Jon Cawthorne

Jon E. Cawthorne serves as a Librarian IV at Wayne State University Library System with responsibilities as the campus liaison for ICPSR, Criminal Justice, and Political Science. Nationally, Cawthorne serves in leadership on several national boards, WikiEducation, Lived Places Publishing and Furious Flower Poetry Center. Cawthorne began his library leadership career in Detroit, as director of the Detroit Public Library’s flagship Main Library branch, where he was later named interim deputy director to lead the entire 24-branch system through an organizational transition. Cawthorne served as Dean of Wayne State University Library and School of Information Sciences between 2017-2023. Before becoming West Virginia University Libraries dean in 2014, Cawthorne also held library leadership positions at Florida State University, Boston College, and San Diego State University. He holds an MLS degree from the University of Maryland, and a PhD in managerial leadership in the information professions from Simmons University. His published research bridges the realms of diversity, poetry, libraries, organizational culture, and leadership. In 2024, Cawthorne begins teaching the leadership and management course at Syracuse University iSchool.