Erla P. Heyns

Erla P. Heyns serves as Dean and Vice Provost of Libraries at the University of Wisconsin–Madison since January 2024 and holds a concurrent role as Professor of Practice at the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences’ Information School. Previously, she was Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Learning at Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies (2016–2024). Her career includes leadership roles at Cornell University’s Veterinary and Engineering Libraries, and Indiana University’s Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Library.

Her research focuses on academic library leadership, library management, and mentoring programs for faculty librarians. She explores topics such as inclusive digital scholarship infrastructure, library fundraising strategies, and generational dynamics in leadership. Her work emphasizes practical frameworks like project management maturity models for libraries.

Her publications (2018–2020) reflect a focus on actionable insights for library professionals, including mentorship design, infrastructure development, and organizational culture. No scientific awards are explicitly listed, but her contributions to library practice are evident through her leadership roles and peer-reviewed output.

Erla’s roles span strategic library administration and academic teaching. No formal advisees or grants are documented here, though her positions imply institutional-level impact. She is affiliated with UW-Madison’s Memorial Library and leads cross-functional library teams.