Xuemao Wang Named Dean and University Librarian at the University of Cincinnati

Santa Jeremy Ono, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Cincinnati, today announced the appointment of Xuemao Wang as dean and university librarian. Wang's appointment becomes effective August 31, 2012, pending approval of the University's Board of Trustees.

Ono said, "I am delighted that Xuemao Wang will be joining us as a new member of the University of Cincinnati community. He brings a combination of skills and professional experiences that would be difficult to match. I was fortunate enough to work with him previously when I served as senior vice provost for undergraduate education and academic affairs at Emory University. I know him to be a tireless champion in the service of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs via excellent research collections and innovative instructional support."

With a career that spans public, library consortium, and academic library worlds, Wang comes to UC from Emory University where he was the associate vice provost of University Libraries since 2009, overseeing the libraries' day-to-day operations with direct supervision of Content and Services divisions, as well as the administrative and business offices. Prior to that appointment, he was the head of library systems at Johns Hopkins University, Sheridan Libraries, with responsibilities for supporting university-wide enterprise library systems. Before his positions in academic libraries, Wang was director of information technology for the Metropolitan New York Library Council, manager of internet services for Queens Borough Public Library, and head of the Information Service Department at Sichuan Institute of Business and Administration in Chongqing, China.

When asked what appealed to him most about working at the University of Cincinnati, Wang said, "I am excited to join the university as it works toward achieving the ambitious goals set forth in the UC2019 Academic Master Plan. UC Libraries play an integral role in the scholarship, learning, and community engagement of the university. I look forward to working with UC leadership, faculty and students, as well as library faculty and staff, to align the Libraries' goals closely with UC2019's strategic aspirations, to continue strengthening the Libraries' role as the intellectual commons of the university, to bring innovative initiatives forward, and to take UC Libraries to new heights, nationally and internationally."

Wang has a strong interest and background in global librarianship, serving as current chair of the International Federation of Library Association's (IFLA) Knowledge Management Section Standing Committee and the past chair of the American Library Association's (ALA) International Relations Committee's East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee. In addition, while at Emory, Wang worked with the university vice provost of international affairs on Emory's global strategies, with a particular focus on China and East Asia. Most recently, Wang has been instrumental in establishing a sister library and cooperative relationship between Emory University Libraries and Nanjing University Libraries, Chongqing University Libraries of China.

Wang's educational background includes a B.A. from Wuhan University in China and three master's degrees, including one in business administration from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.; one in library and information science from the University of South Carolina; and one in library science from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

In his new role as dean and university librarian, Wang will build upon the achievements of Victoria A. Montavon, Ph.D., who will join the faculty after serving for 11 years as dean. A committee, chaired by David Szymanski, dean of the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, led the national search for the new dean.

Wang comes to Cincinnati with his wife, Wendy. They look forward to exploring the many things the city has to offer, especially in the sports, arts, and entertainment.