Dr. K. Matthew Dames Stepping Down as Boston University Librarian; Appointment of Mark Newton as University Librarian ad interim
From Dr. Jean Morrison, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Last month, Dr. K. Matthew Dames, who has served as Boston University Librarian since July 2018, announced that he would be stepping down from his role at BU on July 16, 2021. Dr. Dames has provided important leadership over these last three years, managing efforts to modernize services, consolidate the University’s archival collections, and, most recently, support the needs of faculty, staff, and students during the implementation of the Learn from Anywhere model. He has also played an important role in BU’s strategic planning process, helping to position the Libraries for key investments in modernization and renovation. Dr. Dames will be joining the University of Notre Dame as the Edward H. Arnold University Librarian. We wish Dr. Dames well in his new role.
We will soon launch a national search to identify a new University Librarian. During this period of transition, I am pleased to announce that Associate University Librarian for Digital Strategies & Innovations Mark P. Newton has agreed to serve as University Librarian ad interim, effective July 16. Mark has been an integral and respected member of Libraries leadership since 2019, serving as its chief technology officer with a program portfolio that includes oversight of the Libraries’ digital scholarship services; its physical and digital collections; and its liaison and instructional services to BU’s learning and research communities. Prior to joining BU, Mark served as Director of Digital Scholarship at Columbia University Libraries. He has also previously worked at Purdue University Libraries. Mark has authored several articles on digital library services and recently served as editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication. He holds a master’s in library and information science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
We are working to develop the search process for a permanent University Librarian and will share more details in the coming weeks. Through the search process, we will enlist the input of the University community as we work to further the vision of the Libraries as a modern and vibrant hub for collaborative, interdisciplinary research. I want to thank Dr. Dames for his many contributions over the past three years and Mark Newton for his service and leadership in the months ahead. Finally, I would like to give special thanks to the dedicated members of the Libraries staff for their outstanding work and commitment – particularly in a year of unique challenge – to serving the scholarly needs of our faculty, students, and staff.