As a teenager helping her mother sort books in the public library in Stellenbosch, South Africa, Lorraine Haricombe (MSLIS '88, PhD '92) didn't realize that one day she would become a recognized leader in the field of librarianship. As director of their hometown library, Haricombe's mother influenced her daughter's career path and instilled in her a love of learning.
"She taught me to read stories of our culture to the young. And she taught me to make sure they checked out books in the (then) two languages: our spoken language and our written language," said Haricombe.
Haricombe earned a bachelor's degree in library and information science, psychology, and sociology and an honors graduate degree in library and information science from the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. She served as assistant library director and library director at the (then) Peninsula Technikon in Bellville, South Africa, before applying to graduate programs in the US.
When Haricombe received a scholarship from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (now iSchool) at the University of Illinois to pursue her MSLIS degree, she was elated.
"As a single mother with two young daughters, it was a letter from the University of Illinois that would change the rest of my life and that of my family. I was excited to check the atlas in my house in South Africa to locate Urbana-Champaign on the map," said Haricombe.
Once she arrived, she felt she had made the right choice. With its "beautiful tree-lined streets," the community felt like her hometown in South Africa. At the iSchool, Haricombe found the faculty to be globally minded and welcoming to international students such as herself.
"The opportunity to study at one of the largest research libraries in the world opened my eyes to a whole new world of information. I discovered more books about my own country on the library shelves than I could ever have access to in South Africa as a librarian," she said. "The support I received and my experience as an international graduate student at the top-ranked iSchool and university library prepared me to lead large academic libraries for impact with passion and confidence."
After completing her MSLIS, she continued her studies and earned her PhD. Professor F. W. Lancaster served as her dissertation advisor. According to Haricombe, her education at Illinois provided her with the skills she needed for a successful career in academic libraries.
"I graduated with a 'tool kit' of techniques. I was taught how to use the tools, but their actual use would be up to me. The techniques included such topics as knowledge organization, working with teams, budgets, and the lofty reaches of leadership," said Haricombe. "I remain eternally grateful for the doors that the iSchool helped open for me to enjoy a long and fulfilling career. As I reflect on it, I realize I have been blessed beyond measure and that I could not do it alone."
Throughout her career, Haricombe served in leadership roles at several academic libraries, including Northern Illinois University, Bowling Green State University, the University of Kansas, and the University of Texas at Austin. Her accomplishments include directing the implementation of a faculty-led, open access policy at the University of Kansas, the first public institution in the US with such a policy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Haricombe steered the University of Texas Libraries to ensure academic continuity, while also serving as president of the Association of Research Libraries Board of Directors. Haricombe retired as director and vice provost of the University of Texas Libraries in 2025. In her retirement, she enjoys traveling, reading, running/walking, and volunteering in community services.
She has been a loyal donor to the iSchool over the years, especially to funds in honor of her former professors, and recently established the Lorraine Haricombe Scholarship Fund. The new scholarship is a token of appreciation for the support she received as a graduate student.
"I am giving back in gratitude for the iSchool's investment in me to prepare me for a wonderful career in academic librarianship," she said. "I want to pay forward and give other students, especially international students, a similar opportunity. It’s the right thing to do."