For immediate release | May 14, 2013

Poole, Neal lead group of six elected to Freedom to Read Foundation board

CHICAGO — Eva Poole, president of the Public Library Association and chief of staff of the District of Columbia Public Library, and Jim Neal, ALA treasurer and Columbia University Librarian, were the top two vote getters in the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) board of trustees election. The election, which ran from April 1-May 1 was open to all Freedom to Read Foundation members.

Helen Adams, Robert P. Doyle, Chris Finan, and Herbert Krug were also elected to two-year terms. Poole is newly elected to the board. Adams, Finan and Krug were re-elected to their second consecutive term, while Doyle and Neal will be rejoining the board after time off the board mandated by the bylaws.

The six join Carol Brey-Casiano, Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., Mary Minow, Judith Platt and Nancy P. Zimmerman to form the FTRF Board for 2013–2014. There are four additional members of the board, who serve as a function of their positions at the American Library Association: Barbara Stripling, incoming ALA president; Courtney Young, incoming ALA president-elect; Keith Michael Fiels, ALA Executive Director; and J. Douglas Archer, incoming ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee chair.

"The slate developed by the nominating committee, chaired by Judith Platt, was among the strongest in years," said Barbara Jones, FTRF secretary and executive director. "We're thrilled to welcome Eva Poole to the board, and to have Jim Neal and Bob Doyle returning after their time off. Their professional experience, volunteer leadership and dedication to the mission and principles of the Freedom to Read Foundation are exceptional. Chris Finan, a member of the FTRF Roll of Honor, is a tremendous asset, and Herb Krug and Helen Adams have been stalwart trustees over the past year."

For bios and more details about the elected trustees, visit www.ftrf.org/?Elections.

The president, vice president, treasurer, and two additional members of the board's executive committee for 2013–2014 will be selected among the trustees at the FTRF Annual Meeting in Chicago on June 27.

The Freedom to Read Foundation is a First Amendment legal defense and education organization affiliated with the American Library Association.

Contact:

Jonathan M. Kelley

Program Coordinator

Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF)

jokelley@ala.org

1-800-545-2433 ext.4226