Retirement of Dean of Libraries Adriene Lim

Dear Faculty, Staff and Friends of University Libraries,

I write to you today to congratulate Dr. Adriene Lim, dean of University of Maryland Libraries, on her upcoming retirement after decades of service to the field of library science and administration. Dr. Lim joined the University of Maryland in late 2019. As a strong collaborative partner, she has led important initiatives to achieve more open, equitable, and sustainable models that enable broad sharing of knowledge. She initiated and co-led UMD PACT, a cross-campus group working to advance sustainable, equitable publishing models and promote open scholarship and shared infrastructure, a movement that culminated in the passage of an institutional equitable access policy approved by the University Senate in 2022.

As a champion for open research, Dr. Lim was appointed to serve as UMD’s designated lead for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Higher Education Leadership Initiative for Open Scholarship (HELIOS). Dr. Lim has also led the initiation and improvement of several service models and programs, including those in collaboration with the Big Ten Academic Alliance’s library deans. She initiated the Libraries’ new Open Scholarship Services program, the Affordable Course Content @ UMD project, and the pilot of TOME@UMD (Toward an Open Monographs Ecosystem). She has been a tireless leader for the Libraries, helping to achieve the Libraries' substantial goals in the Fearless Ideas fundraising campaign, and demonstrating her commitment to providing outstanding library programs in support of the University community’s teaching, learning, and research activities with a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Dr. Lim will remain in her role until June 30, 2024. Please join me in thanking her for her dedicated leadership and in wishing her well in this new phase of her life.

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed a search committee and launched a national search to find an outstanding individual to fill the position of Dean of the Libraries. Stephanie Shonekan, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, will chair the committee, which will be assisted by the international executive search firm Isaacson, Miller. The complete list of committee members is provided below.

The new dean of the University Libraries must be committed to providing strong and visionary leadership; supporting an environment of diversity and inclusive excellence in teaching and learning; and promoting a culture of impactful research, scholarship, and creative activities. The new dean should have the ability to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships; foster mission-driven engagement among university students, faculty, staff, alumni, and potential funders; and manage resources to effectively advance the mission of the Libraries. The dean must be committed to continuing to build a great university library that is a recognized leader on the regional, national, and international stage.

We seek excellent and diverse candidates who can leverage our considerable academic strengths as a major research university, the unique advantages offered by our location, and our overriding commitment to inclusive excellence in all that we do. The new dean should be prepared to serve on the University’s academic leadership team, support the advancement of our university’s new strategic plan, and engage with diverse stakeholder groups to build support for the University Libraries.

To identify a dean who can build on the strengths and forward momentum of the Libraries, we need a concerted effort that engages the entire community, working with members of the search committee. You can assist in the search process by using your personal contacts and networks to identify outstanding candidates for this position and to make the opportunity widely known. Please forward the names of individuals you believe would be excellent candidates to the search chair, Dean Stephanie Shonekan, by email: shonekan@umd.edu. We appreciate your assistance and support in this important effort.

The position description and further details regarding the appointment of a dean will follow.
 

Jennifer King Rice
Senior Vice President and Provost
She/Her/Hers