VCU news

Teresa L. Knott has been appointed interim dean of the VCU Libraries, effective July 1.

Knott currently serves as associate dean of VCU Libraries and director of the Tompkins-McCaw Library for Health Sciences. Knott began her career at VCU in 2009 as associate university librarian and director of Tompkins-McCaw Library.

“Teresa has been an outstanding leader for VCU Libraries and has worked closely with the health sciences schools to ensure that Tompkins-McCaw Library continues to meet the needs of a contemporary research environment,” said Gail Hackett, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “She is one of the nation’s most distinguished leaders in health sciences librarianship.”

Under her leadership, the Medical Library Association recognized Tompkins-McCaw Library with the 2020 Research Advancement in Health Sciences Librarianship Award, which recognizes organizations whose exemplary actions have served to advance health information research and evidence-based practice in health sciences libraries. Knott, a past president of the Medical Library Association, was recently named a fellow of the association and has received several awards for her work transforming the organization’s professional communities. She also is a distinguished member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals.

Prior to joining VCU, Knott served as deputy director of the Health Sciences and Human Services Library at the University of Maryland at Baltimore and in various academic library leadership positions at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso and in Lubbock. Knott holds a Bachelor of University Studies with a concentration in political science and history from The University of New Mexico, a Master of Library Science from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Public Administration from The University of Texas at El Paso.

Knott will remain in the interim dean role until a new dean is appointed and then will work collaboratively to ensure a smooth transition. The nationwide search for a new dean of VCU Libraries will resume in the fall.

John Ulmschneider, dean of VCU Libraries and university librarian, will retire on June 30 after a 20-year career at VCU.