Immroth, Young seek 2014-15 ALA presidency

CHICAGO— Barbara Froling Immroth, professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Information, and Courtney Louise Young, head librarian at the Penn State Greater Allegheny, are the candidates for the 2014-15 presidency of the American Library Association (ALA).

“I am humbled and honored to be nominated for leadership in the American Library Association, the largest, oldest library association in the world,” said Immroth.

“ALA promotes and protects values that are important in our rapidly changing world — equitable access, community engagement, diversity, intellectual freedom, international influence and literacy. Advocating for libraries, physical and virtual that are central for communities and individuals as described in the current Strategic Plan, ALA speaks with a collective voice as a guide for the future. I am excited about working collectively to empower all of our members to change and thrive.”

Immroth has been an ALA member since 1971. She was the president (1989-90) of the Association for Library Service to Children and was also on its board of directors (1982-90).

Her activities have also included serving as councilor-at-large (1983-87, 1992-96, 2000-04); on the Intellectual Freedom Committee (1978-82) and the Committee on Appointments (1989-90).

She chaired the Committee on Research and Statistics (1991-95), the Nominating Committee (1997-98) and the American Libraries Editorial Advisory Board (2003-04), and was a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Children & Libraries (2006-2010).

In addition, she served the Freedom to Read Foundation as a trustee (1991-95) and as vice-president and the Library Research Round Table on its Steering Committee (1986-89) and its chair (1987-88).

Immroth was president of the Texas Library Association (1997-98), which also bestowed upon her its lifetime achievement award in 2009.

Her honors include the American Library Association/Office for Intellectual Freedom and Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor and the ALA Phi Beta Mu Award (2007).

She has co-authored several publications, such as “Health Information for Youth: The Public Library and School Library Media Center Role” (2007, Libraries Unlimited) and “Library Service to Youth of Hispanic Heritage” (2000, McFarland).

Immroth holds an A.B. in Spanish from Brown University (1964); an M.A. in Librarianship from the University of Denver (1965); a school library certification from Duquesne University (1975); and a Ph.D. in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh (1980).

Young has been an ALA member since 2002.

“Since joining ALA in 2002, I have been an active and contributing member of the association. I have committed myself to ALA and its members, developing a progressive understanding of our divisions, round tables, committees, and affiliates,” Young said. “ALA's membership is a diverse group of librarians, library workers, library-related vendors, and library school students interested in maintain the values of the profession while at the same time moving the association forward.

“I would be honored to lead the association as ALA President by sustaining the initiatives we have in place, engaging all facets of our membership, and demonstrating the value of membership and of librarianship.”

Her activities have included serving as a member of the ALA Executive Board (2009-2012) and ALA Councilor-at-large (2008-11, 2012-15), as well as the Awards Committee (2012-14), the Finance and Audit Committee (2012-14) and the ALA-APA Fundraising Committee (2012-2013). She has also been a member of the ALA Resolutions Committee (2008-09) and the ALA Task Force on Electronic Member Participation (2007-09).

She has served as New Members Round Table (NMRT) president (2009-10), councilor (2005-08), Diversity Committee chair (2003-04) and Student Chapter of the Year Award chair (2004-05).

For ACRL, she was a member of the WSS Instruction Committee, Women’s Studies Section (2003-05); the AFAS Conference Program Planning Committee (2003-05, 2006-08); and the Scholarship Committee at the 2009 ACRL National Conference (2008-09).

She was a member of the Michigan Library Association Electronic Publishing Committee (1999-2002) and the chair of that committee (2001-02).

Her honors include a Certificate of Distinguished Service, ALA Executive Board (2012); Library Journal Mover & Shaker (2011); Plaque of Appreciation from the NMRT (2010); and a Staff Achievement Award, Libraries, Michigan State University (2002).

Her publications include “Lifelong Skills,” (2011, The New York Times); and “Incorporating Undergraduate Advising in Teaching Information Literacy: Case Study for Academic Librarians as Advisors” (2008, Journal of Academic Librarianship).

She received a B.A. in English from The College of Wooster (1996) and an MLS from Simmons College (1997).

Immroth and Young will engage in a candidates’ forum on Saturday, January 26, from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. The candidates will each have an opportunity to make a statement and will answer questions from the audience.

Ballot mailing for the 2013 ALA Election will begin on March 19. The election will close on April 26, 2013.