New Orleans, La – Xavier University of Louisiana has announced the appointment of Nancy Hampton as Library Director. Hampton, a long-serving member of the Xavier community, will provide vision, strategic direction and leadership for one of the nation’s leading Historically Black College and University (HBCU) libraries as the university approaches the celebration of its first century of service.  

Hampton has served as Xavier’s Interim Library Director since 2021. Before taking on the role of Interim Director, Hampton was Head of Collection Resources for the Xavier University library for seven years and the Fine Arts Librarian from 2008-2014. Prior to her appointment at Xavier, Hampton served as a librarian at The New York Public Library. Hampton is proud to be an integral part of a place where students can find community, earnest study, and new knowledge. 

“We are excited that Nancy Hampton has agreed to take on the role as Library Director at Xavier," said Dr. Marguerite Giguette, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs. "Her dedication to student development and research ensures that Xavier continues its tradition of excellence in educating our students and providing them with the tools necessary to become leaders.” 

As Library Director, Hampton will continue ensuring students have access to library resources and build an inclusive, diverse, and accepting community through library programming, information sharing, and the university’s multi-faceted library collection. She will foster information accessibility, collaboration between Xavier students, and community building through her enthusiastic leadership of the library staff. 

“I’m excited to step into this role during this pivotal time at the university. My team and I are working to establish a 21st-century library as Xavier approaches its historic centennial,” said Hampton. “As Library Director, I want to encourage Xavierites to utilize the library’s resources for their daily informational and intellectual needs.” 

Nancy contributes to librarianship as a member of the Board of the Catholic Research Resources Alliance and serves in the Acquisition and Collection Development Section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). 

Though a Louisiana native, Hampton experienced a nomadic childhood and experienced diverse cultures as the child of a military veteran. She received her bachelor of science in speech-language pathology from Howard University, her master of science in library studies from Clark Atlanta University, and her master of fine arts in new media from the Transart Institute at Donau Universität Krems. Hampton also has a passion for artwork, using salvaged cotton materials to create sculptures depicting Louisianans circa 1776. Her cloth and fiber work has been exhibited in Kamloops, British Colombia and Vienna, Austria.