The MU Libraries are pleased to announce that Steven Pryor has been appointed head of Digital Scholarship. This new position will lead the newly created unit within the Research, Access and Instructional Services division. This unit will provide critical support and leadership for digital and open scholarship initiatives that advance the MU’s commitment to research excellence.

The Digital Scholarship Unit will provide leadership for developing and maintaining repository and publishing infrastructure to preserve, curate and host content created by MU scholars or owned by the MU Libraries and will be available to consult with librarians and scholars on the implementation and use of digital scholarly tools, methods and applications. In addition, the unit will work with library colleagues to advance open scholarship through advocacy and education in the areas of open access, open educational resources, research metrics and data management.

The formation of this new unit reflects our belief that digital scholarship, digital curation and preservation, and open scholarship are part of the critical infrastructure necessary to support scholarly research at a large research university.

Steven Pryor previously served at MU as digital scholarship librarian since 2018 and as the interim head of Digital Services since April 2021. Steven has a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Southern Illinois University. Steven previously served as head of information and technology services (ITS) operations for the University of Washington Libraries. Before that he served as the ITS special projects librarian. Other previous positions include director of digital initiatives and technologies at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and technology manager for Saint Louis University Libraries.

The MU Libraries are pleased to announce that Rae Thudium has been appointed as the head of the Veterinary Medical Library. Originally from Springfield, Missouri, Rae earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Columbia College and a Master of Library and Information Science at the University of Missouri. She has served as the interim head librarian since the departure of Kate Anderson in July, 2021. Previously, she was a library associate at the Daniel Boone Regional Library and the interim executive assistant at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. Her goals for the veterinary library include ensuring the library is a safe, quiet place for all, and updating the print collection to include additional eBook options.

The MU Libraries are pleased to announce that Vera Elwood has been hired as the head of the Journalism Library. Vera comes to Mizzou from Central Methodist University, where she was the instructional services librarian for three years. Prior to that, Vera served as young adult librarian and, later, outreach librarian at the Hays Public Library for three years. Vera may have gotten her Master of Library Science degree from Emporia State University in Kansas, but she became a third generation Mizzou legacy when she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communication from the University of Missouri.