Griffin Selected as Assistant Head of Special Collections for University Libraries

University Relations

The University Libraries have appointed Melanie Griffin as the assistant head of the Special Collections department. Griffin began her new post on Oct. 8. 

"We're delighted to welcome Dr. Griffin to University Libraries," said Lori Birrell, head of Special Collections. "She brings tremendous breadth of expertise and experience, and has been successful developing creative approaches to archival work, which in turn encourages use of collections and spaces." 

Born just outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Griffin also lived in South Carolina and Florida prior to joining the University of Arkansas. As assistant head of Special Collections, she will provide strategic direction to the department's work to make collections available for research, instruction and outreach. 

"What I'd love to do is be able to tell the story of the really great work that's already going on in Special Collections and tell it in such a way that a bunch of different constituencies value and appreciate the work that is being done," said Griffin.

Griffin attended the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, where she earned an undergraduate degree in English literature and classics. She attended the University of South Carolina for graduate school, where she earned her Master of Library and Information Science degree with a concentration in rare books and manuscripts. Griffin is a member of the Junior Fellows 2008 class, having completed a fellowship at the Library of Congress in the Rare Books Division where she processed the personal library of former United States Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

She began her career as a metadata and digital projects librarian for the University of South Florida, later becoming curator of children's literature, popular literature and rare books collections in the Special Collections department there. Her doctoral degree from the University of South Florida is in literacy studies with a concentration on children's literature, and her favorite piece of children's literature is Frog and Toad are Friends, by Arnold Lobel. Her mother would read the book to her before Griffin learned to read, herself. 

In her spare time, Griffin enjoys reading, knitting and exploring the Northwest Arkansas trails. 

"I'm excited to be living somewhere with fall," she said. "I've missed fall so much!"