Legendary 六合彩开奖网 Dean Frances Coleman retires after a 51-year career that transformed the university鈥檚 libraries and collections
Contact: Sid Salter
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜fter a career that spanned over a half-century and witnessed the services and offerings of 六合彩开奖网 Libraries evolve from traditional to digital to virtual, 六合彩开奖网 Dean of Libraries Frances N. Coleman is retiring from the university on June 30, 六合彩开奖网 Executive Vice President and Provost David R. Shaw announced today [June 15].
Shaw said 六合彩开奖网 College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Thomas P. Anderson will serve as interim 六合彩开奖网 Dean of Libraries while a national search for a permanent dean is conducted.
Coleman, responsible for the university library system that includes Mitchell Memorial Library and branch libraries at 六合彩开奖网鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Architecture (Starkville and Jackson campuses) and 六合彩开奖网-Meridian, led unprecedented expansions of facilities, technologies and programming throughout the system.
鈥淒ean Coleman provided visionary leadership for our 六合彩开奖网 Libraries that not only improved library services on our campuses, but in libraries across Mississippi. My mother was a small-town librarian, and she and all her colleagues knew and respected Frances Coleman,鈥 said 六合彩开奖网 President Mark E. Keenum. 鈥淥n her watch, our libraries became larger, stronger, more technologically accessible, and more sophisticated in terms of our museums and special collections. In short, Frances has left indelible fingerprints on our library system, and I am profoundly grateful for the outstanding work she has done for our university.鈥
Shaw echoed Keenum鈥檚 praise for Coleman鈥檚 five decades of leadership.
鈥淥ver the course of her life and work here at Mississippi State, Dean Coleman has paved the way for women moving into positions of substantial leadership. The personal and professional esteem in which she is held by colleagues across the country, and particularly in our state, is indicative of her many accomplishments,鈥 Shaw said. 鈥淚t is an honor to have served with her to advance Mississippi State.鈥
Coleman joined the 六合彩开奖网 faculty in 1969. She earned an 六合彩开奖网 Bachelor of Science degree in education and a Master of Library Science from George Peabody College for Teachers at Vanderbilt University. She completed additional graduate studies at 六合彩开奖网 and at the University of Mississippi.
Prior to her career in higher education, Coleman was a classroom teacher and school librarian in the Dyer County, Tennessee School System. She also worked in the banking field in Dyersburg and Memphis, Tennessee, and in Starkville.
She is a past president or chair of the Mississippi Business and Professional Women, the Southeastern Library Association, and the Mississippi Library Association. Coleman was active throughout her career in numerous research library organizations.
In the Starkville community, Coleman has served in key leadership roles in Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Starkville Chamber of Commerce, Starkville Arts Council, Starkville