More Information KU names Stella Bentley as new dean of libraries More information about each candidate Search KU News releases Subscribe now to receive KU News by email

Contact: Bill Carswell, Search Committee Chair, (785) 864-4365.

KU names three finalists for dean of libraries position; public presentations scheduled

LAWRENCE -- The University of Kansas has announced the names of three finalists to become dean of university libraries.

Starting Monday and through November, the candidates will visit to interview with the search committee, meet the KU Libraries staff and make public presentations.

The finalists are:

 • Charles W. Simpson, assistant director of libraries for systems and administration at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. He holds a master's degree in librarianship and a bachelor's degree in music from the University of Denver and a master's degree in music history and literature from Northwestern University.

Simpson will be on campus Oct. 15 to 17 and will give a public presentation at 3 p.m. Monday in Alderson Auditorium, Kansas Union.

 • Dana Rooks, dean of libraries at the University of Houston. She holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Oklahoma and a master's degree in library science and a bachelor's degree in English at Louisiana State University. Rooks will be on campus Oct. 22 to 24.

 • Stella Bentley, dean of libraries at Auburn University in Alabama. She holds a master's degree in education from Indiana State University, a master's degree in library science and a doctorate in library and information science from Indiana University, and a bachelor's degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley. Bentley will be on campus Nov. 12 to 14.

The dean of libraries oversees a library system that supports more than 25,000 students and 1,300 faculty. The libraries' collections comprise approximately 3.3 million volumes and 27,000 current serial titles, housed in six library facilities in Lawrence and one at the Edwards Campus in Overland Park. The dean is responsible for a budget of $14 million and a staff of 83 library faculty and professional staff, as well as 91 paraprofessionals. Librarians hold tenure-track faculty status in the University.

Julia Rholes has served as interim dean of libraries since January, succeeding Keith W. Russell, who resigned for health reasons.