Richardson named dean of Library Services at The W
After nearly a decade of service at Mississippi University for Women, Hillary Richardson has been promoted to dean of Library Services at Fant Memorial Library, effective June 1.
“I am pleased that Hillary Richardson is our new Dean of Library Services. Her work reflects a deep commitment to empowering students and faculty alike. Her approach is aligned with our vision of the library as a dynamic hub for research, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration,” said Nora Miller, president of The W.
Richardson has served as interim dean of Library Services since January 2025.
“I’m excited about watching our faculty, staff and students excel in and through the library,” Richardson said. “All libraries – especially ours – are a place for opportunity and discovery. It’s exciting to see that potential morph into concrete accomplishments for the people we support.”
Richardson joined Fant Memorial Library in 2017 as an associate professor and coordinator of undergraduate research and information literacy. She was promoted to the rank of professor in 2025. During her time at The W, Richardson has directed the operations of the Office of Undergraduate Research, coordinated of library instruction across campus and served as a liaison to the Honors College, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. Earlier in her career, Richardson taught English composition as an adjunct instructor during the 2012–2013 academic year at The W.
Her scholarly work has focused on topics such as teaching critical reading skills, data literacy, marketing electronic library resources and collaborative digital history projects. She has presented on issues including literacy, student success, interdisciplinary partnerships and English literature.
Richardson holds a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Southern Mississippi, where her master’s project focused on writing initiatives and information literacy. She also earned a Master of Arts in English from the University of Mississippi and a Bachelor of Arts with honors in English from Millsaps College.
Her professional experience includes roles at Mississippi State University’s Mitchell Memorial Library, where she served as assistant professor and humanities librarian. She also held earlier positions at the University of Mississippi and Vanderbilt University.