Jason Battles Reappointed Dean of University Libraries

After an extensive five-year review, Dean of University Libraries Jason Battles has been reappointed for a second five-year term by Provost Indrajeet Chaubey. Battles' second term begins July 1.

Earlier this spring, faculty, staff, students, university administrators and external stakeholders were asked to provide feedback on Battles' most significant administrative and programmatic accomplishments, any challenges he encountered as dean and any areas that required improvement. Recommendations for strengthening the performance, effectiveness and administration of the University Libraries were also provided.

Battles was first appointed as dean of Universities Libraries July 1, 2021. As  dean, he leads the university's library system, which includes the David W. Mullins Library and four branch libraries.

"Since 2021, Dean Battles has led initiatives that have strengthened the University Libraries and expanded their impact across campus," said Provost Chaubey. "These accomplishments reflect his thoughtful leadership and vision. I am pleased to reappoint him for another five-year term and look forward to the continued success of the Libraries under his guidance."

Over the past five years, Battles oversaw the second phase of the Mullins Library renovation that introduced state-of-the-art experiential learning spaces such as a makerspace, recording studio and visualization lab. He hired 18 new library faculty to better meet the evolving needs of the university. He increased the University Libraries' research and unique collections available to the campus community, and the Libraries' annual expenditures grew from $17 million to $21 million. He has also raised nearly $16 million in philanthropic support, which helped establish the Libraries' first endowed faculty chairs and new endowments for collections and preservation.

Additionally, he partnered with Global Campus and led the creation of Open Educational Resources (OER) for use by university faculty in their classes, which contributed to saving students more than $2.5 million in textbook costs since the fall 2023. He also led the development of the Master of Library and Information Studies degree program, which is the first graduate degree of its kind in Arkansas and will provide students the opportunity to obtain professional library roles in public, academic and corporate libraries in addition to professions outside of librarianship.

"I am thrilled and deeply grateful to be reappointed as dean of University Libraries," Battles said. "I thank Provost Chaubey, our Libraries faculty and staff, and the campus community for placing their trust in me. I'm proud of what we have accomplished together and look forward to continuing to build on our progress in the years ahead."

The Dean Review Committee was chaired by Ed Pohl, dean of the Graduate School and International Education. Other members of the Dean Review Committee include:

• Stephanie Pierce, University Libraries, associate professor and director of experiential learning and Physics Library
• Ellen Urton, University Libraries, associate professor and director of research and instruction
• Mary Gilbertson, University Libraries, professor and director of acquisitions
• Cody Hackett, University Libraries, assistant professor and director of continuing electronic resources and licensing
• Casiday Long, University Libraries, research services coordinator for Special Collections
• Brian Curtis, University Libraries, facilities manager
• Kathryn Niestoeckel, student

"I'd like to thank the Dean Review Committee for their thoughtful and thorough work throughout this process," said Provost Chaubey. "They gathered input from campus and external stakeholders, facilitated in-person discussions and conducted the review with a strong commitment to discretion, transparency and confidentiality. I greatly appreciate their service, and as a result of their work, I'm confident in my decision to reappoint Dean Battles to this important leadership position."

More About Battles

Battles has more than 20 years of experience working in academic libraries. Prior to joining the U of A in 2021, he served as the deputy university librarian at the University of Georgia, where he oversaw library technology support for UGA and multiple statewide library initiatives; digital stewardship and preservation; digital humanities; and marketing and communications. He was involved in significant library renovations at the University of Georgia and managed budgets, facilities, collections, personnel and overall strategic direction of the UGA libraries.

Before his work at the University of Georgia, Battles served as the associate dean of library planning and policy, director of library technology and head of web services at the University of Alabama. He also worked as a systems librarian and administrator at Vanderbilt University. He is president-elect of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, a member of the board of the Greater Western Library Alliance and a member of the EBSCO Users Group Board of Directors and Deans Advisory Board.

He holds master's degrees in library science and history from the University of Alabama and a bachelor's degree in history and political science from Jacksonville State University.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.