Library Journal contacted me about my resignation. I declined an interview, but I did issue the below statement for their article about this topic ("In Surprise Move, Bailey Resigns from U. of Houston") in the November 9, 2006 issue of Library Journal Academic Newswire:

During my thirty-one-year career, I have always viewed myself as a technological change agent. In the current environment, academic libraries must make difficult resource allocation choices between maintaining print collections, supporting ever-growing collections of licensed electronic resources, and fostering new modes of scholarly communication. There is no universal "right" choice. Each library must realistically make its own decision about what the right mix of these activities is in light of unique local circumstances. At this stage of my life, I believe that I can best serve my particular passions in the realm of scholarly communication and digital libraries elsewhere, although I am grateful for the support I have received at the University of Houston Libraries from many colleagues, both past and present, and I am especially grateful to Robin. N. Downes, former Director of the UH Libraries. For those interested in following my continued digital publishing activities, they can do so at www.digital-scholarship.com.

That's all I have to say on the matter at this time.

Postscript: For an examination of how the UH Libraries' scholarly communication program fared after my departure, see "What Progress Have the University of Houston Libraries Made in Achieving Their Scholarly Communication Goals During the Last Three Years?."

Related posts:

• "37 Librarians Have Left the University of Houston Libraries Since 2003"
• "Another Resignation at the University of Houston Libraries"
• "On Coping with High Staff Turnover at a Research Library (University of Houston Libraries)"
• "John Lehner, AD for Personnel and Planning, Given Responsibility for IT Support at the University of Houston Libraries."

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