Holly Jeffcoat

Holly E. Jeffcoat is the first dean of SMU Libraries. Formerly the associate dean of UConn Library at the University of Connecticut where she was responsible for leading information technology, patron services, planning and core library operations, Jeffcoat assumed the role of dean in August of 2018. Her vision for the newly established SMU Libraries includes creating a customized and responsive scholarly information and research environment in support of SMU’s pursuit of becoming a premier research and teaching university with global impact.

She began her library career as the library director for the Charles Darwin Research Station in Galapagos, Ecuador. She has also held positions at the University of New Mexico College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences as well as the UNM Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center.

Jeffcoat has published and presented on a variety of scholarly communication topics, translational science support, use of virtual reality in education and collection development in health sciences. Jeffcoat is a founding creator of BLC Leads, a leadership program for mid-career librarians in the Boston area and continues to serve as a program mentor. She served as a member of the prestigious Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Library Leadership Fellows Program (2018–19) and currently serves on the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) Board of Directors.

Jeffcoat received her M.A. in information resource and library science from the University of Arizona, her M.S. in sociology from Utah State University and her B.A. in psychology from Greensboro College.