Elizabeth Nicholson Department Head, Education and Engagement

F. Elizabeth Nicholson is the Department Head for Education and Engagement. Nicholson has more than fifteen years of experience in academic libraries, taking roles that have developed her expertise in several areas, including campus partnerships, library finances, organizational development, strategic planning, and teaching in libraries.

In her current role, Nicholson collaborates with library faculty and key campus partners to develop creative and innovative ways to foster research and information literacy skills across the undergraduate experience. She is also leading a multi-year project to establish an overarching plan for learning and teaching opportunities offered by Hesburgh Libraries.

Since joining Notre Dame and the Hesburgh Libraries in 2021, Nicholson has also served in two interim roles: as the strategic planning implementation project manager, leading the advancement and communication of organization-wide goals, objectives, key results, and sustainers and as the senior director of operations, overseeing a portfolio including facilities; finance and budget; organizational development; project management; strategic planning; and talent.

Nicholson holds a Master's of Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri, an M.A. in French & Francophone Studies from The University of Iowa, and a B.A. in French and International Studies from Illinois Wesleyan University. Her current research interests include strategic planning in academic libraries, person-centered management, organizational culture in academic libraries, and teaching program development.