Botticelli, Kubic appointed to new roles at Southwestern Seminary library

Jill Botticelli and J. Craig Kubic have been appointed director of libraries and archivist and librarian emeritus, respectively, at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, David S. Dockery, interim president, announced today.

“Jill Botticelli has served Southwestern Seminary well in various capacities in recent years,” Dockery said. “She brings to this leadership role in the library a deep commitment to Christ, to the mission of Southwestern, to the importance of serious research, and to the value of good books and resources. Her desire to serve students, faculty, and staff will set the tone for all who serve with her in this capacity.”

In her new role, Botticelli, who has served at Southwestern Seminary since 2015, most recently as the associate director of the B.H. Carroll Center for Baptist Heritage and Mission and seminary archivist, will oversee the A.W. Webb Roberts Library, the Kathryn Sullivan Bowld Music Library, and the Seminary Hill Bookstore. She is the first female to serve as the institution’s director of libraries and will retain her role as the seminary’s archivist.

“This new role is a progression of the work that I have been doing,” Botticelli explained. “It’s going to allow me to have more interactions with students, which I love, and I’m adding some leadership responsibilities.” 

Southwestern Seminary’s research library includes over 1.2 million items that are housed between the Roberts and Bowld libraries. The seminary’s archives, which include the chair of B.H. Carroll, Southwestern Seminary’s founder and first president, and the desk of L.R. Scarborough, the institution’s second president, will also relocate to the second floor of Roberts Library. The archives were previously housed in Carroll House on the south end of the Fort Worth campus.

A self-described “lifetime reader,” Botticelli said one of the things she enjoys about library work is “working with students and augmenting the education process” as she is able to see “the student’s eyes light up when they figure out that there’s this whole world of resources available to them and how that is going to assist them to get their studies done so that they can move forward with their calling.”

Prior to serving at Southwestern Seminary, Botticelli served for eight years as the library director at Arlington Baptist College in Arlington, Texas, where she also earned a bachelor’s degree in music. 

Botticelli, who was born in Kansas but raised in New Zealand where her parents served as missionaries, holds a Master of Library Sciences with a concentration in reference from the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in church history at B.H. Carroll Theological Institute in Irving, Texas. Additionally, in 2017 Botticelli became a certified archivist through the Academy of Certified Archivists.

Kubic, who began serving as the dean of library services at Southwestern Seminary in 2015, was named senior digital resources librarian in June. In his new role as librarian emeritus, he will continue to oversee the institution’s digital resources, digitization projects, and instruction.

“It is a joyful privilege to recognize Craig Kubic’s many years of service to Southwestern through the work of the library,” Dockery said. “His conscientious work has made a significant difference for the entire Southwestern community. This recognition is a small way to say thank you to Dr. Kubic for his valuable service through the years.”

Kubic expressed gratitude for the honor.

“I am grateful and humbled for this honor from Southwestern Seminary,” Kubic said. “I have been privileged to serve the churches of the SBC in the preparation of men and women for the ministry throughout these years of serving as a theological librarian. Southwestern has always and continues to be valued for having among the finest resources for the study of God’s Word.”

Botticelli noted the critical role of digital resources for libraries over the past decade and post-COVID-19 as “digital access is becoming more and more important to students and researchers.” Southwestern Seminary’s digital resources include e-books, journals, digital archival collections, and digital audio collections.

Kubic previously served as the director of libraries at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (1988-2014) and acting library director at what is now Gateway Seminary (1987-88).

Kubic earned a Doctor of Educational Ministry from Midwestern Seminary in 2006. He also holds a Master of Divinity from the formerly named Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Library Science from Louisiana State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in secondary education from Northwestern State University in Louisiana. Kubic also completed additional doctoral study in organization and leadership at the University of San Francisco.

Botticelli and Kubic’s appointments are effective immediately.