Dean

Patrick Reakes will serve as interim dean of the George A. Smathers Libraries, effective July 21. Judy Russell, the first Dean of University Libraries, stepped down after 18 years in the role. “Judy left a really strong tradition of having high-quality Libraries for UF, and I want to make…

The George A. Smathers Libraries announced that Judy Russell has chosen to step down as Dean in July 2025. Dean Russell was named UF’s first Dean of University Libraries in 2007. The Libraries have flourished under her leadership, with considerable expansion of the print and digital collections, significant renovations and additional…