Nancy S. Kirkpatrick has been selected as dean of libraries at Smith College. Kirkpatrick recently served as dean of university libraries at Florida International University, managing a $17 million budget while leading over 100 faculty and staff across the university’s two campuses. Her career in library administration spans about a decade. She will join the college in August.
As dean of libraries, Kirkpatrick will direct a team of professional and paraprofessional library staff to help to carry out the libraries’ mission to advance teaching, learning, research and discovery at Smith while supporting women’s education with a globally recognized collection of archives and manuscripts that document the history of women.
“I’m honored and excited to join the Smith College community—a place whose mission, history and spirit I’ve long admired,” said Kirkpatrick. “The libraries at Smith are more than repositories; they are dynamic spaces for discovery, connection, and transformation. I look forward to partnering with students, faculty, staff and community members to continue advancing that vision. It’s a privilege to steward such extraordinary collections and to help ensure the [Smith] Libraries remain inclusive, innovative and deeply engaged with the world around us.”
The Smith College Libraries—which include the Maya Lin–designed Neilson Library, Special Collections, the Alumnae Gymnasium, Hillyer Art Library and the Josten Performing Arts Library—are the intellectual crossroads of the Smith community.
Kirkpatrick has been a leader in academia and has practiced nonprofit law and advocacy with over 15 years of experience. Before joining Florida International University, was executive director and CEO of OhioNet, a consortium supporting public, academic and special libraries. She is a graduate of the University of Richmond, holding a Juris Doctor and has a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois. She also has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
“We are delighted to welcome Nancy to Smith College as dean of the libraries,” said Daphne Lamothe, Smith College provost and dean of the faculty. “She brings a wealth of experience in academic and nonprofit institutions that, along with her leadership abilities and multidisciplinary education, make her uniquely qualified to lead the world-renowned learning and research ecosystem that is Smith College Libraries.”
Kirkpatrick’s interests in research and writing involve appreciative inquiry methodologies to lead and create networks where people can thrive intentionally.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.