University of Pennsylvania Libraries Announces Brigitte Weinsteiger as Inaugural Gershwind & Bennett Family Associate Vice Provost for Collections and Scholarly Communications

The University of Pennsylvania Libraries is pleased to announce the establishment of the Gershwind & Bennett Family Associate Vice Provost for Collections and Scholarly Communications, generously funded by a $2 million gift from Penn Libraries Board of Advisors Chair Erik Gershwind, W’93 and Stacey Gershwind Bennett, C’95. The newly endowed position will be held by Brigitte Weinsteiger, who has been the Libraries’ Associate Vice Provost for Collections and Scholarly Communications since April 2020.

“My family and I could not be happier to create this endowed position and sustain the important work Brigitte Weinsteiger leads with prominent regard,” Gershwind said. “Collections and scholarly communications are really the engine of the Penn Libraries that propels teaching and research – this position is crucial for the Libraries to support the Penn community.”

"We are delighted that Brigitte is being honored with an endowed position and offer profound gratitude to Erik and Stacey for this strong expression of support,” said Constantia Constantinou, the H. Carton Rogers III Vice Provost and Director of Libraries. “This level of recognition encourages our talented library staff and thought leaders to be bold and creative in their work, and their innovation will in turn extend the Penn Libraries’ influence nationally and internationally.”

As the head of the Collections and Scholarly Communications division, Weinsteiger directs the strategy, advancement, and growth of the Penn Libraries’ collections while promoting academic engagement and research, publishing, and instructional support both on campus and within the Greater Philadelphia community. Weinsteiger is also a thought leader in scholarly communications. She represents Penn on the Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation Collections Group, the Program Council of the Northeast Research Libraries Consortium (NERL), and the Collections Advisory Council of the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc. (PALCI). In addition, she serves on the advisory boards for a number of prominent publishing and distribution vendors, including Project MUSE, EBSCO Books, and JSTOR. At Penn, Weinsteiger is a founding member of the Faculty Senate Select Committee on Scholarly Communications and a member of the Internal Advisory Committee of the Environmental Innovations Initiative.

Weinsteiger began her career in libraries at the Pennsylvania State University’s Eberly Family Special Collections Library. Prior to her current position, she held various positions at Penn, including serving as a collections analyst and a subject specialist for medieval studies and Germanic languages and literatures. 

“I am deeply honored to be the first Gershwind & Bennett Family Associate Vice Provost for Collections and Scholarly Communications,” Weinsteiger said. “This endowment is a testament to the ongoing importance and impact of the Libraries, as we partner with communities at Penn and beyond to produce, preserve, and provide access to knowledge. I am so grateful to Erik and Stacey for ensuring that we can continue to deliver essential library collections and our support for teaching and research on campus for a long time to come.”

The newly endowed position sets the stage for a new fundraising campaign focusing on the Penn Libraries’ preeminent staff. The Talent Endowment Campaign will enable the Libraries to attract top candidates and ensure talented staff reach their full potential by providing stability and resources that advance their work.

ABOUT THE PENN LIBRARIES
The Penn Libraries provides a network of information resources and knowledge services that are vital to teaching, research, and learning at the University of Pennsylvania. This network includes 14 physical libraries, recognized for their collections, and a digital library known for innovation and richness of content. Through exhibitions and lectures, and through the acquisition and preservation of literary and artistic artifacts, the Penn Libraries documents a wealth of social and historical periods, bringing scholarship to life at the University and in the various communities it serves.