Susan Schmidt elected United for Libraries president-elect

BRYN MAWR, Pennsylvania — Susan Schmidt, immediate past president, Friends of the Little Falls Library (Bethesda. Maryland) and media assistant, Wood Acres Elementary School (Bethesda, Maryland), has been elected 2015-2016 United for Libraries vice president/president elect.

Schmidt has served on ALA Council and is current United for Libraries Division councilor. She served as president, secretary and a member of the board of directors under Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (the organization that preceded United for Libraries). For many years she has helped to coordinate “Nuts and Bolts for Friends, Trustees, and Foundations” at the ALA Midwinter Meetings and Annual Conferences. Schmidt has also been a member and workshop leader for the Advocacy Training Subcommittee of the Committee on Library Advocacy and a member of the Library Advocacy NOW Subcommittee.

“I am honored to be chosen as the president-elect of the ALA division that supports and encourages the many library volunteers -- friends and trustees -- who work tirelessly for our libraries,” said Schmidt. “This is an exciting and challenging time for public, academic and private libraries across our country and United for Libraries will be at the forefront.”

Two additional United for Libraries board positions were filled during the election. Deborah Doyle was elected foundation at large and Camila A. Alire was elected trustee at large. Doyle is acting executive director/development manager of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and a past president of the California Library Association. Alire is a consultant for Alire & Associates (Sedalia, Colorado) and is a past president of ALA.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association that supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries. United for Libraries brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information or to join United for Libraries, visit the United for Libraries website or contact Jillian Kalonick at (312) 280-2161 or jkalonick@ala.org.