Dr. Brent Mai has accepted the University of North Florida’s offer to become the new dean of the Thomas G. Carpenter Library.
Mai, who currently serves as dean of libraries and university librarian at Fairfield University, will begin his new position early this summer.
“In addition to years of experience leading an academic library, Dr. Mai also brings deep appreciation of the Carpenter Library’s expanding role in student success, the importance of community outreach and establishing effective partnerships with the many diverse units on campus,” said Dr. Pam Chally, interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.
As Carpenter Library dean, Mai will administer all aspects of the Library, including the organization, administration, operation and evaluation of library services, physical facilities, staff, collection and budgets. He will also provide visionary and effective leadership to library faculty, staff and students to collectively achieve the strategic initiatives of the University as well as the Library.
As dean of libraries at Fairfield University for the last three years, Mai provides leadership and management of library staff as well as budget, maintenance and distribution of institutional records, classroom assignment, statistical reporting, plus commencement preparation and coordination.
Under his leadership there, he has headed the migration to a new integrated library system, developed a strategic plan to implement Fairfield University’s mission/vision and reorganized staff as well as the budget in order to support the new strategic plan.
Mai also successfully led a National Endowment for the Humanities grant application and an invitation from the respected Mellon Foundation as well as membership in the Five Colleges Repository and Eastern Academic Scholar’s Trust, a newly formed shared print retention partnership of college and university libraries.
Prior to serving at Fairfield, he served at Concordia University as the dean of university libraries and at Vanderbilt University as the director of the Walker Management Library. At Purdue University, he was an assistant professor of library science, management and economics librarian.
Mai earned his Doctorate in Education Leadership at Vanderbilt University and his Master of Library and Information Management at the University of Texas at Austin plus a master’s degree in international finance from The George Washington University. He received his bachelor’s degree in history, economics, French and political science from Bethany College.
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
