Danuta A. Nitecki to Step Down as Dean of the Drexel University Libraries

This message was shared with faculty and staff on September 26. 

Dear Colleagues,

After 14 years of distinguished service to Drexel, Danuta A. Nitecki, PhD, will step down from her role as Dean of the University Libraries in January 2024, prior to retiring from Drexel.

When joining Drexel in 2010, Dr. Nitecki accepted the challenging task of defining and implementing an academic library that would meet 21st century needs in our increasingly data and information-dependent society. She has since overseen plans and renovations of five physical library spaces, recommending design criteria for modern informal learning environments such as the bookless Library Learning Terrace and the technology-enhanced 24/7 Dragons’ Learning Den. She also offered internal consulting and operational support for system upgrades and modernization of other Drexel libraries and archives, including those related to the Law School’s Legal Research Center, the Academy of Natural History and the acquired Hahnemann University and associated hospitals.

With an emphasis on community-building and recognizing the critical importance of communications, Dr. Nitecki built an effective, team-based organization with subject and technical knowledge in a wide range of fields. She rejuvenated a dynamic Library Advisory Group which, paired with Library Fellows and subject liaison librarians, strengthened the Libraries’ relationships with deans and faculty. Under her leadership, the Libraries launched the highly read “In Circulation” monthly newsletter and delivered innovative programs such as the ScholarSip socials, the Information Explorers student program, and the annual Drexel Authors celebration.

Dr. Nitecki consistently acted in service to the broader needs of the University, creating several in-depth reports to propose emerging models for embedding scientific reasoning in the curriculum and student learning experiences, as well as for data management. Recognizing and promoting the need for institutional-level data management, she convened the Data Stewardship Group to explore issues around data curation, technologies, training, compliance and security. She also introduced the innovative Drexel Research Portal to aggregate and elevate the visibility of Drexel researchers and their scholarly publications, including data sets.

Her expertise in learning environments, technology applications, library metrics, planning and service models, summarized in Dr. Nitecki’s prolific scholarship and professional services, is internationally recognized. While fulfilling her administrative responsibilities at Drexel, she further expanded her research, and as a tenured professor in the College of Computing & Informatics, she authored or co-authored 20 peer-reviewed publications, including book chapters and conference papers. She is a proud Drexel alumna, having earned an MS degree in Library Science from Drexel before earning her MS in Communications from the University of Tennessee and PhD in Library and Information Science from the University of Maryland College Park. Prior to returning to Philadelphia, Dr. Nitecki held administrative positions in libraries of other highly active research universities including Yale University and the flagship state universities in Maryland, Illinois and Tennessee.

I’m deeply grateful to Danuta for her leadership and tireless efforts to promote and raise the visibility of the Drexel University Libraries by assembling a team of dedicated library staff and as a member of Drexel’s Deans and Academic and Executive Councils. Please join me in thanking Dr. Nitecki for her many years of exceptional service and wishing her well in her future endeavors. In coming weeks, we will identify an interim leader of the Drexel Libraries and plan for recruitment of a permanent replacement.

Sincerely,

Paul E. Jensen
Executive Vice President
Nina Henderson Provost