HU Appoints Gladys Smiley Bell as Director of Harvey Library

Hampton, VA - Hampton University has appointed Gladys Smiley Bell as the new director of the William R. and Norma B. Harvey Library.  Since 2004, Bell has served as the interim library director and as assistant director for public services prior to that position.  As library director, Bell is responsible for the overall operation and management of the library.

Bell holds an MLS in library science from the Palmer Graduate Library School at Long Island University and a B.S. in zoology and allied sciences from Howard University.   She has previously worked in libraries in New York, Washington, D.C., and Ohio.  She replaces previous director Loretta Parham, who is now the director/chief executive officer at The Robert W. Woodruff Library at the Atlanta University Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bell was recently honored with the 2005 Demco/Black Caucus of the American Library Association Excellence in Librarianship reward.  She is co-chair of the first ever Joint Conference of Librarian’s of Color (JCLC2006) and is active in local and national library organizations.  Bell has served as an elected councilor-at-large for the American Library Association and as a past president for the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

Named for HU President Dr. William R. Harvey and his wife Norma B. Harvey, the Harvey Library meets the information needs of the university community.  Its collection includes more than 350,000 volumes and over 1,000 periodicals, and also provides full-text access to local and national collections through electronic subscriptions and databases. Built in 1992, the library atrium displays “House of the Turtle” and “Treehouse” murals by artist John Biggers.

For additional information regarding Bell’s appointment, please contact Teresa Costine, administrative assistant at Harvey Library, at (757) 727-5371.