Lisa Carter (MLIS ‘94) is the Vice Provost for Libraries and University Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her master’s degree in information and library studies from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary humanities from Michigan State University. 

The vice provost for libraries and university librarian oversees campus libraries, and provides leadership for strategic planning and policy directions; advancement and fundraising; coordination of campus library collections, services and personnel; and campus partnerships, collaborations and initiatives. UW–Madison Libraries is one of the 10 largest public university library systems in the United States.

Before she came to UW-Madison, she was the associate director of special collections and area studies at The Ohio State University Libraries. Prior to OSU, she served as the head of the Special Collections Research Center at North Carolina State University Libraries in Raleigh, N.C. and the director of archives at the University of Kentucky Libraries in Lexington, KY.

At Ohio State, she helped advance campus-wide discussions that position the Libraries as a valued partner and leader, such as exploring digital arts and humanities practice on campus and cultural heritage collection stewardship. Carter also established and provided leadership for a museum-quality exhibition program that provides library experiences that inspire discovery and opportunistic engagement with Libraries’ expertise and collections. Her experiences in a number of leadership positions throughout her career have built her reputation as a capable administrator.

In 2020, UMSI presented Carter with its Distinguished Alumni Award.