The Provost of Yale University, Ben Polak, announced this morning to the Yale community that Susan Gibbons will assume the position of Deputy Provost for Libraries and Scholarly Communication, effective January 1, 2015. Susan’s primary role remains that of the University Librarian; her new responsibilities will also include some of Yale’s scholarly communication ventures, among them the Yale University Press.
Susan joined Yale as the 16th University Librarian in 2011. She received her B.A. in History from the University of Delaware, afterwards earning an M.A. in History and a Masters in Library Science from Indiana University. She also holds a professional MBA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Rochester. Prior to coming to Yale, she was Vice Provost & Dean of the River Campus Libraries at the University of Rochester. While at Rochester, Susan was part of a research team that adapted ethnographic and anthropological methods to the study of libraries and library users. This growing suite of qualitative library assessment methods has been adopted by cultural heritage institutions globally and earned her an international standing in librarianship.
The broad focus of the Library, which provides support and services for teaching, learning and research across all disciplines of Yale, provides Susan with a strategically diverse perspective. She will bring important expertise and vision to her work in the Provost’s Office. She has been an exemplary administrator, with a visionary approach to the role of the Library in the academic and social fabric of Yale. Provost Polak stated that he is “delighted that Susan will be joining us in this new role.”
The Yale University Library is one of the world’s leading research libraries and a highly valued partner in the teaching and research mission of Yale University and scholarly communities worldwide. It is committed to fostering intellectual growth by collecting, organizing, preserving, and providing access to a rich and unique record of human thought and creativity. One of the Library’s distinctive strengths is its rich spectrum of resources, which include more than 15 million volumes and information in all media, ranging from ancient papyri to early printed books to electronic databases. Housed in 15 libraries, including Sterling Memorial Library, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library and the new Center for Science and Social Science Information, it employs a dynamic, diverse, and innovative staff of over 550 individuals. For additional information about the Yale University Library, please visit the Library’s website at www.library.yale.edu.