Jennifer Vinopal, The Ohio State University Libraries Associate Dean for Distinctive Collections and Digital Programs, has accepted the position of Associate Director for HathiTrust. Vinopal’s last day with University Libraries will be Feb. 24. She begins her new role on March 13.
Vinopal joined University Libraries as Associate Director for Information Technology in November, 2016. She later served as interim Associate Director for Special Collections and Area Studies in addition to her regular duties before being appointed to her current position overseeing both areas in August, 2019.
“Jennifer has made significant contributions to University Libraries, particularly as we navigated the transition to remote work during the pandemic and as we re-evaluated both our collections and our collections strategy through an equity lens,” said Damon E. Jaggars, Dean and Vice Provost, The Ohio State University Libraries. “I am excited to see how she carries that work forward in her role with HathiTrust and look forward to continuing to work with her.”
As Associate Director for HathiTrust, Vinopal will assume a key leadership role as the organization undertakes plans for a significant renewal of infrastructure, services and operational processes and will help shape plans for new staffing and operations to ensure HathiTrust’s continued success. She will provide leadership, support and advocacy for HathiTrust staff as they strengthen existing services and help position colleagues for future growth and development. She will also oversee the evaluation and assessment of HathiTrust’s programs and services, monitor progress on goals and objectives and ensure that these are achieved.
As the AD for Distinctive Collections and Digital Programs with University Libraries, Vinopal provided vision, leadership and strategic direction for University Libraries special collections and area studies programs, which offer distinctive research, teaching and learning, and outreach services to the Ohio State community and beyond. She also supported the development of various commercial and open-source IT projects, digital preservation, web development, content management and discovery services and information security.