Rice Names New Vice Provost, University Librarian

CONTACT: Michael Cinelli
PHONE: (713) 831-4794

RICE NAMES NEW VICE PROVOST, UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN

The director of Vassar College libraries, Charles Henry, has been named vice provost and university
librarian at Rice University. He will assume his post in August.
Henry brings strong communication and technology skills to Rice.
In addition to his responsibilities as director of libraries at
Vassar, Henry serves on the steering committee of the Group for
Research in Electronically Digitized Libraries. He is an
international research fellow at London Guildhall University’s
Centre for Information Management and Advanced Technology in
Scholarship.

Also, Henry is a director of the American Arts and Letters
Network, serves on the executive council of the Association for
Computers and the Humanities, and is a member of the executive
committee of the National Initiative for a Networked Cultural
Heritage.

“This appointment builds on the momentum established by acting
vice provost David Minter this past year,” said Rice President
Malcolm Gillis. “Charles Henry arrives at a time when all
constituents of the university are optimistic over the prospects for
a library commensurate with Rice’s overall academic aspirations. We
were fortunate to lure him here.”

The vice provost’s position was created by a realignment last
year of several administrative operations aimed at strengthening the
university’s efforts in information technology, the library and
research.
In the realignment, the provost’s office assumed responsibility
for Fondren Library.

“Chuck Henry has the vision, experience and administrative
skills to lead Fondren Library into the next century,” said Provost
David Auston. “His knowledge and understanding of the issues
affecting university libraries will be a large factor in the
development of a plan for a substantially strengthened library at
Rice.”

Henry assumes the vice provost’s position from David Minter who
served as interim vice provost and university librarian during the
past academic year. Minter, the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of
English, provided strong leadership at Fondren for students, faculty
and administrators, Auston said.

“During this period of transition, David maintained momentum in
moving the library forward toward its goal of providing greater
resources for faculty and students at Rice,” Auston said. “We are
grateful to David for devoting so much of his time and energy to
this job during the past year.”

Henry earned his bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from
Northwest Missouri State University and his master’s and doctoral
degrees in comparative literature from Columbia University.
Prior to taking on the Vassar College job, Henry served as
assistant director of the Division of Humanities and History at
Columbia University. In that post he had day-to-day management
responsibility and for long-term planning of the division.

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