MSU Libraries Leadership Transition
May 11, 2022Dear Deans, Associate and Assistant Deans, Chairs, and School Directors:
I write to share that Joe Salem, Dean of Libraries and Interim Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning Innovation, has accepted a position at Duke University as the Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs. His last day at MSU will be August 5.
Dr. Salem has led the Michigan State University Libraries since August of 2018 and is the first individual to serve as Dean of Libraries. During his tenure, he co-chaired the university’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee; led strategic planning for the MSU Libraries; and guided a subsequent reorganization of Libraries emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as faculty and student engagement. The Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections were named during his tenure – and the Libraries’ largest cash gift secured to move that collection and portions of the University Archives and Historical Collections into climate-controlled space in the Main Library. The MSU Libraries also expanded under Dr. Salem’s leadership, welcoming the University Archives and Historical Collections and the MSU Press. In addition to his role as dean, he has been serving as Interim Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning Innovation since November 2021. He has advanced the capacity and caliber of MSU Libraries in forward-thinking and transformative ways, creating a momentum that will continue long after his departure.
In anticipation of next steps, I am pleased to share that I will be recommending Terri Miller, Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Research Engagement in MSU Libraries, to serve as Interim Dean of Libraries, effective July 1, pending Board approval. Ms. Miller’s longstanding engagement within, and knowledge of, MSU Libraries will provide continuity during this time of transition. I am grateful for her willingness to step into this interim role, and for the diverse range of skills she brings to the task.
Ms. Miller has worked in the MSU Libraries since 1999, with her initial role as the Libraries’ bibliographer for Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. She has progressed through numerous leadership roles in the Libraries, starting with Coordinator for Area Studies Collections, followed by Head of Reference Services, Assistant Director for Public Services, to her current role as the Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Research Engagement. She has been deeply engaged in a number of Libraries initiatives over the years, and most notably led the Libraries in partnership with the College of Arts and Letters to develop and build the Digital Scholarship Lab, which opened in 2018. She has also led the Libraries’ recent efforts to revitalize spaces throughout the Main Library and the Gast Business Library, and has engaged students and faculty to create spaces that are welcoming, accessible, and functional for innovative teaching, learning, and engagement. She is also leading the Libraries’ work in the coming year on comprehensive space planning, as well as the design and remodel of the Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections Library.
Ms. Miller earned an MLS from Kent State University and an M.A. in Russian history from the Ohio State University. She has published and presented widely in a number of areas related to research libraries’ engagement with faculty and students.
A national search for the next Dean of Libraries will commence in the fall, with all due engagement of shared governance, as guided by our bylaws. An internal search for the Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning Innovation will begin immediately.
Please join me in thanking Joe for his exemplary service as Dean of Libraries and Interim Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning Innovation, and in wishing him all the best at Duke. Please also join me in thanking Terri for her willingness to step into this interim role.
My best,
Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
MSU Foundation Professor