Mark Emmons has been appointed interim dean of the College of University Libraries & Learning Sciences (ULLS), effective Jan. 1, following the retirement of Interim Dean Fran Wilkinson.
Emmons served as the associate dean of public services within the ULLS since 2015. He brings more than 30 years of professional experience and research as an academic librarian to his new position. Emmons will continue navigating the ULLS response to the pandemic to ensure the safety of students, staff and faculty while maintaining the college’s commitment to excellence in education and scholarship.
During his time as interim dean, Emmons hopes to focus on advancing social justice and promoting open education resources. In addition, Emmons hopes to continue to foster diversity, equity and inclusion, build distinctive Native American collections and services and continue to enrich our distinctive Latin American collections. As well as continue to transform spaces including the South Campus Repository, Graduate Commons, Parish Library services space, and the Adobe Creative commons.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Mark in his new role and I am excited that he is bringing leadership from across the college into the work of moving the college forward,” said Karl Benedict, ULLS director of information technology services and research data services. “This is not the time for a caretaker in the Dean's office and Mark seems focused on effecting positive change during his tenure as interim dean.”
Emmons received his Bachelor of Arts in communications studies and later received his Master’s in Library Sciences with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles. Emmons worked at Occidental College before accepting a faculty position at the University of New Mexico. Emmons received his Doctor of Education in education leadership from UNM in 2012.
Heavily involved within the Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences (OILS) program including teaching multiple courses within the program and sitting on various dissertation committees, he has taught topics such as organizational leadership, qualitative research and advanced qualitative research.
In addition, Emmons is the author of the book Film and Television: A Guide to the Reference Literature and has published extensively about film resources, information literacy and library instruction, and the value of the academic library. He is an active member of the American Library Association and the Association of College & Research Libraries.