Camila Alire seeks 2009-2010 presidency of the American Library Association (ALA)

“Camila Alire, dean emerita at the University of New Mexico and Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., and J. Linda Williams, coordinator of library media services for Anne Arundel County public schools in Annapolis, Md., are candidates for the 2009-2010 presidency of the American Library Association (ALA).

Alire, is currently professor of practice (adjunct) for Simmons College’s Ph.D. program in managerial leadership and adjunct professor for San Jose State University Library & Information Science’s executive MLIS managerial leadership program.

She served as dean of libraries at the University of Colorado at Denver and worked as a community college library director, special library director, school librarian (K-12), and assistant to the dean/instructor at the University of Denver’s LIS program.

Alire currently chairs the ALA Committee on Legislation and chaired ALA’s Nominating Committee, Committee on Education and American Libraries Advisory Committee. She served on ALA Council and ALA Executive Board. Alire is past president of the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL) (2005) and chaired the 2005 ACRL National Conference. She served as national president (1993-94) of the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA).

Alire served on the Association for Research Libraries board. She chaired the Colorado Council on Library Development board; several Colorado Association of libraries committees; and several regional library system governing boards.

Alire co-authored books on library services to Latino communities, disaster recovery, and leadership and has written extensively on diversity.

Alire was named to the ALA/ALTA National Advocacy Honor Roll for her library advocacy work; received the Mountain Plains Library Association’s Legislative Award; and named Scholar-in-Residence for the Chicago Public Library System. She received the first ALA Elizabeth Futas Catalyst for Change Award and National REFORMA’s Librarian of the Year. She was honored by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the country.

Williams is currently serving a three-year term as an ALA Councilor-at-Large and a member of the Council Budget Analysis and Review Committee (BARC). She was elected to two terms as ALA Councilor-at-Large from 1984-1988 and 1988-1992. She has served or headed several ALA committees, chairing the ALA Membership Committee from 2003 – 2005 and the Council Policy Monitoring Committee from 1989 to 1990.

She has been involved with various ALA divisions and round tables. From 1998-2000 she served on the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Board of Directors and as AASL president in 2005. She chaired the Library Administration and Management Association’s (LAMA) Program Planning Committee from 1995 to 1996 and served on the Board of Directors from 1990-1992, and as Junior Members Round Table president in 1989.

Before joining Anne Arundel County, Williams held an administrative position in Prince George’s County, and served as a specialist in Library Media Services and Educational Technology at the Maryland State Department of Education. Since 2000, she has been an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, College of Library and Information Services. She has extensive school library experience dating back to 1977. Prior to that, she spent 10 years teaching English and history.

Williams is a recipient of the University of Maryland, College of Library and Information Services, Alumnus of the Year, 1988; and 3M/JMRT Professional Development Grant, 1981.

Williams also has been active with state and regional library associations in Maryland, recently being elected to the Citizens for Maryland Libraries Board, and a member of the Maryland Advisory Council on Libraries since 1998.

AASL, ACRL and LAMA are divisions of the ALA. REFORMA is an affiliate of the ALA.

ALA members current as of January 31 will vote on the spring ballot. The candidate elected will serve as ALA president-elect for 2008-2009 and as president the following year.
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