Michelle Cawley Will Be Next Health Sciences Library Leader at UNC-Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s University Libraries is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Cawley as associate University librarian for health sciences and director of the Health Sciences Library. After serving for two years as interim associate University librarian, she will step into the role permanently beginning July 1, 2024.

Cawley will report to Vice Provost for University Libraries and University Librarian María R. Estorino and serve as a member of the University Libraries’ leadership team. She will develop and sustain a forward-looking vision for the Health Sciences Library (HSL), creating new opportunities for research, teaching, clinical engagement, and public service engagement.

Cawley will lead a staff of 20 health information experts who provide outreach and partnership to Carolina’s five health affairs schools, the UNC Medical Center, and partners that include the North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NC TraCS) and the Carolina Health Informatics Program (CHIP).

“Michelle brings a consistently future-oriented vision,” said Estorino. “She is deeply attuned to the needs of health sciences researchers and to building strong and engaged relationships across campus and beyond. She has led in exploring the potential of data and AI in librarianship and developing our service programs in these areas. I welcome her energy and creativity as the head of HSL and as a strong library-wide leader.”

Cawley brings more than fifteen years of experience as a librarian and leader in health-related organizations. She came to Carolina in 2018 as head of the HSL’s Clinical, Academic, and Research Engagement Unit and was tapped to serve as interim associate University librarian for health sciences in 2022. She previously worked for eight years as a senior technical specialist at ICF, a global consultancy, where she specialized in environmental and public health research.

“I’m thrilled and honored to be selected as the next leader for the Health Sciences Library at the University Libraries,” said Cawley. “HSL enjoys an excellent reputation as a trusted partner with talented and expert staff. I’m especially interested in expanding our clinical and global engagement, deepening and growing campus and community partnerships, and exploring the application of generative AI in our teaching, learning, and research programs.”

Cawley holds an M.L.S. from North Carolina Central University and an M.A. in ecology from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her B.A. in political science is from San Diego State University. In 2023, she became a certified professional coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching.

Cawley has published and presented widely on topics in data science, machine learning and AI, bibliometrics, and the role of academic libraries as research partners. She is co-editor of the 2023 book “Perspectives on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in libraries” and the 2022 “Handbook of research on academic libraries as partners in data science ecosystems,” to which she contributed a chapter about locating evidence using machine learning.

She is a member of the AI Task Force of the Medical Libraries Association, the professional development committee of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, and the Triangle Research Libraries Network advisory council. She co-chaired the University Libraries’ data sciences and AI working group.