News

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Dean of Library Information Services Regina McBride, PhD, recently retired after serving the University and SIUE’s Lovejoy Library for the past 20 years. 

“On behalf of our University community, I wish her well in retirement and hope that she enjoys this next stage,” said Denise Cobb, PhD, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Dean McBride was a valued member of our academic community and leadership team. Her enthusiasm for learning and passion for the central role of libraries in universities were readily apparent. I am personally grateful for her kindness, and her commitment to SIUE’s students and our academic quality.” 

McBride’s tenure embodied several major accomplishments for Lovejoy Library. She oversaw the renovation of the first floor and expansion of a new Access Services unit. Under her leadership the creation of the Eugene B. Redmond Learning Center, Friends Corner and a second instruction classroom were established. She spearheaded the opening of the Library’s North Entrance, which had been closed for many years. A new department, Digital Initiatives and Technologies, was created. She also implemented 3D Printing as a service for the University community.

McBride was first welcomed to the Library faculty as an assistant professor and full time director of technical and access services in fall 1997. During spring 2000, she was reassigned as the Library’s associate dean and served in that capacity until she was named acting dean in November 2007. By the following fall, she was permanently appointed as professor and dean of Library Information Services, and has served as the Library’s dean since 2008.

Before joining the Library, McBride served for eight years as the head of cataloging and technical processing, and as the coordinator of automation at Eden-Webster Library in Webster Groves, Mo., and for six years as the head of the Cataloging Department and Head of the Serials/Acquisitions Department at Saint Louis University’s Pius XII Memorial Library, while also taking an active role in SLU’s faculty senate.

McBride has maintained professional memberships with the American Library Association, the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, and the Association of College and Research Libraries. Most recently, she served as chair of the Council of Directors of State University Libraries in Illinois and chair of the Illinois Open Access to Research Task Force for the SIU system. She also served as a consultant to different area libraries and organized the St. Louis Librarians’ Library Computer Users’ Group.

The process for appointing an interim dean is underway.