Press Release

U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY ANNOUNCES NEW LIBRARY DIRECTOR

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The U.S. Naval Academy announced today that Mr. James Rettig has been selected as the Library Director and Associate Dean for Information Services. Rettig, who is currently the University Librarian, Boatwright Memorial Library, University of Richmond, Richmond, Va. will assume the position at USNA Aug. 1, 2011.

The Library Director and Associate Dean for Information Services is responsible for all aspects of the Nimitz Library operation, including strategic planning, policy and program development, resource management, facilities management, personnel administration, and coordination among and leadership for the heads of the various library departments.

Rettig received his Bachelor of Arts cum laude in 1972 from Marquette University. He earned a Master of Arts in English from Marquette University and a Masters of Arts in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1974 and 1975 respectively.

Rettig’s professional experience includes serving as the Assistant Dean of University Libraries for Reference and Information Services at the Earl Gregg Swem Library at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. and Head Reference Librarian at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He served as president of the American Library Association from 2008-2009.

“Jim Rettig is nationally known among the community of university and college librarians. He brings many years of extraordinary leadership and service gained from many roles within the library community, and we’re very excited to have him join our Naval Academy faculty and lead the Nimitz Library,” said Naval Academy Academic Dean and Provost Dr. Andrew T. Phillips.

Said Rettig, “I am honored to be appointed the next director of the Nimitz Library. I look forward to working with my library colleagues, the faculty, the administration, and the Brigade to build on Nimitz Library’s successes as it continues to support, in ways only a library can, the Naval Academy’s mission to develop midshipmen ‘to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government.’”