We’re proud to announce that Eric Johnson will join the faculty of UVa Library’s Digital Research and Scholarship department this July as Head of Outreach & Consulting.  In his new role, Eric will direct day-to-day public services in the Library’s vibrant Scholars’ Lab and help to coordinate our intellectual programming as well as our transformative program for Graduate Fellows in the Digital Humanities, now entering its fifth year.

Eric comes to us from The Thomas Jefferson Foundation (Monticello) where he currently serves as New Media Specialist, guiding Monticello’s connection to its user community and the development of organizational media policies and services. While at the Foundation, Eric participated in a number of digital initiatives, including the Jefferson Encyclopedia and the Thomas Jefferson Libraries project, and coordinated more traditional library services for users such as reference and research assistance for Foundation staff and visiting fellows. He holds degrees in history from the College of William & Mary and George Mason University, as well as an MS in Library and Information Science from FSU, and has two decades of experience in public service in the library and cultural heritage sector. Eric’s recent and forthcoming publications showcase his thoughtful approach to user engagement in digital scholarship, and his deep commitment to libraries as places of community and hospitality for scholars, students, staff, and the general public.

We look forward to welcoming Eric and his wife, Sheryl, to the Scholars’ Lab family this summer!