Vice Provost and University Librarian

The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) has selected Erla Heyns as its next Vice Provost for University Libraries. She will assume her new role on January 1, 2024.  

Dr. Heyns will join UW from Purdue University where she currently serves as Associate Dean for Learning in the Libraries and School of Information Studies. At Purdue, she has led the teaching and learning work for Purdue Libraries, focusing on campus engagement, collaborating with associate deans and other leaders involved in student success. Dr. Heyns has worked with librarians and staff to develop new ways to integrate the work of librarians with academic departments. She also teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on mentoring at Purdue and mentoring workshops nationally. Prior to Purdue, Dr. Heyns was previously at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, as the director of the Flower-Sprecher Veterinary Library and the coordinator for the engineering, math and physical sciences libraries. Before that, she was the head of Indiana University’s Health, Physical Education and Recreation Library.

As vice provost, Dr. Heyns will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic programs and initiatives to ensure that UW–Madison’s libraries are invaluable partners in the educational mission of the university and that they provide high-quality services and programs that catalyze teaching, learning, research and scholarship.

Dr. Heyns received a doctoral and master’s degree from the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University, a master’s degree in advanced clinical practice from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, and a bachelor’s degree in history and Afrikaans/Dutch literature from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Anita Tien led this search with Hayden Lizotte, supported by Christina Errico.