UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has announced that Faye A. Chadwell, professor and Donald and Delpha Campbell University Librarian at Oregon State University, has been named dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications, effective March 1, 2021.
Chadwell will succeed Dean Barbara Dewey, who has extended her retirement to the end of December. Diane Zabel, Benzak Business Librarian and head of the Schreyer Business Library, has been named interim dean by Nick Jones, executive vice president and provost of the University.
In her new role at the helm of Penn State’s information resources enterprise, Chadwell will provide vision and leadership to support and strengthen the University Libraries and advance its national and global reputation as a premier public research library.
“I’m thrilled that Faye A. Chadwell will be Penn State’s next dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications,” said Jones. “A longtime leader and expert in her field, Faye brings to the University decades of invaluable experience and a passion for supporting students and faculty through exemplary service. She will ensure that Penn State's information resources enterprise continues to thrive and that the University Libraries remain ranked among the best at public research institutions nationwide.”
With more than 500 full-time faculty and staff, the University Libraries comprise 13 libraries at University Park, including the Pattee and Paterno Library; and libraries at 22 Commonwealth Campuses. Its collections include more than 8.6 million volumes, 7.2 million titles, and 2.2 million electronic books, as well as extensive holdings of maps, microforms, government publications, archives and audiovisual materials. The University Libraries also includes oversight of Penn State Press, Media Technology Support Services, and the University Records Management Program.
“It's hard to contain my excitement about being named Penn State’s next Dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications,” said Chadwell. “Research libraries have unique perspectives to offer their campus communities related to scholarly communication, information literacy, and the preservation and management of information and data. I’m looking forward to working with new library colleagues and expanding upon their existing record of excellence to have a positive impact across Penn State campuses and beyond.
“I believe that we enact our values through the decisions we make and the actions we take. The value of access, especially access to higher education and access to a public research library’s resources, motivates and energizes me as a librarian and as a library leader,” she added. “I’m also committed to working toward creating the most inclusive and diverse community possible, especially to bolster open and equitable access to library resources and spaces.”
Chadwell has served as the Donald and Delpha Campbell University Librarian and Oregon State University Press Director since May 2011, responsible for the overall administration and advancement of OSU’s libraries and the OSU Press in support of teaching, learning and research endeavors.
At OSU she led the creation of two five-year strategic plans via an inclusive process that included key stakeholders; advocated successfully for multiple increases in the libraries’ materials budget; developed new fundraising priorities and strategies to guide the library and OSU Press advancement of OSU’s campaign; rebuilt membership of the Libraries’ principal volunteer leadership group; secured several new endowments; established the Diversity Scholars Program for candidates in MLS (master of library science) programs; helped guide the passage of a campuswide Open Access policy in 2013; established strategic campus partnerships leading to reimagined library spaces like the Undergraduate Research and Writing Studio in partnership with The Writing Center; and served on numerous committees and advisory boards, among many other initiatives.
Prior to serving as OSU’s University Librarian, she served as the Associate University Librarian for Collections and Content Management, since 2007. She also served as the department head of Collection Development and Acquisitions at the University of Oregon Libraries in Eugene, and held positions at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
Chadwell’s professional associations include several divisions within the American Library Association (ALA): the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (1995-2020), the Library Leadership and Management Association (2010-20), and the Association of College and Research Libraries (since 2011). She also has held leadership positions within the ALA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table, the Oregon Library Association, and two academic library consortia, the Orbis Cascade Alliance and the Greater Western Library Alliance.
She served on the editorial boards of several journals, including the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, and Collection Management. Since 2018 she has served on the board of directors for the Association for College and Research Libraries. She has been invited to speak on authors’ rights, licensing e-resources, and other collection-related topics at numerous venues. Her recent scholarship focused on open textbooks, reflecting an interest in the role libraries play in making higher education more affordable.
“I’m eager to begin and continue conversations across Penn State and as a part of the Big Ten Academic Alliance about the future of library spaces, services and collections," said Chadwell. "Research libraries continue to evolve to meet changing research and teaching needs, and I anticipate multiple opportunities to join library colleagues in building on Penn State Libraries’ legacy.”
Chadwell received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, and her master of library science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.