University Librarian and Chief Knowledge Officer Search | Academic Affairs

Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library University Librarian and Chief Knowledge Officer Search

About the Search

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) invites applications and nominations for a forward-thinking leader to serve as the University Librarian and Chief Knowledge Officer. As UNO advances its metropolitan mission and research growth, this role will position Criss Library as a future-ready knowledge enterprise that fuels innovation, digital transformation, and student success.

The UL/CKO will guide the evolution of the library beyond traditional models, advancing digital scholarship, data stewardship, and emerging technologies while strengthening the library’s role as a catalyst for collaboration and community engagement. This leader will shape how knowledge is created, shared, and activated across the university and beyond.

Search Committee Members

Jason Browning, Vice Chancellor, Division of Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success - Search Committee Chair
Candice Batton, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs - ex officio member
Melissa Berke, Associate Dean, College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media
Evan Boyd, Dean, Calvin T. Ryan Library and Loper Success Hub, UNK
Melissa Cast-Brede, Associate Professor, Teacher Education
Julie Dierberger, Chief Engagement Officer, Community Engagement Center
Brian Dorn, Associate Dean, College of Information Science & Technology
Jeff Kuskie, Electronic Resource Manager, Criss Library
Hillary Nather-Detisch, Executive Director, Samual Bak Museum: The Learning Center
Tammi Owens, Director and Associate Professor, Research and Instruction Services, Criss Library
Connie Schaffer, Senior Director, Center for Faculty Excellence, and Professor, Teacher Education
Lori Schwartz, Assistant Professor, Archives and Special Collections, Criss Library

Leadership Profile and Application Information

Additional information about the University Librarian and Chief Knowledge Officer search can be found in the Leadership Profile including information about the opportunity and the library as well as about UNO and Omaha. Applications must be submitted electronically via the UNO Employment website by July 31 to receive full consideration.

Inquiries about the opportunity should be directed to Jason Browning, Search Committee Chair at jasonbrowning@unomaha.edu. Candidate nominations are welcome and can be be submitted through the nomination survey. All inquiries and nominations will be held in the strictest of confidence.

Our Library | Our Campus | Our City

Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library

The Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library at UNO serves as the primary academic information hub for the university community, blending robust physical spaces with extensive digital resources to support teaching, learning, and research. Housed in a building originally constructed in 1976 and expanded in 2006, the library offers modern facilities—including collaborative study rooms, the Creative Production Lab, the Osborne Family Gallery, a peaceful reflection garden, and a lactation room. With over 700,000 volumes, tens of thousands of journal titles, and unique special collections such as the Chuck Hagel papers and the Arthur Paul Afghanistan Collection, Criss Library supports a wide array of academic and archival needs. Whether you’re working at a high-tech workstation or relaxing with a book and coffee, Criss Library fosters an environment of intellectual discovery, collaboration, and community engagement.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha

UNO is Nebraska’s metropolitan university – a university with strong academic values and significant relationships with our community that transforms and improves the lives of those on a local, regional, national, and international level.

For more than 100 years, UNO has been firmly anchored in its community, forging partnerships with business, government, education, arts, and civic organizations. Today, the campus is known for its student-centered environment, its community engagement, and its dedication to embracing students from all types of backgrounds.

Omaha, Nebraska

Located on the eastern border of Nebraska, near the Missouri River, the city of Omaha is a center of creativity, business, and philanthropy. This is where Fortune 500 companies, visionary nonprofits, award-winning arts and culture, and innovative start-ups flourish and attract a range of world-class talent—from entrepreneurs to artists.

Omaha is more than simply our location; the city truly functions as part of the UNO campus. With a population of more than 1.2 million within a 50-mile radius, Omaha is integral to what UNO is as a university and offers unlimited opportunities for collaboration. UNO and Omaha enjoy a dynamic, fruitful, long-term partnership with a shared goal: changing the lives of students and residents while enriching the global community.