According to Library Journal “if you ask Lance Werner, executive director of the Kent District Library (KDL), MI, what makes him a strong leader, an effective legislative advocate, and a champion of access for his patrons, his answer is simple: it’s all about forming relationships—with his staff, legislators, local business owners and CEOs, county commissioners, Michigan Library Association (MLA) administrators, LIS educators, patrons, and anyone else in a 100-mile radius. Ask him again, and he’ll bring up words such as kindness and empathy and that he loves his job.

Underneath those soft skills lie persistence and passion. Werner gets the job done, whether that involves convincing KDL trustees to invest $400,000 in ebooks, testifying before the Michigan Senate and House committees to win tax capture amnesty for libraries, securing health care for part-time KDL employees, spearheading a countywide literacy initiative, or securing grant money to bring back the library’s bookmobile after a 30-year hiatus. It’s no surprise that he was named a 2016 LJ Mover & Shaker and the 2017 MLA Librarian of the Year. Add to those accolades the 2018 ­Library Journal Librarian of the Year, sponsored by Baker & Taylor. Ask Werner why, and he’ll tell you it’s just a matter of being a regular guy who cares about his constituents. Ask his constituents, and they’ll tell you there’s more to the story…”

infoDOCKET notes that “Luis Herrera, City Librarian of the San Francisco Public Library, announced his retirement, effective late February 2018.“Today is a bittersweet day,” began the message sent to all staff by Herrera. “Together, we have ensured that the San Francisco Public Library remains a welcoming, vital and integral part of San Francisco life.”

Herrera’s tenure ushered in a new era of library service – one with increased equity and access. The branch libraries were transformed through the Branch Library Improvement Program, spaces were repurposed at the Main Library to create The Mix teen digital center and The Bridge at Main literacy and learning center, and numerous partnerships were formed to foster myriad learning opportunities, innovative and accessible programs and civic engagement for San Francisco residents. Most recently, Herrera worked with Mayor Ed Lee to ensure that all San Francisco libraries are open seven days a week…”

According to the Information School at the University of Washington “… Anind Dey, who took over as dean of the iSchool on Jan. 2, served for the past three years as director and chair of Carnegie Mellon’s prestigious Human-Computer Interaction Institute, where he had been a member of the faculty since 2005. Dey found a home in HCI after earning his master’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1995 and his Ph.D. in computer science in 2000, both at Georgia Tech. His earned his undergraduate degree in computer engineering at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, and it was an experience as an undergrad that launched his career in applied science…

Dey hopes to continue his research at the iSchool after he settles in as dean. He is part of a wave of HCI talent the UW has attracted in the past year, including Dey’s wife, Jennifer Mankoff, who joined the faculty in the UW’s Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering in the fall. Other recent additions to the UW faculty include Alexis Hiniker at the iSchool, Jon Froehlich in CSE, and Leah Findlater in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering. The cluster of hires across departments illustrates the strength HCI draws from a variety of disciplines…”

The Council of State Archivists (CoSA) announced that Barbara Teague will be CoSA’s new executive director as of January 1, 2018, succeeding Anne Ackerson after her successful five-year executive director tenure.  Ms. Teague’s selection was the culmination of a five-month nationwide search conducted by CoSA’s Executive Director Search Committee.
 
Ms. Teague has most recently served as a consultant for CoSA since 2016, coordinating CoSA’s member services and communications, authoring  A National Risk:  The State of State Electronic Records, 2017 for CoSA’s State Electronic Records Initiative, and initiating the work of CoSA’s recent National Leadership grant award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).  Prior to that, Teague served as Kentucky State Archivist and Records Administrator from 2008 to 2015, as part of her thirty-two-year career at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.  Teague is a former CoSA President, Board of Directors and committee member, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Society of American Archivists. She received a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Virginia, and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Kentucky…
 
Teague succeeds outgoing executive director Anne Ackerson, who will be concentrating on her teaching, writing, and consulting work. Ms. Ackerson will also continue her association with CoSA, overseeing CoSA communications and publications…”