Deb Carver is closing the book on her outstanding career after more than 23 years at the University of Oregon Libraries. Carver, the Philip H. Knight Dean of Libraries, will retire at the end of April.

At her retirement celebration on April 21, representatives from across campus, including Provost Scott Coltrane, former Provost Lorraine Davis and members of the UO Libraries faculty, honored Carver’s service and wished her the best in her future endeavors.

In 1990 Carver arrived in Eugene as an assistant university librarian for public services and was eventually promoted to the dean of libraries in 2002. Throughout her career she has improved the library services on campus and also across the state.

After becoming dean of libraries, Carver introduced the Oregon Card program, which offers free borrowing to all Oregonians, opening up the vast university research collections to the entire state.

Carver recently received the Oregon Library Association’s Distinguished Service Award for her stellar career and service. As part of her involvement with the Oregon Library Association, she served as on the legislative committee and chaired the annual conference twice.

The Oregon Senate appointed Carver to the Interim Legislative Committee on Libraries and she served for a decade on the Statewide Database Licensing Committee and the Orbis Cascade Alliance Council.

The nomination letter for the OLA Distinguished Service Award stated, “She has never wavered from the vision of the Orbis Cascade Alliance as a shared resource for all student and faculty in the region.”

- by Melissa Foley, Public Affairs Communications