Jones became dean of the Atlanta University School of Library Service, a pivotal position she held for over three decades, shaping generations of Black librarians.
In 1945, Virginia Lacy Jones was appointed Dean of the School of Library Service at Atlanta University (now part of Clark Atlanta University), a position she would hold for over three decades until her retirement in 1981. This appointment was historically significant because the Atlanta University School of Library Service was, for many decades, the only accredited library school in the United States that primarily trained African American librarians.
Under her leadership, the school became a cornerstone institution for the professional development of Black librarians throughout the segregated South and beyond, at a time when many library schools refused to admit Black students. Jones worked tirelessly to secure and maintain accreditation for the program from the American Library Association, ensuring its graduates received full professional recognition.
Her deanship represented a critical intervention against the structural racism embedded in American library science education. Thousands of librarians who served Black communities, schools, and universities across the country were trained under her guidance, dramatically expanding access to library services and literacy in underserved communities. Her long tenure cemented her legacy as one of the most important administrators in the history of American library science education.