Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Acting Director Cyndee Landrum announced today that President Biden has appointed distinguished archivist and librarian Timothy Murray to its National Museum and Library Services Board. He will join the Board at its June 24, 2024, meeting.

“I am honored that we are adding Tim Murray’s experience and wisdom to the Board,” said Landrum. “Tim has broad national experience within the library and museum fields. His presence reinforces the importance of the humanities and digital inclusion to American society.”

Murray joins more than 20 other distinguished experts on the National Museum and Library Services Board, which advises IMLS on programs and policies to enhance museum, library, and information services throughout the nation. Its members are selected based on their expertise and commitment to libraries and museums.

The National Museum and Library Services Board is an advisory body that includes the director and deputy directors of Institute of Museum and Library Service and twenty presidentially appointed members of the general public who have demonstrated expertise in, or commitment to, library or museum services. Informed by its collectively vast experience and knowledge, the Board advises the IMLS director on general policy and practices, and on selections for the National Medals for Museum and Library Service.

Murray served as a special collections librarian for more than 40 years. He has worked in the Special Collections Departments of the University of Buffalo, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Delaware. He served as Head of Special Collections at Delaware from 1987 to 2022. A specialist in 20th century literary collections, Murray has curated exhibitions, written, taught, and lectured on figures such as Samuel Beckett, Paul Bowles, Kay Boyle, Ernest Hemingway, Abraham Lincoln, Hugh MacDiarmid, Ishmael Reed, and Tennessee Williams. From 2008 to 2009 he served as the University of Delaware’s representative on the Delaware Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

Murray has held leadership positions in the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the American Library Association and the Society of American Archivists. In 2011, he was inducted as a fellow of the Society of American Archivists. In his award statement he was celebrated for his work as a mentor to students and young librarians, his expertise as an archivist and special collections librarian, and for his ability and willingness to bridge the gap between archives and librarianship.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.