Teresa Braden Walker has retired from the University of Tennessee Libraries. She served UT Libraries for 29 years, most recently as Associate Dean of Libraries. Upon retirement, Walker was granted the status of Professor Emerita in recognition of her contributions to the university.

Walker served on many campus-wide committees. During the pandemic, she led the campus committee that outfitted over 300 campus classrooms to support online learning. She helped redesign both learning spaces and curricula, collaborating on courses of study from First Year Studies to certificate programs for graduate students in the School of Information Sciences.

Walker led many initiatives that introduced new services for library users. She implemented UT Libraries’ first online reference services and headed the department that, for the first time, provided learning spaces, services, and technologies on a 24-hour basis. She was instrumental in bringing campus partners such as the Student Success Center and Math Tutorial Center into the Commons; students can now get academic coaching as well as help with research, writing, and math — right in the library.

Walker also played a key role in creating student-centered spaces in the library and across campus. She worked closely with former Executive Associate Dean of Libraries Rita Smith to create a vision for the Commons in Hodges Library. Together they created the Braden and Hoyt Families’ Student Engagement and Outreach Endowment which will continue to support this work in perpetuity.