photo by: University of Kansas

Scott Hanrath

The University of Kansas’ interim co-dean for KU Libraries has been announced as a finalist for the permanent dean position at KU.

Scott Hanrath became the second finalist announced for the position of dean of KU Libraries. Hanrath is scheduled to give a public presentation at 3:30 p.m. today in Watson Library on the KU campus.

Hanrath has been with KU Libraries since 2010 and currently serves as associate dean for research engagement, in addition to his interim dean role. In that role, he helps make strategic decisions related to KU Libraries’ digital initiatives, collection development and scholarly communications, as well as working with KU Information Technology and how it interfaces with the libraries.

Previous roles within the department include a focus on digital initiatives and web services. He also has been a senior programmer and systems analyst with KU Information Technology, and has worked in the field of statistics both at Iowa State University and for a private science and mathematics firm.

Hanrath has a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina in information science and an undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

KU earlier announced Nadia Ghasedi, a librarian from Washington University in St. Louis, as one of the finalists for the position. KU intends to announce two other finalists in the coming days.

The KU dean position is open after Kevin Smith announced in June that he would resign as KU libraries dean to take a similar position at Colby College.

People who want to attend Hanrath’s presentation remotely today can do so via a livestream at kansas.zoom.us/j/94190993887#success. The passcode is 384141.