Candidate for PLA Director-at-Large

Lola DeWitt is the executive director for Live Oak Public Libraries, a system of sixteen libraries in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties, based in Savannah, Georgia. DeWitt has over two decades of library experience, in Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Missouri, and now Georgia. She was appointed executive director of the library in November 2022, becoming the first African American to lead the library system. In her capacity as executive director, DeWitt has worked with the Early Literacy Language Coalition, Savannah Rotary, and the Mayor’s REAL Task Force Education Subcommittee.

DeWitt’s interests in addition to literacy and reading are gardening, travel, and all kinds of music from hip-hop to opera. Her volunteer background includes time on the board of trustees of Preservation Delaware, working with Big Brother Big Sisters in Delaware and Albuquerque, and as a member of Junior League of Savannah. She was born and raised in New Jersey, has two children and five grandchildren. DeWitt lives in Guyton, Georgia with her husband Anthony DeWitt.

Personal Statement

“I want to serve on PLA to help strengthen libraries as places of learning, belonging, and community impact. I am particularly focused on advancing literacy, protecting the right to read, and ensuring libraries and library workers are supported against harmful regulations and funding threats. Through PLA, I believe we can expand innovative programs that equip families with the tools and strategies to foster literacy at home, affirm diverse cultures, and cultivate lifelong learning across generations.”