Clemson Libraries has named Ariel Turner as its new associate dean for collections and discovery. Turner comes to Clemson from Kennesaw State University’s library system where she serves as department chair of library resources. She will start at Clemson on July 1.
Turner has served at Kennesaw State in various roles since 2010. In her current role, she provides strategic leadership for the Department of Library Resources, overseeing collection development, technical services and systems and online services. Prior to joining Kennesaw State, she served at the Georgia Highlands College Library, the Cobb County Public Library System and the Oglethorpe Museum of Art.
“I am excited to welcome Ariel to the Clemson Libraries family,” said Libraries Dean Chris Cox. “She brings a wealth of experience in collections development and technical services, and she is truly an up-and-coming leader in the field of academic librarianship. I look forward to having her on our leadership team.”
Turner is the first of three new associate deans being hired in the libraries, as a part of the libraries’ newly reorganized structure that is being implemented in July. The collections and discovery division will be responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of all libraries information resources as well as providing access to those resources. Turner will oversee acquisitions, metadata services, digitization services, and special collections and archives.
Turner earned a doctorate in higher education leadership and practice from the University of North Georgia, a Master of Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University and a bachelor’s in international studies and art history from Oglethorpe University. She is a member of the executive council for the Georgia Association for Women in Higher Education and serves as the Kennesaw State representative on the OCLC Global and Regional Council. In 2018, she received the McJenkin-Rheay Award from the Georgia Library Association, and she was awarded an Early Career Librarian Scholarship from the Association of College and Research Libraries in 2015.