Lisa A. German is Dean of Libraries and Elizabeth D. Rockwell Chair at the University of Houston Libraries. Before joining UH, German served as Associate Dean for Collections, Information, and Access Services at Penn State University, and has also held leadership positions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Wright State University. She joined the University of Houston in 2015.
German has widely published and presented in the areas of library collections, management, planning, policy development, implementation and assessment. She is co-author of the 2013 book, SPEC Kit 339: Innovation and R&D in Libraries, an examination of the role of research libraries in the strategic advancement of innovative measures. Consistently engaged in professional development, German has participated in the Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians at Harvard University, as well as the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Research Library Leadership Fellows Program.
German is active in professional service at the university, regional, and national levels, having chaired a number of committees on various aspects of acquisitions and technical services. She has served on several editorial and advisory boards, including a current appointment for Library Resources and Technical Services. Notable for her expertise in collections, technical services, organizational and workflow assessment, as well as strategy, German has been a sought-after consultant to academic research libraries on an international scale.
Recognized for her contributions to the advancement of the profession, German is the recipient of several awards from the University of Illinois, and the American Library Association (ALA) – Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS). She is a member of several national organizations, including ALA and ALCTS. She holds a Master of Science in library and information science and a Bachelor of Arts in history, both from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Lisa’s term on the Steering Committee will expire in December 2018.