Gordon Baker elected 2022-2023 United for Libraries president

EXTON, Pennsylvania — Dr. Gordon Baker, Dean of Libraries, Emeritus at Clayton State University and chair of both Georgia Library Association and Southeastern Library Association’s Trustees, Friends and Advocates Division and Section, has been elected 2022-2023 United for Libraries president. Baker will serve as president-elect during 2021-2022 under 2021-2022 United for Libraries President Charity Tyler.

Dr. Baker is adjunct instructor in the Department of Library and Information Studies at Valdosta State Unversity. He has served as president of the Georgia Association for Instructional Technology, the Georgia Library Association, and the Georgia Library Media Association. In addition, he served a two-year term as president of the Southeastern Library Association. Dr. Baker served as chair of the Henry County Public Library System’s Board of Trustees (McDonough, Georgia) for 14 years and served on the Board for 18 years.

He has been recognized by his peers with the Distinguished Service Award, William E. Patterson Award, and the Bob Richardson Award, among many others. In 2019, Georgia Public Library named Dr. Baker the Public Library Champion of the Year, which included a resolution by the Georgia House of Representatives and a Commendation by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Since 2018, Baker has served as trustee at large on United for Libraries’ Board of Directors.

Three additional United for Libraries board positions were filled during the election:

Andrea Lapsley, board president at the Texas Library and Archives Foundation, has been elected division councilor. Lapsley worked at the Houston Public Library for 20 years as assistant director of marketing and development, and at the Colorado State University Library for seven years as director of development. She previously served as Friend at large on the United for Libraries board.

Chris Chanyasulkit, trustee at Brookline (Massachusetts) Public Library, has been elected to a trustee at large position. Chanyasulkit is a senior lecturer and course designer in the Simmons College Department of Public Health. She holds leadership positions with local, state, regional and national governance and civic engagement organizations, working to promote racial and gender equity and policy advocacy. She was previously appointed to the United for Libraries board as trustee at large.

Marie Ciepiela, executive director of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, has been elected to a foundation at large position. She has worked exclusively in nonprofit agencies for more than 30 years, dedicated to education and expanding access, inclusion, and equity for everyone to create meaningful lives and possibilities for the future.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. To join, please visit www.ala.org/united or call (800) 545-2433, ext. 2161.