Janice Welburn

Janice S. Welburn has been dean of Marquette University libraries since 2006. A leading achievement of her 15-year tenure has been the Digital Scholarship Lab, a facility established in 2015 as the centerpiece of a growing suite of library services aimed at fostering digital scholarship. From 2003 to 2006, she served as associate dean of libraries at the University of Arizona.

At the University of Iowa libraries from 1990 to 2003, Welburn served in many leadership positions, including director roles for public services, facilities, human resources, and technical services. She also served on the planning committee that created the first information commons in a university library and acted as coordinator of personnel and diversity programs.

Earlier, Welburn held librarian positions at New York University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Indiana University (where she was interim head of the Medical Sciences Library), and Princeton University, where she was head of the Psychology Library. She also served as a librarian for the Indianapolis–Marian County Public Library and at Bishop College in Dallas, where she began her professional career.

Welburn has published extensively and made numerous presentations in the areas of diversity, leadership, and human resources. Her extensive academic and professional engagement currently includes serving as an American Library Association endowment trustee and as a member of the ALA Philanthropy Advisory Group, the ALA Information Technology Policy Advisory Committee, and the Association of College and Research Libraries 2022 President’s Program Committee. In 2011, Welburn was selected by her peers as the ACRL Academic/Research Librarian of the Year, a national award recognizing her contributions to the profession of librarianship. Welburn’s other past service includes two terms as elected at-large councilor on the ALA Council and positions as chair of the Catholic Research Resources Alliance Board, vice chair and past secretary of the Center for Research Libraries Board, and editorial board member of portal: Libraries and the Academy.

Welburn’s teaching contributions include several years leading online courses in fund development and conflict management with the Association for Research Libraries online lyceum. Welburn also is an active community leader. She currently serves as a member of the Friends of the Haggerty Museum board and the School of Information Studies advisory board. In addition, Welburn is immediate past president of the Milwaukee chapter of Links, Incorporated, a national service organization for professional women of color that works to strengthen African-American communities.