NORMAL - Illinois State University has promoted it's dean of libraries, Cheryl Elzy, to head a new area of the ISU academic affairs office.

She'll begin work as part of Provost Sheri Dean Everts' staff in January. ISU will begin a national search for a new library chief this summer.

As assistant vice president of academic affairs, Elzy will oversee several new initiatives, including an expansion of ISU's digital projects, the role of the 21st century library, and environmentally-friendly information technology systems. She'll also help create a joint academy with Illinois Wesleyan University about leadership development, said Noren Everts. Elzy will join five other senior administrators in the provost's office.

Elzy, dean since 1996, has worked at ISU nearly 30 years, first as a library sciences instructor and later as general reference librarian at Milner Library.