ALA 2012-2013 President Candidacy Announcement

Maureen Sullivan, an organization development consultant based in Annapolis, MD.

Statement: I’m delighted to have this opportunity.  Libraries and those they serve need the strong leadership that only ALA can provide. The new strategic plan offers an excellent framework for ALA to lead in the digital world. ALA must be at the table when key decisions are made that will affect the future of intellectual freedom, access to information, literacy, and lifelong learning.

Brief Biography

Consultant to numerous libraries of all types – academic, public, school, law, health sciences, and other special libraries – and library consortia

Started as a page in the Prince Georges Memorial Library System and later worked in Non-print Media at the University of Maryland, College Park Libraries, while in the Library Science Master degree program.

Practice focuses on: strategic planning, leadership development, introducing and managing organizational change, organization and work redesign, establishment of staff development and learning programs for today’s workplace, creating a work environment that supports diversity, executive coaching and search processes, and the identification and development of competencies.

Her career history includes twelve years as the human resources administrator in the libraries at the University of Maryland (1977-1980) and at Yale University (1983-1991). She was the Management Training Specialist at the Association of Research Libraries (1980-1983).

She has presented extensively at state, regional and national library conferences on transforming libraries and librarianship, leadership, improving work relationships, creating the collaborative organization, generational synergy, cross-cultural communication, and making the case for the value of libraries.

Sullivan is past president (1998-1999) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).  During her term as President, she helped establish the Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians in partnership with the Harvard Graduate School of Education.  She is now a member of the faculty for this annual program.

She was president of the Library Administration and Management Association for the 1988-89 term.

She is currently a professor of practice in the Ph.D. program, Managerial Leadership in the Information Professions, at the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science.

Ms. Sullivan has extensive experience with leadership development programs in the library field. She is the principal designer and facilitator of the TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute (Texas Library Association), the New Jersey Academy of Library Leadership, the Iowa Library Association Leadership Institute, the Michigan Library Association Leadership Academy, the Mountain Plains Library Association Leadership Institute, and the New England Library Leadership Symposium (sponsored by the New England Library Association).

The Urban Libraries Council (ULC) engaged her to serve as the Learning Community Director for both offerings of its ULC Scholars: Librarians for America’s Neighborhoods program. She also served as the evaluator of ULC’s first Executive Leadership Institute (ELI).

The Chicago Public Library invited her to be the 2006 Charlotte Kim Scholar in Residence. In that role she introduced the administrators, managers and staff of the library system to appreciative inquiry as a means to achieve positive change.

She was the 2010 Academic/Research Librarian of the Year by the Association of College and Research Libraries.

She was the recipient of the American Library Association’s Elizabeth Futas Catalyst for Change Award in 1999.

Co-author, with Robert D. Stueart, of Developing Library Leaders (Neal-Schuman, 2010)

American Library Association Service includes:

Co-chair, ALA President Roberta Stevens’ initiative, Our Authors, Our Advocates
Co-Chair, Emerging Leaders Initiative, 2006-2008
Member, Core Values Task Force, 2000-2004
Member, Competencies for Librarians Task Force, 2000-2002
Chair, Office for Library Personnel Resources Advisory Committee, 1991-93
Chair, Minority Fellowship Program Advisory Board, 1989-1995
Chair, H. W. Wilson Staff Development Award Jury, 1985
Member, ALA Nominations Committee, 1986
Member, President’s Program Planning Committee for the 1989 Annual                                 Conference in Dallas, Texas
Member, Hugh Atkinson Memorial Award Jury, 1993-1997

Association of College and Research Libraries
President  1998-99

Library Administration and Management Association
President 1988-89

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5 Responses to ALA 2012-2013 President Candidacy Announcement

  1. Jerome Offord, Jr. says:

    Maureen:

    I wish you the best and please know that you have my support. If there is anything you need me to help with, please do not hesitate to call.

    Sullivan for ALA President!!!!

    Jerome

  2. William L. Whitesides says:

    Congrats on your continued success and best wishes for ALA’s leadership.

  3. Pat Hawthorne says:

    There have only been a few times when I’ve contacted colleagues and encouraged them to support a specific candidate for ALA president. This is one of those rare times. I’ve directly contacted many colleagues because I feel we have an opportunity to elect an exceptional individual to serve as ALA president – Maureen Sullivan.

    I’ve been fortunate to meet Maureen Sullivan early in my career, a number of years before I became an human resources librarian in academic libraries. She was part inspiration and part coach and part role model (I still hope to grow up to be like Maureen!) Once I articulated the goal of becoming a human resources librarian in an academic library, Maureen was one of the individuals who helped me to develop my knowledge and skill set, advised me, and helped me achieve that goal. Working in human resources in libraries in Texas, Florida, and California, I found that I could turn to and contact Maureen when I had a question or needed advice. I learned from her in workshops and attended programs where she was a speaker. I quickly learned that she was approachable and interested in talking with librarians at all levels and that her wealth of experience lead to invaluable advice. Like many, many individuals, I have found her to warm and welcoming and an excellent mentor and coach. Over the years, I have come to value her advice and friendship even as I continue to be amazed by her energy and level of involvement.

    I’ve been fortunate to have an opportunity to work with Maureen in ALA, in my own organization when she worked as consultant for us at UCLA, and as a co-instructor teaching in the Simmons doctoral program from 2007 to 2009. In every arena, I have found Maureen to be amazing. She works collaboratively with peers across the country and has been instrumental in some of the most enduring and important programs in ALA. She initiated the ACRL Leadership Institute and is one the key players in the ALA Emerging Leaders Program. She’s plays an important role in the Texas Library Association’s TALL Texans Leadership Institute. She is fabulous as a consultant and helps organizations to achieve important goals and master change in ways that honor the individuals involved and strengthen the organization. As a instructor and trainer, all I can say is she is phenomenal. She encourages and nurtures professionals at every level and career stage with ease and grace, pulling from a professional and personal base of knowledge that has both depth and breadth. She is, without fail, respectful and professional and clearly enjoys her work.

    Finally, I know that Maureen is deeply committed to libraries and all that we stand for and are about as a profession. Her knowledge and understanding of the profession, collaborative manner, and strong leadership would make her a fabulous ALA president.

    I voted for Maureen! And I hope you will consider voting for her. If you are so inclined, please encourage colleagues you know to vote for Maureen!

    All the best Maureen….and thank you for all you’ve done and all you do for librarians!

    Pat

    • Jack Becker says:

      Pat, Good to see you are still in the profession and supporting Maureen. I have been to several workshops that she lead and I agree with you she is an exceptional person and I will vote for her as well. Take care, Jack Becker LSU ’89.

  4. Martha Kyrillidou says:

    Congratulations, Maureen! Looking forward to your presidency days at ALA!

    And, let me know how to help strengthen libraries with you!

    yours, Martha

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