Posted 1:54 p.m. Thursday, May 6, 2021
Bill Doering retired in Spring 2020
William Doering recently retired after nearly 26 years at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. After earning his MA in library and information studies from UW-Madison in 1987, Bill briefly worked as a catalog librarian at DePauw University and as a reference librarian at Winona Public Library before joining Luther College as technical services librarian in 1989. Making one more career move, Bill joined the Library Department at UWL as coordinator of integrated library systems in 1994.
Looking back, Bill sees many highlights among his accomplishments at Murphy Library. He led multiple migrations to new integrated library systems, created the first Murphy Library web page, played a central role in digital initiatives of local historical assets, and led the implementation of the library’s first resource discovery search tool, Primo. He initiated numerous cataloging and metadata initiatives, drastically increasing access to various resources of Murphy Library and several other libraries on campus, and later partnered with OregonPDF in Health & Performance to improve access to their collection of graduate dissertations and theses in areas related to health and performance. With colleague Galadriel Chilton, he developed a software management tool called ERMes that was adopted by over 50 libraries worldwide and recognized with the Coutts Award for Innovation in Electronic Resources Management from the American Library Association. Upon his retirement as systems and metadata librarian in the spring of 2020, the Library Department recognized Bill’s distinguished service at UWL by nominating him for emeritus status.
Bill says it is the enthusiastic staff, students, faculty and administration folks who he will miss the most from his time at Murphy Library. In retirement he has been busy with his consignment eBay sales and projects such as fixing a broken antique mission clock, an Edison phonograph, a Mission rocking chair, and making a table lamp from VW hubcaps. Also, after 35 years, Bill picked up his rebuilt tenor and alto saxophones and began playing again.