by Sarah Bender
The University Libraries is proud to announce the installation of Associate Dean for Distinctive Collections Julia Corrin as the inaugural Michael and Lonna Smith University Archivist, an endowed position made possible through the generosity of two longtime friends and supporters of Carnegie Mellon University, Michael and Lonna Smith.
Corrin was installed on November 5, in a ceremony attended by CMU leaders, faculty, staff, students and special guests. Helen and Henry Posner, Jr. Dean of the University Libraries Keith Webster shared remarks that recognized Corrin’s achievement, followed by additional words from Deputy Chief of Staff Pam Eichenbaum, Humanities & Social Sciences Librarian Charlotte Kiger Price, and Vice President for University Advancement David Bennett. The Smiths also addressed attendees, and remarks by Corrin closed out the program.
“In honoring Julia with this title, we affirm the essential place of archives in scholarship, memory, and the future of Carnegie Mellon,” Webster said. “Julia has led the University Archives with vision, rigor, and deep care. Her appointment to this position is not only a recognition of her extraordinary leadership, it’s a reflection of the trust we place in her to shape how Carnegie Mellon remembers, teaches, and inspires. It is a true honor to mark this milestone with her and to celebrate her contributions to the university’s legacy and future.”
Since she joined the Libraries in 2014, Corrin has been at the heart of the Archives’ mission to steward the collective memory of CMU, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of the community by collecting, preserving, and providing access to materials of the university that have lasting historical value. She was named Associate Dean of Distinctive Collections in 2023, which expanded her role and increased her ownership over the division’s strategic direction.
In 2022, Corrin served as project lead for the migration of the Libraries’ Digital Collections to Islandora 8, an open-source digital repository system that increased the accessibility of the collections. Under her leadership, the Libraries became one of the first libraries to institute the platform, launching the largest repository in production.
Corrin has also played an integral role in the establishment of the Libraries’ exhibition program, which has put the spotlight on key CMU innovations and traditions like robotics and Buggy. Her team has partnered with the Office of the President to extend the exhibition program beyond the walls of Hunt Library, curating a selection of books and objects for a display for President Farnam Jahanian’s bookshelf, and crafting an exhibit for the Hillman House residence that celebrates the university’s history and traditions. Most recently, she curated the current exhibition “Room to Imagine,” which celebrates 125 years of CMU students, faculty, and staff who turned their imagination into reality with breakthroughs that permeate our daily lives.
As the Michael and Lonna Smith University Archivist, Corrin will continue her work to expand the scope and accessibility of the Archives, inspiring the CMU community to seek knowledge of the past, tell stories from university history, and utilize the collections in their research.
“This endowment represents a profound investment in CMU's collective memory,” Corrin said. “It provides us with the stability and vision to be proactive stewards, to identify gaps in our collections, to document communities and initiatives as they occur, and to ensure that future scholars and students have access to a rich, multifaceted archive. Michael and Lonna have made it possible for us to build an archive that doesn't just look backward, but actively shapes how Carnegie Mellon's story will be understood for generations to come."
Michael Smith, a 1968 College of Engineering graduate, and Lonna Smith, who graduated from the College of Fine Arts in 1969, are longstanding CMU alumni, volunteers, and donors. They support a wide range of programs across the entire university including the University Libraries, the College of Fine Arts, and the College of Engineering, and received the Alumni Service Award at the 2021 CMU Alumni Awards. They previously supported the buildout of the first floor gallery in Hunt Library, and created an endowment to fund exhibitions that celebrate collections held by the University Archives. They are also major supporters of the ongoing digitization of the General Photograph Collection, which visually documents life at Carnegie Mellon University from its founding to the present day.
“The Smiths’ support has transformed our digitization capabilities, opening CMU’s story to generations of students, researchers, and alumni,” Webster said. “And with this new commitment, they have ensured that the University Archives will remain at the very heart of CMU’s identity — not just preserved, but active, visible, and connected to the life of the university.”
