Distinguished UMSI alumni

First African-American and first woman to head a major metropolitan library, the Detroit Public Library, and first African-American to serve as President of the American Library Association. Alumna in residence 1971.

First woman to earn a PhD in library science at U-M. Longest serving dean, USC School of Library Science (1955-1978). Alumna in residence 1971.

Youngest person to hold the position of Parliamentary Librarian of Canada (1960-1994). The first professionally trained Parliamentary Librarian to hold that position and Canada’s longest-serving deputy minister. Distinguished Alumnus in Residence, 1979.

Founder of Broadside Press and the 1981 Detroit Poet Laureate. Distinguished Alumni Award 1987.

First Law Librarian of the World Bank. Distinguished Alumni Award 2008, External Advisory Board member.

Director of the Smithsonian Libraries, the world’s largest museum library system (1997-2020). Alumna in Residence 1972.

First woman Chancellor of the University of Michigan - Flint (2008-2014). Distinguished Alumni Award, 2006.

Director, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum (2005-2020). Distinguished Alumni Award 2010.

Inaugural Vice Provost of Libraries and Museum, Emory University (2022-present). Acting Provost, Vice President, Hunter College, New York (2020-2022). Co-founder of the Rural Village Libraries Research Network (Africa). Distinguished Alumni Award 2013.

Director of Special Collections, Library of Congress (2019-2021). Distinguished Alumni Award 2014.

University of Macau University Librarian (2004-2018); City University of Hong Kong University Librarian (1984-2004). Distinguished Alumni Award 2015.

CEO and Library Director, Robert W. Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University Center (2005-2024). Distinguished Alumni Award 2016.

“America’s Librarian.” Executive Director of Washington Center for the Book, Seattle Public Library (1993-2004); Library Journal Librarian of the Year 2011. Distinguished Alumni Award 2017.

Vice Provost for Libraries and University Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Distinguished Alumni Award 2020.

Director of Design and Innovation, Michigan Medicine (2019-present). Rising Alumni Award 2020.

Co-founder of Sight Machine and Slashdot.org. Entrepreneurial and Innovation Award 2013.

Space Design and Assessment Librarian, U-M Library (2016-2023). Library Journal Mover and Shaker 2013. Entrepreneurial and Innovation Award 2014.

Co-Founder and CEO, WeHealth and Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Jirav. Entrepreneurial and Innovation award 2015.

Co-author of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web; “Father of Information Architecture.” Founder and publisher of Rosenfeld Media. Alumni Achievement Award 2008.

City Librarian, Los Angeles Public Library (2012-present). Alumni Achievement Award 2010.

Co-author of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web; “Father of Information Architecture.” Founder and president of Semantic Studios. UMSI Alumni Achievement Award 2008; UMSI Entrepreneurial and Innovation award 2016.

Director, Ann Arbor District Library (2002-2022). UMSI Early Achievement Alumni Award 2008.