FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IMLS Press Contact
202-653-4799
Giuliana Bullard, gbullard@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
President Obama Appoints Eight New Board Members to the National Museum and Library Services Board
Washington, DC— Yesterday in a ceremony at the Supreme Court, Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg administered the oath of office, officially swearing in eight new members of the National Museum and Library Services Board appointed by President Barack Obama. The board is the advisory body for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Members of the board are selected to serve based on their expertise and commitment to libraries or museums.
IMLS Director Susan Hildreth said, "I am delighted to welcome our new board members. Through their service, they will help libraries and museums throughout the United States contribute to the educational, cultural and civic life of our nation. Each is a well-recognized expert and we are looking forward to having their strategic advice to strengthen IMLS’s grant making, research and policy."
The new board members are:
• Charles Benton, chairman and Trustee of the Benton Foundation;
• Christie Pearson Brandau, adjunct professor at the School of Library and Information Management at Emporia State University;
• Bert Castro, president and CEO of the Arizona Zoological Society/Phoenix Zoo;
• Paula Gangopadhyay, chief learning officer at The Henry Ford;
• Luis Herrera, city librarian of the San Francisco Public Library;
• Dr. Eric J. Jolly, president of the Science Museum of Minnesota;
• Susana Torruella Leval, director emerita of El Museo del Barrio; and
• Suzanne E. Thorin, dean of Libraries and University Librarian at Syracuse University.
The newly confirmed board members replace Katherine Berger, Karen Brosius, Douglas Myers, Jeffrey Patchen, Lotsee Patterson, Sandra Picket, Harry Robinson, and Katina Strauch, whose terms have expired.
For more information about the National Museum and Library Services Board visit the Institute’s Web site at www.imls.gov/about/board.shtm.
About the National Museum and Library Services Board
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.
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 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grantmaking, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit http://www.imls.gov or follow @US_IMLS on Twitter.