includes Bertha Hall, Don Ciccone, Ned Raggett, and Tyrone McCloskey..
Aira looks forward to working collaboratively with peers and colleagues internal and external to the Library to ensure the Access Services unit is a highly collaborative and dynamic team working cross-functionally across the organization.
More about Aira
Aira holds a dual emphasis bachelor’s degree in studio art and art history from San Francisco State University and an MLIS from San Jose State University. In her personal time, she enjoys spending time in nature with her family, gardening, and cooking.
You can contact Aira via email at aira.lipson@ucsf.edu.