Sonia Alcántara-Antoine named PLA 2023-2024 president

CHICAGO — Today, the Public Library Association (PLA) announced the results of its 2022 Election. Voting was available March 14 through April 6, and open to all PLA members in good standing.

The members elected Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, Director, Baltimore County (Md.) Public Library, to the office of 2022-2023 PLA president. Alcántara-Antoine will serve a three-year term beginning this June and including one-year stints as president-elect (2022-2023), president (2023-2024), and immediate past-president (2024-2025). 

“I am honored and humbled to be the next President-Elect of the Public Library Association” said Alcántara-Antoine on learning the outcome of the election. “Public libraries are vital to the health and wealth of any community, and the public servants who work at libraries serve their communities with dedication, passion, and empathy.  I am proud to serve on the PLA Board and work alongside innovative leaders to support libraries and library workers.”

As director of the Baltimore County Public Library, Alcántara-Antoine oversees 19 branches, 600 dedicated staff and an annual budget of $45 million. Prior to joining the library, she was director of Newport News (Va.) Public Library and held leadership positions at Virginia Beach (Va.) Public Library and Enoch Pratt Free Library (Baltimore, Md.).

Alcántara-Antoine has served extensively in PLA, the American Library Association (ALA), and the Urban Libraries Council (ULC). Highlights include serving as a coach for PLA’s Leadership Academy, as a member of PLA’s National Conference Program Subcommittee, as an ALA Councilor-At-Large, and as a member of ULC’s Antiracism and Digital Equity action teams. She also has served proudly in the Maryland Library Association and Virginia Library Association.

Alcántara-Antoine earned her MLIS from Florida State University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Old Dominion University. She began her library career as an ALA Spectrum Scholar and has been a champion for the recruitment and retention of people of color within the library profession. Alcántara-Antoine is a renowned speaker and mentor on the art and science of library leadership.

Also elected to the PLA board, as directors-at-large, were

• Michael Colford, Director of Library Services, Boston (Ma.) Public Library
• Mary Ellen Icaza, CEO/Executive Director, Stark Library (Canton, Ohio)

Each will serve a three-year term beginning in June 2022.

PLA thanks all the candidates who stood for election, as well as all the members who voted. Their efforts to impact and enhance PLA are extremely valuable to the future of the organization.

Special thanks to the 2022 Nominating Committee, chaired by Ramiro Salazar, for an outstanding slate of candidates.

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About the Public Library Association
The Public Library Association (PLA) is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 9,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world. PLA strives to help its members shape the essential institution of public libraries by serving as an indispensable ally for public library leaders. For more information about PLA, contact the PLA office at 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or pla@ala.org.