McDonald succeeds Lorraine J. Haricombe, who has been Vice Provost and Director of Libraries since 2015. Haricombe's tenure was marked by significant renovations and modernization of library spaces, the launch of an Open Educational Resources program, and the implementation of a digital asset management platform. She positioned the University of Texas Libraries as a leader in digital scholarship and innovation. McDonald expressed his honor in taking on the role and looks forward to partnering with the library staff and campus community to advance the library system's future.
Key takeaways:
- Robert H. McDonald has been appointed as the Senior Vice Provost and Director of the University of Texas Libraries, effective August 16, 2025.
- McDonald brings extensive experience in digital scholarship, online learning, and library services from his previous role at the University of Colorado Boulder.
- He has held leadership roles at Indiana University Bloomington and has been involved with organizations like the HathiTrust Board of Governors and the Association of Research Libraries.
- McDonald succeeds Lorraine J. Haricombe, who has significantly modernized the University of Texas Libraries and promoted open access initiatives.