ALA Executive Board announces finalists for Executive Director

Contact: Mark Gould


312-280-5042

mgould@ala.org


For Immediate Release


April 3, 2002

ALA Executive Board Announces Finalists for Executive Director

The American Library Association's Executive Board has announced two finalists for the position of Executive Director on recommendation of the twelve-member Search and Screening Committee.

They are:

Camila Alire, B.A., M.L.S., Ed.D. Ms. Alire has over 15 years of senior level administrative experience in higher education as well as leadership experience at the local, state, and national levels. She was most recently Dean of University Libraries and a full professor at Colorado State University, where she was named Dean Emerita earlier this year. Alire has been a member of ALA since 1981 and has served on a wide variety of committees, and with such organizations as REFORMA, ACRL, and the Colorado Library Association. She is currently a member of the Executive Board, and recused herself from all search discussions.

Keith Fiels, B.A., M.L.S. Mr. Fiels has over 15 years of senior level administrative experience in the state library arena, including his current position as the Director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. He also has experience at city and public school libraries. Fiels has been a member of ALA since 1976, and active with committees and associations as well as library association organizations throughout the country. Fiels is the recipient of Association awards including the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies Leadership Achievement Award and a Library Public Relations Council Award. He was named to the American Library Association/Association for Library Trustees and Advocates National Advocacy Honor Roll in 2000.

The Executive Board will interview the finalists at ALA Headquarters April 11 - 12, 2002, with the goal of selecting an Executive Director during the board meetings that follow. In addition to their interviews with the Executive Board, the candidates will tour headquarters, meet with senior managers, and have an opportunity for interaction with ALA staff.

ALA President John W. Berry appointed a Search and Screening Committee last December to present candidates to the Executive Board for the position of Executive Director of ALA. The Committee is broadly representative of the Association, including chapters, divisions, ethnic caucuses, round tables, staff and council/executive board. The Committee met first in January and has since conducted its business through e-mail and conference calls, working with a professional search consultant, G. Angela Henry of Ray & Berndtson. More than 120 individuals were contacted during this period. Nearly a dozen candidates were profiled, interviewed and matched by the consultant against the position requirements.

The Screening Committee met in Chicago over a two-day period in late March and interviewed a preliminary short-list of well-qualified candidates. Candidates were selected for personal interviews following a rigorous screening process by the Committee working with the consultant.

The Executive Board plans to formally introduce ALA's next Executive Director at its Annual Conference in Atlanta, June 13-19, 2002.

ALA President, John W. Berry said, "The ALA Executive Board thanks all members of the Search and Screening Committee, Ken Haycock, chair, for concluding its work in a timely and cost-effective manner. The Executive Board looks forward to interviewing the finalists on April 11-12."