Tammy Sugarman has been named Associate University Librarian for Collections, Discovery, and Budget, effective Oct. 1, 2018.

 

As AUL for Collections, Discovery, and Budget, Ms. Sugarman will direct the investment of the VCU Libraries’ $12-plus million budget for library materials; oversee operations charged with acquisition, cataloging, and resource description for those materials; and the preservation of print and digital collections. She also will provide oversight and support strategic analysis for the library system’s $21-plus million overall budget, and help guide the VCU Libraries in its investment plans as the University transitions to a new budget model.

 

According to University Librarian John E. Ulmschneider, as part of the VCU Libraries senior administrative team, she will play a key role in overall leadership and management of VCU’s library system at a time of much change for VCU and the VCU Libraries.

 

Ms. Sugarman brings an exemplary record of experience and qualifications to her new role at VCU. As Associate Dean for Collections and Technical Services at Georgia State University Libraries, she oversees a broad portfolio of operations in a large research library system, including all aspects of collections development, cataloging, and acquisitions. In her work as AUL at the GSU Libraries, she has garnered an enviable reputation for innovation and leadership in addressing challenges and driving new initiatives, such as GSU’s migration to the Alma ILS and her work to support the relocation of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) headquarters to Atlanta.

 

As Interim Dean of the GSU Libraries from September 2013 to December 2015, Ms. Sugarman provided creative leadership to the University during a time of great change at GSU, including its merger with Georgia Perimeter College, a regional community college system. Among many other accomplishments, she led the consolidation of GSU’s libraries after the merger; worked in collaboration with the university community to boost funding for the GSU libraries; and provided leadership to more than 90 staff and librarians in the GSU library system.

 

Ms. Sugarman has been consistently described as a “fantastic leader” and “a really good listener.” Her embrace of diversity and inclusion stands out in all of her work, and she cites the diverse communities that make up VCU, similar to the diversity at GSU, as an important factor in her decision to join the VCU Libraries.

 

Ms. Sugarman has previously held a series of positions at GSU, including Collection Development Officer; Head, Instructional Services & Art & Design Liaison; and Humanities Liaison/Reference Librarian. She has a strong record of publications, presentations, and service to the profession, and has worked as an instructor with GSU and with the University of Maryland University College.

 

She holds the Bachelor of Arts in History from Boston University; the Master of Arts in History from The Citadel/College of Charleston; and the Master of Science in Information from the University of Michigan.