June 10, 2024
Contact: Christopher Ave, 573-882-9325, christopher.ave@missouri.edu
University of Missouri Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Matthew Martens has appointed Kara Whatley as vice provost for libraries and university librarian, effective Oct. 1. Whatley is currently the university librarian at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and serves as the chief executive of the Caltech Library system.
Whatley’s previous roles include positions of increasing leadership at Texas Tech University Libraries and New York University Libraries.
“Throughout her career, Kara Whatley has shown a consistent strategic focus on catalyzing information discovery, preservation and sharing to support the university mission,” Martens said.
"I am delighted to be joining the University of Missouri as its vice provost for libraries and university librarian," Whatley said. "I look forward to continuing the tradition of strong library leadership at Mizzou, and I’m excited to be part of the MizzouForward vision."
She is a member of the Association of College Research Libraries (ACRL) and is currently serving as the ACRL Division Councilor and the ACRL representative to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Science and Technologies section. She also currently serves as a member of the Elsevier North American Library Advisory Board, the EBSCO North American Deans and Directors Library Advisory Board and the Springer Nature Library Advisory Board.
Jeannette Pierce, associate university librarian for research, access and instructional services, will serve as interim vice provost for libraries and university librarian until Whatley arrives.
Martens praised Pierce for her strong track record of leadership. “Jeannette is well-positioned to continue the libraries’ momentum in the interim period,” Martens said.
