Marshall University has named Dr. Anne Marie Casey as the inaugural director of its newly established School of Library Science.

Casey brings more than four decades of experience in librarianship and academic leadership to this pivotal role. She retired in 2023 as director of the Hunt Library at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and previously served as associate dean of libraries at Central Michigan University. Her extensive career also includes leadership and professional positions at National University in San Diego, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Springfield City Library in Massachusetts.

“We are honored to welcome Dr. Casey to Marshall,” said Dr. Monica Brooks, dean of University Libraries. “Her expertise, vision and national network will be instrumental in shaping West Virginia’s first Master of Science in Library Science (MSLS) program to meet the evolving needs of our communities and the profession.”

Casey earned her Ph.D. in Managerial Leadership in the Information Professions from Simmons University, a Master of Arts in Library Science from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts in Medieval Studies from The Catholic University of America, and a bachelor’s degree in Classics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

An active member of the Florida Library Association, she currently chairs its fundraising committee and is also a member of the American Library Association. In addition to her leadership roles, Casey continues to provide consulting services to libraries and consortia nationwide.

The School of Library Science at Marshall University will begin admitting students this fall and will offer its first courses in Spring 2026. The MSLS is a terminal degree offered fully online to address the critical shortage of professional librarians in West Virginia and beyond.