FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4630
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
 

National Museum and Library Services Board. Click image to access a larger version.

Washington, DC—On October 18, Archivist of the United States David S. Ferreiro administered the oath of office to six new members of the National Museum and Library Services Board (NMLSB), the advisory board of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). All six new members were appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate earlier this year.

"IMLS relies heavily on the National Museum and Library Services Board for the invaluable advice it provides," said IMLS Acting Director Marsha L. Semmel. "These six new members have broad knowledge and expertise, and represent a wide range of disciplines within the museum and library fields. We are grateful for their willingness to engage in this important public service."

After administering the oath, Ferreiro spoke about the importance of the institutions supported by IMLS and the NMLSB, saying, "In this day and age we face so many incredible challenges, whether they are in the workforce or the economy, people need access to libraries, museums, and archives. Whether it is reading a free book on loan from the library, seeing something inspiring in a museum exhibit, or gazing at an original archival document, these collections allow Americans to explore their creativity and engage in critical thinking."

The new members are as follows:

• John Coppola has consulted on strategic planning and professional training for museums throughout Latin America and the Middle East since 1996. Previously, he served as the director of the Office of Exhibits Central at the Smithsonian Institution; as chief of the Bureau of International Expositions and exhibitions program manager for Arts America, at the U.S. Information Agency; and as a foreign service officer. Coppola has organized and managed exhibitions for the Museum of Latin American Art, the Smithsonian Latino Center, the National Museum of Women in the Arts at St. Thomas University, and the Stonewall Library & Archives.
• Dr. Carla Hayden is a past president of the American Library Association and the current chief executive officer of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland. She previously served as deputy commissioner and chief librarian of the Chicago Public Library, assistant professor in the school of library and information science at the University of Pittsburgh, and library services coordinator for the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Dr. Hayden began her career with the Chicago Public Library in 1973 as a library associate and children's librarian and then as a young adult services coordinator with the Chicago system.
• Mary Minow is an attorney, consultant, and a former librarian and library trustee. She has made presentations and consulted for libraries and library associations in over 25 states on free speech, privacy, and copyright issues. She manages the Stanford Copyright and Fair Use website, and founded the LibraryLaw blog. Minow teaches digital copyright as an adjunct at the San Jose State School of Library Science and at the Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science. She serves on the board of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and she chairs the Intellectual Freedom Committee of the California Library Association. She is past chair of the Cupertino Library Commission and past president of the California Association of Library Trustees and Commissioners. She is coauthor with Tomas Lipinski of The Library’s Legal Answer Book. Minow earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University, her master of library science degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and her law degree from Stanford University.
• Dr. Lawrence J. Pijeaux, Jr., is president and CEO of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, a multi-media facility housing exhibitions of historical events from post-World War I racial segregation to present-day racial progress. Dr. Pijeaux is a member of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra Board, the Alabama Tourism Department Advisory Board, the executive committee of the Greater Alabama Council Boy Scouts of America, the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel Advisory Board, and the Rotary Club of Birmingham. He holds a Ed.D. in education from the University of Southern Mississippi, an M.A. in teaching from Tulane University, and a B.A. from Southern University.
• D. Winston Tabb is the Sheridan Dean of University Libraries and Museums at the Johns Hopkins University where he leads and coordinates the university’s entire system of libraries, directs the Sheridan Libraries, and oversees the Homewood Museum and the Evergreen Museum & Library. Prior to joining Hopkins, Tabb served at the Library of Congress for more 30 years, ultimately holding the position of associate librarian of Congress. He holds an M.A. in library science from Simmons College, an M.A. in American literature from Harvard University, and a B.A. from Oklahoma Baptist University.
• Robert Wedgeworth was the founding president of ProLiteracy Worldwide, the largest non-governmental adult literacy training organization in the world, until his retirement in June 2007. He previously served as university librarian, professor of library administration, and professor of library and information science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also served as the dean of the school of library service at Columbia University, the executive director of the American Library Association, and as president of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. He is a life member of the American Library Association and of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The NMLSB advises the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. The board is chaired by the IMLS director and comprised of two of its deputy directors and 20 members of the general public with demonstrated expertise on or commitment to libraries or museums.
 

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. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.