David Richards Hired as Library Dean
- contact: Charley Reed - University Communications
- phone:Â 402.554.2129
- email:Â unonews@unomaha.edu
- search keywords:
- criss library
- dean
- employee
The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is pleased to announce the hiring of David Richards as the new Dean of Library Services for the UNO Criss Library.
Richards will begin his role as the library’s new director on Jan. 19, 2016. He replaces Michael LaCroix, who has led the library in an interim capacity since May.
Prior to UNO, Richards served as the Head of Special Collections and Archives at Missouri State University since 1997. While at Missouri State, he also taught several courses as an associate professor.
The chair of the hiring committee for the position, College of Information Science and Technology Dean Hesham Ali, says that even with an incredibly strong group of candidates, Richards was the clear choice.
“The position attracted a strong group of applicants, and the fact that David was the consensus top choice is a testament to David’s strong credentials and the perfect alignment of his vision for future academic libraries to UNO values and strategic goals. Everyone is very excited about the future of the Criss library under David’s leadership.”
He adds that Richards’ strengths are his dedication to making the library a place that fosters learning and research for both students and faculty, as well as his desire to engage with the Omaha community.
“David has a strong vision for the future,” Ali says. “He sees UNO doing great things and wants to leverage our wonderful library to achieve those goals.”
In addition to his time at Missouri State University, Richards spent time as a special collections librarian at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg and a archivist in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Springfield, Illinois.
Richards earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Western Illinois University in 1988 before earning a Masters of Arts in European History at Western Illinois in 1990. He also earned a Masters of Library and Information Sciences degree from Louisiana State University in 1993.
Richards will begin his role as the library’s new director on Jan. 19, 2016. He replaces Michael LaCroix, who has led the library in an interim capacity since May.
Prior to UNO, Richards served as the Head of Special Collections and Archives at Missouri State University since 1997. While at Missouri State, he also taught several courses as an associate professor.
The chair of the hiring committee for the position, College of Information Science and Technology Dean Hesham Ali, says that even with an incredibly strong group of candidates, Richards was the clear choice.
“The position attracted a strong group of applicants, and the fact that David was the consensus top choice is a testament to David’s strong credentials and the perfect alignment of his vision for future academic libraries to UNO values and strategic goals. Everyone is very excited about the future of the Criss library under David’s leadership.”
He adds that Richards’ strengths are his dedication to making the library a place that fosters learning and research for both students and faculty, as well as his desire to engage with the Omaha community.
“David has a strong vision for the future,” Ali says. “He sees UNO doing great things and wants to leverage our wonderful library to achieve those goals.”
In addition to his time at Missouri State University, Richards spent time as a special collections librarian at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg and a archivist in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Springfield, Illinois.
Richards earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Western Illinois University in 1988 before earning a Masters of Arts in European History at Western Illinois in 1990. He also earned a Masters of Library and Information Sciences degree from Louisiana State University in 1993.