Meet our newest librarians
January 19, 2018

The University Libraries added five new faculty members last semester. Allow us to introduce our newest librarians . . .

As academic liaison librarian at Pendergrass Library, Isabella Baxter supports the teaching, research, and extension missions of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR), AgResearch, and UT Extension. She develops collections, teaches library research skills, and provides research assistance to CASNR students and faculty. Baxter holds a bachelor’s degree in English and biology from Gettysburg College and a master’s in library and information science from Syracuse University.

As student success librarian for experiential learning, Holly Dean collaborates with the offices of Experience Learning and Service-Learning to align the libraries’ teaching and learning initiatives with those of the campus. She works closely with First-Year Studies to foster positive student connections to the libraries and a sense of community among first-year students. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Portland State and a master’s in information science from Clarion University.

As metadata librarian, Meredith Hale creates metadata that enhance resource discovery and improve access to collections—particularly the libraries’ unique digital and special collections. She designs metadata strategies for digital projects, as well as supporting the Digital Public Library of America service hub for the state of Tennessee. She holds a bachelor’s in fine arts from Syracuse University, a master’s in English literature from the University of Sussex, and master’s degrees in art history and in information science from UNC Chapel Hill.

As student success librarian for information literacy, Charissa Powell works closely with course instructors and with other academic support units on campus to infuse library research and information literacy skills into the university’s general education curriculum. She is the libraries’ representative on the campus general education task force and liaison to the First-Year Composition program in the Department of English. She received her bachelor’s degree in women’s studies and her master’s in library science from the University of Maryland.

The UT Libraries’ diversity resident program prepares new librarians for challenging and rewarding careers in academic librarianship while contributing to the diversity and intercultural goals of the university. During her three-year term as diversity librarian resident, Lizeth Zepeda will rotate through different areas of the library prior to selecting a focus for her research and scholarship. Zepeda holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and women’s, gender and sexuality studies from California State University, Long Beach, and a master’s in library and information science from the University of Arizona.