Search committee formed to find new Charles Deering McCormick University Librarian

Northwestern University announced today, Nov. 4, the formation of a search committee to identify the next Charles Deering McCormick University Librarian. 

The individual chosen will succeed Sarah Pritchard, Dean of Libraries and Charles Deering McCormick University Librarian, who will retire Aug. 31, 2022, after 15 years leading Northwestern’s libraries.

Provost Kathleen Hagerty will charge the search committee, which includes faculty, students, staff and a member of the Northwestern University Library Board of Governors to undertake the search to identify a slate of candidates. Laura Hein, Harold H. and Virginia Anderson Professor of History in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, will serve as chair. Park Square Executive Search has been retained to assist the committee. 

Committee members

• Carola Frydman, Harold L. Stuart Chair and Professor of Finance, Kellogg School of Management
• Michelle Guittar, Head for Instruction and Curriculum Support and Librarian for Latin American Studies, Northwestern University Libraries
• Esmeralda Kale’, George and Mary LeCron Foster Curator of the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies, Northwestern University Libraries
• Jeffrey Masten, Professor of English and Gender & Sexuality Studies, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• Monique Newton, Third-year PhD Candidate, Political Science, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• SonBinh T. Nguyen, McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence and Dow Chemical Company Research Professor of Chemistry, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• Nichole Pinkard, Associate Professor of Learning Sciences, School of Education and Social Policy 
• Sean Reynolds, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Northwestern University Information Technology
• Shreya Sriram, Undergraduate Student, Class of 2022, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and School of Communication; Editor-in-Chief (2020-2022), Northwestern Undergraduate Research Journal
• Stephen M. Strachan, Chair, Northwestern University Library Board of Governors; President, Strachan Exploration, Inc. 
• Charles F. Whitaker, Dean and Professor, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications

The committee will begin its work immediately and will engage the University community to obtain input on the desired attributes and experience of the University Librarian, understand the community’s library needs and seek assistance in identifying potential candidates for the role. Members of the University community are invited to share feedback, submit questions and recommend candidates by contacting the search committee at UniversityLibrarianSearch@northwestern.edu. 

The committee will be staffed by Office of the Provost staff Aspasia Apostolakis Miller, Director for Organizational Strategy and Change; Lorraine Cassis, Executive Assistant; Roma Khanna, Assistant Provost for Strategy and Policy; and Mearah Quinn-Brauner, Director for Strategy and Policy.