Carl Grant, former associate dean for knowledge services and chief technology officer, University of Oklahoma Libraries, has been named interim dean of libraries, effective July 1. He succeeds Rick Luce, who served as dean from July 2012 through June 2018.
Carl Grant, Interim Dean of Libraries, University of Oklahoma
“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this respected organization and to build on Dean Luce’s vision,” said Grant. “My experience working in and with academic libraries around the globe, internally as well as from the business side, gives me a unique insight into the opportunities, challenges and solutions facing OU Libraries. We’ve made great strides in transforming the libraries here and I am looking forward to continuing this transformation and building on our momentum to do even more.”
Prior to joining OU in 2013, Grant worked as an independent consultant and executive adviser to the dean at Virginia Tech University Libraries. Prior to that appointment, he was the chief librarian and president of Ex Libris North America. During Grant’s tenure at Ex Libris, the company introduced several major products and services that are today used by the majority of research libraries in the world. This success has resulted in Ex Libris becoming a global leader in cloud-based library automation products.
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Among his immediate goals, Grant cites the desire to refresh and renovate the OU Libraries to address physical and environmental challenges, as well as student, faculty and staff needs. He also identifies OU Libraries’ support for collections and emerging technologies as priorities for the organization, noting that the libraries’ priorities will align with the larger initiatives and goals of the institution.
“The core of the plan Dean Luce established is still as relevant today as it was when developed five years ago,” said Grant. “but, much of what was initially planned has been accomplished, and it is time to set some new milestones.”
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area.
He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.
