The Carnegie Mellon University Libraries are pleased to announce that Samuel Lemley has been appointed as Curator of Special Collections. Effective March 2, Lemley will work alongside current Senior Librarian of Special Collections Mary Catherine Johnsen, who retires from her position this summer after 38 years of service.
In his role as Curator of Special Collections, Lemley will oversee the collections held in Hunt Library’s Fine and Rare Book Room and Posner Memorial Collection. He will work closely with students and faculty across campus and in collaboration with Libraries’ faculty and staff; most notably the University Archives and Digitization Lab.
“I am deeply honored by this appointment,” Lemley said. “And I look forward to learning the collection and working with faculty and students to further mesh CMU's culture of innovation with our Special Collections, which offer stunning opportunities for object-oriented scholarship and collaboration across disciplines.”
Lemley graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill with a degree in English Literature. He obtained his Master of Library and Information Science from The Palmer School, and will receive his Ph.D. in English Language & Literature from the University of Virginia later this year. His research, writing and teaching focuses on bibliography, antiquarianism, the history of science and math, and early modern material culture & literature.
“I’m thrilled Sam is joining the Libraries,” said Brian Matthews, Associate Dean for Innovation, Preservation, and Access. “His background with the history of science and technology will enable us to strategically cultivate the Special Collections and expand our avenues of engagement across campus. I’ve found Sam to be very thoughtful, curious, and pragmatic and he will undoubtedly be an asset to Carnegie Mellon University.”