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UK Libraries is driven by its people: from our archivists and librarians to our multifaceted staff, and from student workers to library administration, meeting the informational needs of a world-class research university requires a diverse array of specialists, each with their own roles, functions, and areas of expertise. Across our many branches, teams, and divisions, we know that best serving our users and attaining our ambitious vision depends on open collaboration and a spirit of partnership.

As our organization takes all of us to function, so should it be governed by all of us. When it comes to decisions about allocating resources, recruiting and retaining faculty and staff, developing strategic plans and educational policy, fulfilling our mission, and enacting our values, we bear a collective responsibility to work together to build the best library system and university that we can.

Meeting these ideals and embodying this principle of shared governance requires that all of our voices are represented and heard. To this end, we organize our channels of communication and administrative structure to ensure open, timely, and effective sharing of expertise and talent across faculty, staff, students, and administration. We take pride in our commitment to working together, and are excited to share the progress we make.

Learn more about our organizational structure below. For more details, we invite you to consult our Organizational Chart (PDF) and our Library Faculty Rules (PDF).

Librarian Stacey Greenwell talks with campus faculty at a Libraries event.

Leadership & Executive Committee

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee guides the policies and strategic direction of UK Libraries in the interest of fulfilling the organization's mission and values. The Committee is composed of the following positions, whose responsibilities are delineated below:

  • Dean of Libraries, chair
  • Associate Dean for Finance, Administration, & Operations
  • Associate Dean for Outreach, Engagement, & Collections
  • Associate Dean for Research & Discovery

The Committee meets weekly, and seeks the input and expertise of faculty and staff across the Libraries as needed.

Dean of Libraries

The dean is the chief administrative officer of the Libraries, and is responsible for establishing policies and procedures for the daily operation and long-term success of the organization.

The dean also administers matters of: 

  • Space Planning
  • Organizational Effectiveness
  • Philanthropy
  • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion.

Associate Deans

The Associate Dean of Finance, Administration, & Operations administers the following departments:

  • Budget Office
  • Human Resources
  • Facilities
  • Central Library Operations
  • Marketing & Communication

The Associate Dean of Outreach, Engagement, & Collections administers the following departments:

  • Liaison Services
  • Branch Library Operations
  • Educational & Reference Services
  • Collections Strategy
  • Acquisitions
  • Interlibrary Loan

The Associate Dean of Research & Discovery administers the following departments:

  • Special Collections Research Center
  • Digital Scholarship Services
  • Cataloging & Metadata
  • Digital Strategies & Library Technology

Faculty Council

Elected by library faculty, the Faculty Council solicits and organizes faculty input on the educational policy, strategic direction, and resource allocation of the Libraries, including budget decisions and hiring prioritization. The Council sets the agenda for monthly faculty meetings, which serve as the primary avenue of communication between the faculty and library administration. The Council is also charged with facilitating the performance review process, appointing faculty to non-elective standing committees, and establishing ad hoc working groups as needed.

The Council is composed of the following positions:

  • Chair
  • Vice Chair/Chair Elect
  • Past Chair
  • Secretary
  • Three At-Large Members
  • University Senate Representative (ex-officio)
  • Dean of Libraries (ex-officio, non-voting)

Staff Advisory Council

Elected by library staff, the Staff Advisory Council meets on a monthly basis and serves as the primary channel of communication between staff and library administration. The Council solicits and organizes concerns, questions, and suggestions relating to staff and library operations in support of the shared governance values of the Libraries.

The Council is composed of the following positions:

  • Chair
  • Vice Chair
  • Secretary
  • Three At-Large Council Members
  • Ex-Officio
  • Dean of Libraries

Senate Library Committee

The University Senate determines the broad academic policies of the University of Kentucky.

Composed of six senators (faculty members across the University elected by their peers) and the Dean of Libraries, the Senate Library Committee is responsible for providing policy recommendations that improve the effectiveness of the Libraries as an integral part of the mission and academic program of the University.

Memberships & Partnerships

We are proud to extend our reach and impact through memberships and partnerships with the following organizations, initiatives, and professional associations: