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Athena N. Jackson Appointed Dean of University Libraries, Elizabeth D. Rockwell Chair for University of Houston

photo of Athena Jackson
Athena Jackson, image courtesy of UCLA Library

The University of Houston has named Athena N. Jackson dean of University Libraries and Elizabeth D. Rockwell Chair, effective February 15, 2021.

Jackson has served as director of UCLA Library Special Collections since October 2019. Prior to that, she was the Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair and head of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library at Penn State. She previously held positions in special collections at the University of Michigan, the University of Miami, and Louisiana State University.

In the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) community, Jackson has served on the advisory group for the ARL Kaleidoscope Program (formerly the Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce) in 2017–2018 and as a mentor for a Kaleidoscope Program Diversity Scholar in 2019–2020.

Jackson holds a BA in English from the University of Houston (UH) and an MS in library and information science from the University of North Texas. “As an alumna of UH and native of the Houston region, I have a deep commitment to the advancement and success of the university within this vibrant city,” Jackson said. “I hope to support UH’s institutional achievement through effective, innovative, and inclusive leadership of the libraries.”

At the University of Houston, Jackson will succeed Lisa German, who stepped down in February 2020 to accept the position of university librarian and dean of libraries at the University of Minnesota. Marilyn Myers has been serving as interim dean of University of Houston Libraries since February 2020.

For more information about Jackson and her new appointment, see the January 7, 2021, University of Houston Libraries news release, “Athena Jackson Named Dean of UH Libraries.”

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