Barnes, Calzada seek ALA presidency for 2027-2028

CHICAGO - Tamika Barnes, Associate Dean, Perimeter College Library Services, Georgia State University; and Becky Calzada, District Library Coordinator, Leander Independent School District (ISD) in Leander, Texas, are candidates for the 2027-2028 presidency of the American Library Association.

Barnes currently serves as the Georgia Library Association (GLA) president elect 2025 and will assume the role of president in 2026. Barnes served on the GLA Executive Board from 2013-2021. Barnes served on the ALA Executive Board from 2018-2021 and ALA Council from 2015-2018 and 2019-2021. She is a member of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and the Black Caucus of ALA. Barnes has served on numerous ALA committees and groups including the Budget and Review Committee, two ALA presidential advisory committees, and the ACRL Conference Experience and Inclusion Committee. Barnes is a Spectrum Scholar.

Barnes received several honors including the GLA Bob Richardson Award and the Black Caucus of ALA Library Advocacy Award. She is also recognized as a Library Senior Fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles and a Leading Change Institute Fellow.

Barnes holds a BA in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an MLS from North Carolina Central University in Durham.

“I am deeply honored to be nominated to stand for president-elect for the American Library Association,” said Barnes. “Libraries have shaped every part of my life and career—they represent access, equity, and the power of information to transform communities. This nomination is both humbling and inspiring, as it reflects the trust of colleagues who share a belief in advocacy, inclusion, and service. I am committed to leading with integrity, transparency, and collaboration, ensuring that our association continues to be a strong voice for libraries and library workers everywhere. Together, we can meet today’s challenges with courage and vision, advancing our shared mission to empower learning, strengthen democracy, and build more connected and equitable communities.”

Calzada served as president of the American Association of School Librarians from 2024-2025 and on the AASL Board of Directors from 2018-2022. She is a member of the Association for Library Service to Children, Intellectual Freedom Round Table and the Library Instruction Round Table. Calzada has participated in numerous ALA committees and groups including ALA Center for the Future of Libraries Advisory Group, ALA Policy Corps, and an ALA presidential advisory committee. Calzada is a member of the Texas Library Association, led as Texas Association of School Librarians division chair in 2016-2017, and is currently a member of the Texas Library Association legislative committee.

Calzada is the recipient of several intellectual freedom awards including the Eleanor Roosevelt Literary Freedom Award 2025 and the AASL Intellectual Freedom Award. She was recognized in People Magazine’s 2023 Women Changing the World issue and is featured in the upcoming documentary, “The Librarians.”

Calzada holds a BS in Elementary Education from Texas A&M University, Kingsville, and an MLIS from the University of Texas, Austin.

“I’m honored to stand as a candidate for ALA President,” said Calzada. “Our association must be member-informed and continue to position libraries as critical democratic institutions in society where inclusion is valued and opportunities are available for all in every community and school we serve. We have been navigating rigorous, unyielding times yet through it all, librarians and library workers have stepped up to the mark and answered the call to lead and serve. We remain resilient, dedicated and hopeful in every micro-interaction that occurs daily in many vibrant library spaces across the country. With a proven record of building coalitions, I am prepared to listen, lead, and amplify the needs of ALA and rally ALA members to become engaged in their association.”

Barnes and Calzada will have an opportunity to make a statement and answer questions from members in a virtual ALA Presidential Candidates' Forum to be held winter 2026. More information to come.

Members who are interested in running by petition for ALA President, you may do so by completing a petition form with the signatures of no fewer than 200 ALA current personal members by December 12, 2025. View instructions on how to create an e-petition.

In addition to the petition itself, members must complete a Candidate Biographical Information Form. The information on this form will be used for the web ballot. Once the petition process is complete, all candidates are treated equally and appear the same on the ballot.

The petition period for the 2026 election is now open and will close on December 12, 2025.

Ballot mailing for the ALA election will begin on March 9, 2026, and will run through April 1, 2026. Individuals must be members in good standing to vote in the 2026 ALA elections. Renew your membership online or by calling 1-800-545-2433, option 1. For more information, please visit the ALA Election webpage.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For nearly 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala.org.