Richard De Gennaro, the Larsen Librarian of Harvard College, has announced he will retire late next summer after five years of overseeing the College libraries.

De Gennaro cited the Retrospective Conversion (Recon) project, which computerized the records of all of the libraries, as one of the "most significant" things that has happened during his tenure.

"We're the largest library that's done that to date," he said in an interview yesterday. "We're really proud of that."

The College, Library, which contains two-thirds of the University collection, also contains the largest open-stack library in the world, Widener Library.

The task of computerizing the card catalog for the College library began in 1992. This freed up space in Widener formerly occupied by card catalogs, and also allowed more than a million books to be moved to the depository.

De Gennaro also cited the creation of the Government Documents area in Lamont as well as other physical improvements to the libraries in his list of accomplishments.

Finally, De Gennaro said a "lasting legacy" of his time at Harvard is "putting in place a cadre of managers and leaders. We hired some very talented people."

Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Jeremy R. Knowles commended De Gennaro's contribution to the College in a recent interview in the Gazette.

"We are fortunate indeed to have enjoyed Dick's energy, dedication, skill and farsightedness during critical time," Knowles said. "Dick Gennaro has lead a remarkable transformation of the Harvard College Library."

Pforzheimer University Professor Sidney Verba '53, director of the Harvard University Library, said that he has found De Gennaro "first-rate" to work with and admires his efforts to modernize the library.

"He has really positioned the library to move into the next millennium," Verba told the Gazette. "Richard has brought to bear the skills he has acquired as probably the most distinguished research librarian in the country."

De Gennaro, who directed the New York Public Library before coming to Harvard, said he would miss "the human part" of his job.

"The thing I will miss most is the people I have worked with both here and nationally. I have good friend among other academic librarians," he said, adding that he will also miss his office staff.

Knowles will appoint a search committee early this fall to find a successor for De Gennaro.

Nancy Maull, administrative dean of the Faculty and a member of the Library Committee, will coordinate the search