Kathy M. Irwin began her role as dean of the university libraries at Central Michigan University in April 2018.
After earning her B.S. in Secondary Education, Irwin taught middle school and high school English in Hong Kong and Southeast Michigan. While working on her master’s degree in library science, she served as technology intern at Southfield Public Library. Upon completing her library degree, she began her professional library career at Comerica, Inc., in Detroit, MI. She advanced in administrative roles serving as head of circulation services at the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Mardigian Library, director of library services at Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan, and associate dean of CMU Libraries.
Irwin has served on library boards and committees at the state and national level including the Michigan Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). She is past president of Michigan Library Association (MLA), past chair of the Library of Michigan Board of Trustees, past vice-president of the Library of Michigan Foundation’s Board of Directors, and past president of the Michigan chapter of the Special Libraries Association.
Irwin, K. M. (2022). The lived experiences of women academic library deans with workplace networking: A phenomenological study. [Doctoral dissertation, Central Michigan University]. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2863729195
Irwin, K. M. (2021). Characteristics influencing academic librarians’ political skills: Keys to organizational effectiveness and career success. Journal of Library Administration, 61(2), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2020.1853471
Chaudhary, A., Irwin, K. M., & Nguyen, D. H. K. (2020). Open access legislation and regulation in the United States: Implications for higher education. Journal of Copyright in Education & Librarianship, 4(1), 1-28.
https://doi.org/10.17161/jcel.v4i1.13637
Irwin, K. M., & deVries, S. (2019). Experiences of academic librarians serving as interim library leaders. College and Research Libraries, 80(2), 238-259. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.80.2.238
Brooks, C., Irwin, K. M., Kriigel, B. J., Richards, T. F., & Taylor, E. (2007). What, so what, now what. IN Evidence Based Librarianship: case studies and active learning exercises. Oxford, England: Chandos, pp. 63-84. https://www.cmich.edu/research/cmu-library
B.S. in Secondary Education, major: English & Language Arts, Concordia University, Seward, NE
M.S. in Library Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Master of Public Administration, The University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
You're here to learn and explore. We're here to bring the world to your fingertips. See how we do it in our Mission, Vision, and Values.
The Libraries' personnel, collections, services, and facilities foster a dynamic learning and research environment through which our communities can effectively discover, access, and use information. (2018)
The Libraries will be central to learning and research, inspiring users to interact with diverse ideas and create knowledge. (2018)