Irwin, Kathy
Biography
Kathy M. Irwin began her role as dean of the university libraries at Central Michigan University in April 2018.
After earning her B.S. in Secondary Education, Irwin taught middle school and high school English in Hong Kong and Southeast Michigan. While working on her master’s degree in library science, she served as technology intern at Southfield Public Library. Upon completing her library degree, she began her professional library career at Comerica, Inc., in Detroit, MI. She advanced in administrative roles serving as head of circulation services at the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Mardigian Library and director of library services at Mott Community College in Flint, MI. She was appointed associate dean of university libraries at CMU in 2013.
Irwin has served on library boards and committees at the state and national level including the Michigan Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Currently, she serves as vice-president of the Library of Michigan Foundation’s Board of Directors and chair of its board development committee. She is past president of Michigan Library Association (MLA), past chair of the Library of Michigan Board of Trustees, and past president of the Michigan chapter of the Special Libraries Association.
More about Kathy Irwin
Publications & Presentations
Irwin, K. M. (2021). Characteristics influencing academic librarians’ political skills: Keys to organizational effectiveness and career success. Journal of Library Administration, 61(2), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2020.1853471
Chaudhary, A., Irwin, K. M., & Nguyen, D. H. K. (2020). Open access legislation and regulation in the United States: Implications for higher education. Journal of Copyright in Education & Librarianship, 4(1), 1-28.
https://doi.org/10.17161/jcel.v4i1.13637
Irwin, K. M., & deVries, S. (2019). Experiences of academic librarians serving as interim library leaders. College and Research Libraries, 80(2), 238-259. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.80.2.238
Brooks, C., Irwin, K. M., Kriigel, B. J., Richards, T. F., & Taylor, E. (2007). What, so what, now what. IN Evidence Based Librarianship: case studies and active learning exercises. Oxford, England: Chandos, pp. 63-84. https://www.cmich.edu/research/cmu-library
Education
B.S. in Secondary Education, major: English & Language Arts, Concordia University, Seward, NE
M.S. in Library Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Master of Public Administration, The University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI