Cromartie named UCLA Library Senior Fellow

Shamella Cromartie, associate dean for organizational performance and administration for Clemson Libraries, has been named a 2024 UCLA Library Senior Fellow. She is one of 20 leaders from academic libraries across the nation selected for the program.

The UCLA Library Senior Fellows program is a three-week residential program that prepares participants for advanced leadership in academic libraries with professional development sessions on topics such as management, strategic thinking and practical and theoretical approaches to issues facing academic libraries. It is considered the longest-running leadership development program in the field of librarianship. 

“Being selected for such a prestigious and highly competitive program is a reflection of the outstanding work and leadership that Dr. Cromartie has brought to Clemson Libraries,” said Dean Chris Cox. “I am proud to have her represent Clemson, and I am excited that she has this opportunity to learn and grow in this incredible program.”

Cromartie joined Clemson Libraries in 2022. She was previously associate dean of libraries at Western Carolina University for three years. Prior to that, she served as head of public services at Fayetteville State University and has held positions at both academic and public libraries.

Cromartie earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice both from Fayetteville State University. She earned her Master of Library Science with an academic concentration from North Carolina Central University and her Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Western Carolina University.

She is a member of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, the South Carolina Library Association (SCLA), and the Society of Human Resource Management. She is the current Chair of the Roundtable for African American Concerns (a section of SCLA).  Previously, she held various leadership positions in the Roundtable on Ethnic Minority Concerns (REMCo), a section of the North Carolina Library Association. In 2019, they which recognized her with the Roadbuilders Award which pays homage to ethnic minority librarians who exemplify courage, integrity, perseverance, and who have contributed to the field of librarianship for their specific category. In 2022, she received the I Love My Librarian Award from the American Library Association for her inclusive approach to supporting research and scholarship at Western Carolina. She was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.