Steven Escar Smith is dean of libraries at the University of Tennessee’s flagship campus in Knoxville. In this role, Smith administers the John C. Hodges Main Library and two branch libraries with emphases in music, social work, and agriculture and veterinary medicine, and oversees a budget of $20 million and a collection of more than 3.5 million print and electronic volumes. The UT Libraries ranks 25th among major US public research libraries.
Smith was formerly associate dean for collections, services, and advancement at Texas A&M University. At TAMU, Smith oversaw fundraising initiatives that resulted in more than $19 million in cash and gifts to support the library’s mission in addition to securing the two largest outright gifts in the library’s history. Over the course of his career, Smith has led numerous library renovation and construction projects, led the implementation and integration of numerous programs and services, and built collections of international standing.
