Candidate for ALA Division Councilor

Crystal Gates is the CEO of the North Little Rock Public Library System, where she has led transformative growth, strengthened financial stability, and expanded access through innovative services such as a makerspace and mobile branch. With experience directing both rural and urban library systems, she has a proven record of building diverse, engaged staff cultures; revitalizing community partnerships; and guiding libraries through major initiatives, including strategic planning, capital projects, and service rebranding. She previously directed the Jackson Parish Library, a two-time Library Journal Three-Star Library under her leadership.

Gates has an extensive record of professional service, including multiple terms as ALA chapter councilor for Arkansas and membership on the ALA Committee on Diversity, Chapter Relations Committee, Membership Committee, and PLA Leadership Development Committee. She is a past president of both the Arkansas Library Association (ArLA) and the Southeastern Library Association (SELA) and served on the boards of Advocates for All Arkansas Libraries (AAAL) and ArLA during the Act 372 lawsuit. Throughout her career, she has championed intellectual freedom, equitable access, and the belief that libraries are essential, evolving community anchors. When not working for libraries, you can most likely find Gates with her family and a book in hand and a game on the screen.

Personal Statement

“As PLA division councilor to ALA and a member of the PLA Board, I aim to ensure strong, clear public-library voices are present for critical discussions and decisions. With experience leading both rural and urban libraries and years of governance work across ALA, PLA, ArLA, SELA, and AAAL, I understand the challenges our libraries face and the support they need. I will advocate for equitable access, staff development, intellectual freedom, and policies that strengthen public libraries at every level. My goals are simple: to ensure PLA remains strong, to give public libraries a voice, and to help ensure our division and our association remain powerful, practical partners for public libraries and the communities we serve.”