USU Dean of Libraries Brad Cole Retires

After serving as Utah State University’s Dean of University Libraries for seven years and spending 38 years in academia, Bradford Cole has formally announced his retirement, effective June 30.

“We thank Dean Cole for his exemplary service to USU University Libraries and the USU community at large,” said USU Executive Vice President and Provost Francis D. Galey. “His dedication and leadership has provided better access to research, special collections and archives, online records and scholarships for students, scholars and the public.”

Cole enjoyed continuing to help others learn about the importance and joy found in libraries.

“My plans for retirement include spending lots of time with my border collies and tending to my large vegetable gardens, while I wait for what comes my way next,” Cole said.

Cole received his master’s in history from Utah State University in 1980. During that time, he conducted archival research in the Merrill-Cazier Library.

“I was constantly asked what I would do with a master’s in history,” Cole said. “It took awhile but I found the answer in the library.”

It was during that time that he discovered the unheard voices of history that could be found in the archive. Throughout his career, he worked to continue to add more of those voices to the archives.

Cole was hired at USU Libraries in 1983 as the curator of manuscripts for the Special Collections and Archives unit. He left USU in 1995 to serve Northern Arizona University in the same capacity. In 2004 he jumped at the chance to return to USU and was hired as the director of Special Collections and Archives. During this period, with the help of Special Collections and Archives staff, he expanded the oral history program and strengthened the exhibition programming. He created paid student internships for the department to help students interested in a career in archives an opportunity to work and learn about special collections.

In July 2014, Cole served as interim dean of libraries for a period of 18 months and was appointed as permanent dean on January 1, 2016. During his tenure as dean, Cole oversaw the development of many new services, including design workshops, Open Educational Resources (OER) grants and compliance assistance for federally-funded grants for associated research data.

“His leadership and management skills were exemplary during the development of library programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Todd Welch, associate dean. “Dean Cole’s thoughtful management style is respected widely among USU administration and faculty. The library was lucky to have him.”

Jennifer Duncan, head of Special Collections and Archives, will serve as interim dean of libraries while a search is conducted to find Cole’s permanent successor.