Melissa L. Just holds the Valerie and Ronald Sugar Dean’s Chair of the USC Libraries. Her appointment in November 2023 represents a return to USC, where she both started her academic library career and received her doctor of education (EdD) degree. As dean she is responsible for the strategic and operational success of the libraries as a vital academic and administrative unit.

With an academic library career rooted in health sciences librarianship, Just held positions of increasing leadership responsibilities at USC, UC San Francisco, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, City of Hope, and UC San Diego. Her senior administrative appointments include service as associate university librarian and director of New Brunswick Libraries at Rutgers University and dean, University Library at the University of Saskatchewan.

Just is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Previous board service includes the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (vice chair), the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), and the Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium (SCELC).

She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from UC Riverside, a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Texas at Austin, and a doctor of education degree from the USC Rossier School of Education.