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Joyce L. Ogburn Named Dean of Libraries and Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor

June 12, 2013. BOONE—Joyce L. Ogburn has been named dean of libraries and the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor for Library and Information Studies at Appalachian State University. She will begin her duties Aug. 1.

joyce_ogburnOgburn was dean of the Marriott Library at the University of Utah from 2005-12 and more recently special assistant to the senior vice president for academic affairs at the university.

“It will be an honor to join Appalachian State University, which ranks very high in student satisfaction, and is a leader in providing global experiences for students and in sustainability initiatives,” Ogburn said. “The libraries are greatly valued by the community, highly used, and central to the whole academic experience. Belk Library and Information Commons is an architectural gem. I relish the opportunity to participate in the leadership of such a forward looking institution and to returning to North Carolina.”

She also has served as associate director of the libraries, Resources and Collection Management Services, at the University of Washington; assistant university librarian, Information Resources and Systems, at Old Dominion University; and chief acquisitions librarian and head of the acquisitions department at Yale University. 

“Joyce Ogburn brings a diversity of knowledge and experience to Appalachian that will advance the libraries’ mission as a dynamic partner in the campus and distance learning communities, dedicated to providing full and equal access to information and preserving our intellectual and cultural heritage,” said Dr. Lori S. Gonzalez, provost and executive vice chancellor at Appalachian.

Areas within Belk Library and Information Commons include collection management services, learning and research services, technology services, bibliographic services, the instructional materials and special collections, distance education and e-learning, and the music library located in the Hayes School of Music.

“The campus is fortunate to have a leader with as much creativity, experience and passion for higher education as Joyce Ogburn come to join us in this thriving library,” said Associate Dean of Libraries Georgie Donovan, who co-chaired the search committee for the position with Tim Burwell, vice provost for resource management. “She is one of the top library leaders in higher education, in this country and beyond, and we are lucky to have attracted her here. I know she will love working with all of our campus colleagues, students, community members and alumni.”

While at the University of Utah, Ogburn led an $80 million, multi-year renovation project to transform a 1968 building into a state-of-the-art library. Library services responded to profound shifts occurring in technology, scholarship and student learning by moving from a focus on subject collections and desks to an organization centered on functions and user groups. She also positioned the library as central to e-science, cyber infrastructure, digital scholarship, data management and IT activities.

Ogburn managed an $18 million budget and a staff of 45 faculty and 130 full-time equivalent positions. 

A native of Richmond, Va., she has a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from UNC Greensboro, a Master of Science in library science from UNC Chapel Hill and a Master of Arts in anthropology from Indiana University.

Ogburn replaces Dr. Mary Reichel who has been the University Librarian/Dean of Libraries at Appalachian since 1992. In October 2012, Reichel announced plans to step down as dean of libraries effective July 1. She will remain at Appalachian as special assistant to the provost.