ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Jackie McFadden, the interim dean of Winthrop University’s Ida Jane Dacus Library and Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections, will assume the permanent dean’s position on March 1.
Provost Sebastian van Delden announced McFadden’s selection this week.
“I am so very happy to see ‘interim’ being removed from Jackie’s title! At the end of this nationwide search process, Jackie clearly demonstrated that she was the best candidate for this important position,” van Delden said. “She brings with her a wealth of experience, sincere collegiality, and an exciting vision for the library and archives. I am genuinely very excited to work closely with Jackie to level up the library and archives over the coming years.”
He also thanked Beth Costner, dean of the Richard W. Riley College of Education, Sport and Human Sciences, and other committee members for their work on this successful search.
A tenured faculty member, McFadden started her career at Winthrop in 2001 as an interlibrary loan librarian. She has served in a number of roles at Dacus: as coordinator for the Government Documents, Information Literacy, and Outreach departments, reference librarian, head of the Public Services Department, head of the Government Information Services division, and as interim dean since June 2023.
McFadden said she is thrilled to continue her contributions to Winthrop as its library dean. “I look forward to working with Provost Sebastian van Delden and Winthrop faculty, staff, and students to center our library and archives as dynamic hubs of learning, exploration, and innovation that support the evolving academic and research needs of our community and institution,” she said.
Other jobs McFadden has worked include in public services and technical services positions at the Greenville and York county libraries.
More About McFadden
Her research interests include academic library development and management, federal and state government information, Civilian Conservation Corps and Marsh Tacky horses.
She worked with colleagues and equine enthusiasts around the state to establish the Marsh Tacky as South Carolina’s State Heritage Horse. In 2010, she was awarded the Order of the Silver Crescent, the Governor’s highest honor for volunteer and community service, by Governor Mark Sanford “for upholding the highest ideals of servant leadership through committed and faithful service to the library profession, Winthrop University, Dacus Library, numerous community causes, and her efforts to designate the Marsh Tacky as the State Heritage Horse of South Carolina.”
She has given national and international Marsh Tacky presentations at conferences and events, and her photographs of the horses have been published in books and periodicals.
She is co-author of “The Civilian Conservation Corps: A Bibliography” published with retired Dacus Librarian Jean Wells, professor emerita.
McFadden holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia College.
For more information, please contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2236 or e-mail longshawj@winthrop.edu.
