The announcement of UVA’s new university librarian and dean of libraries has spread like a wildfire. Leo S. Lo, dean of the College of University Libraries at the University of New Mexico (UNM), will soon have a new address. He was tapped to lead the Shannon Library and more than a half dozen smaller libraries across the UVA campus, beginning September 15. He will also serve as an AI adviser to the provost and will hold a faculty appointment in the Education School. Leo’s appointment will follow John Unsworth’s retirement after almost a decade leading the UVA Library.
Leo’s career journey has spanned over 15 years in leadership roles at university libraries. Before arriving at UNM, he was associate dean at Pennsylvania State University Libraries. Earlier in his career, he served as associate university librarian at Old Dominion University, department head at the University of Alabama, and faculty librarian at Kansas State University
He has played an active role in professional associations—including the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Leo has served on several ARL committees, including the Research and Analytics Committee (2021–23), Association Meeting Program Planning Task Force (2022–23), and ARL/CNI Task Force on Scenario Planning for AI & ML Futures (2023–24), which developed the ARL/CNI AI Scenarios: AI-Influenced Futures.
Leo has a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania and a postgraduate diploma in AI from the University of Oxford. He also earned graduate degrees in survey research, library and information studies, and screenwriting from the University of Connecticut, Florida State University, and Hollins University, respectively.
To view Leo’s full academic and career experience, please see the UVA announcement.
