Provost Announces Launch of Dean of KU Libraries Search

Fifteen individuals with ties to the University of Kansas will serve on the search committee to help find the next dean of KU Libraries. Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara A. Bichelmeyer will soon meet with the search committee to begin the process of identifying important qualities the next dean of Libraries should possess. Arvin Agah, Dean of the School of Engineering, and Mary Walsh, Chief Information Officer, will co-lead the committee.

Fall semester activities for the committee include working with consultants from WittKieffer to develop a position description, crafting a leadership profile, building a strong candidate pool and initial review of applicant materials. It is anticipated that on-campus interviews will take place during the first half of the spring semester, possible as early as January.  

The Dean of Libraries search webpages will be updated as more information is available: https://provost.ku.edu/dean-libraries-search.

Kevin Smith, dean of KU Libraries since 2016, was named director of Libraries at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, in June. The move allows him to be closer to family in the Northeast.