CWRU’s William Claspy to retire after nearly four decades of service at campus libraries
After 37 years of dedicated service, the Kelvin Smith Library community bids a fond farewell to William “Bill” Claspy, who will retire tomorrow (Oct. 3)—the same day he celebrates his work anniversary at Case Western Reserve University.
Following in the footsteps of his father—a professor of electrical engineering at the former Case Institute of Technology—Claspy's professional journey at CWRU began in 1988 as a library assistant in Sears Library after earning a bachelor’s degree in English. A double alumnus, he later completed a master’s in English at the College of Arts and Sciences in 1993.
Over the decades, Claspy built a distinguished career at the university’s libraries working in various capacities—from astronomy and chemical sciences librarian to humanities liaison and information literacy coordinator. And, he hosted the Off the Shelf podcast, where he interviewed CWRU faculty authors before becoming team leader for University Archives and Special Collections in 2018.
Among his many achievements in this role, Claspy oversaw the creation of the KSL Collections Annex—a climate-controlled, high-density storage facility that provides additional space for special collections to grow in a safe and secure environment. This annex also replaced off-site storage that was 45 minutes away from campus for some of KSL’s general circulating collections.
Under Claspy’s leadership, the University Archives and Special Collections team completed numerous digitization initiatives, including the Student Newspaper Archive and other resources available through Digital Case—CWRU’s open-access platform for distinctive collections accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world. He also guided the implementation of two systems—ArchivesSpace and Aeon—that enhanced the library’s ability to manage materials and improve user access.
Recognized as a rare books scholar and curator, Claspy enriched the library’s collections and engagement by encouraging members of the CWRU community to study and handle historical literary items and create their own collections through the Student Book Collecting Contest and Jane Austen’s Library event.
Though stepping away from his formal role, Claspy’s ties to Case Western Reserve University will remain strong. With his wife Kimberly Emmons—writing program director at the Department of English—Claspy plans to further his campus engagement by attending lectures, concerts and other intellectual offerings.
“While I’m looking forward to a different pace in retirement, [CWRU] is like a second home to me,” he said.
