News Release

CHAPEL HILL -- Dr. James F. Govan, university librarian emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, died Saturday (Oct. 2) in Chattanooga, Tenn. He was 78.

In nearly two decades of heading Carolina’s libraries, Govan oversaw the building of the 436,000-square foot Walter R. Davis Library, a stack addition to Wilson Library and Wilson’s renovation for the housing of special collections.

He led the preservation and conservation of UNC's rare book collection and materials at risk. On Govan’s watch, the library’s collections doubled, from 2 million to 4 million volumes. The John Wesley and Anna Hodgins Hanes Foundation of Winston-Salem gave the library’s four-millionth volume in his honor when he retired in 1992.

Govan transitioned the libraries into the new technological age and

spearheaded creation of the Triangle Research Libraries Network. The shared online system gives scholars access to the library holdings of UNC, Duke University and N.C. State University.

"Those of us who have followed Dr. Govan are greatly in his debt for his strong leadership and determined advocacy for the library and its staff," said University Librarian Emeritus Dr. Joe Hewitt, who succeeded Govan. "James Govan was not only a leader, but also a dear friend and inspiring mentor. He will be deeply missed."

A Chattanooga native, Govan earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., a doctorate in history from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and a master’s degree in library science from Emory University in Atlanta.

He began his library career at the University of Alabama and was head librarian at both Trinity University in Austin, Texas, and Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania before becoming University Librarian at Carolina in 1973.

The UNC Library became a founding member of the Southeastern Library Network (SOLINET), and Govan served twice on the SOLINET Board, as chair in 1977. Active in the Association of Research Libraries, he was its president in 1983.

Govan was on the board of the Center for Research Libraries from 1984-1990, which he chaired in 1988. He was involved in other national and international library organizations, including the Commission on Preservation and Access and the Council on Library Resources.

"Dr. Govan guided Carolina’s library through a period of rapid change and growth and significantly improved its standing among research university libraries nationally," said Larry Alford, deputy university librarian, who worked closely with Govan for about 14 years. "He elevated our library to one of the finest research libraries in the nation."

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UNC Library contact: Larry Alford, 919-962-1301, alford@email.unc.edu

News Services contact: L.J. Toler, 919-962-8589