Help Us Bid a Fond Farewell to Fiels

May 12, 2017

Keith Michael Fiels with then–First Lady Laura Bush and then–ALA President Carla Hayden in 2003.

After 15 years of service, ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels will pack up his office, send his papers off to the ALA Archives, and embark on adventures in retirement at the end of July.

Help us give him a heartfelt send-off by posting memories, stories, and good wishes in the comments section below. All comments received by May 31 will be compiled into a special booklet and presented to Keith at a reception on Sunday, June 25, during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

Since his arrival at ALA in 2002, Fiels has guided the Association through one of the most stressful economic times in the nation’s recent history, finding opportunities for growth and forward movement in a changing library environment and rapidly evolving information landscape.

During his time as executive director, the Association:

launched the Office for Library Advocacy
launched a major school library advocacy initiative
oversaw the inclusion of school libraries in new Every Student Succeeds Act legislation
launched the Libraries Transform public awareness campaign
expanded the Spectrum Scholarship Program
established the Center for the Future of Libraries
transformed ALA Publishing and dramatically increased online professional development opportunities
launched a major community engagement initiative for libraries
created United for Libraries, a new division for trustees, Friends, and foundations
established ALA’s first certification programs and the Allied Professional Association
created a vibrant development and planned-giving program to ensure a strong Association for the future

As the longest-serving executive director of the Association, Fiels leaves a rich legacy with ALA. Please join us in expressing your thanks and good wishes for a long and well-deserved retirement by posting your comments below.

Tagged Under

Sustainability’s Community of Practice

Why ALA needed a home for a holistic concern

Businesses Unite to Fight for Library Funding

ALA applauds efforts of new group

Latest Library Links

11h

Amy Bushatz writes: “The Matanuska-Susitna Borough (Alaska) School District has agreed to pay $89,000 in legal fees to settle a lawsuit alleging it violated students’ constitutional rights by removing 56 books from library shelves early last year, district officials said November 1. Under the settlement, seven books will remain permanently off district library shelves, officials said. The remaining titles were returned to shelves late this summer at nine high schools, four middle schools, and a correspondence homeschool program. The settlement does not include an admission of guilt.”

Mat-Su Sentinel (Palmer, Alaska), Nov. 1
15h

“Kerri Price is no stranger to ALA. In early September, Price returned to the Association to direct the Office for Accreditation, which promotes and advances education in library and information studies, after five years at the nonprofit Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in Chicago. During her previous tenure at ALA, Price spent 12 years working in the Office for Accreditation and the Governance Office. She answered our 11 Questions to introduce herself to ALA members.

AL: The Scoop, Nov. 5
1d

Renaud Foucart writes: “The US Department of Justice may be on the verge of seeking a breakup of Google in a bid to make it less dominant. While this is still a distant prospect, it is being considered in the wake of a series of rulings in the US and the European Union which suggest that regulators are becoming increasingly frustrated by the power of big tech. But what would a breakup of these tech giants achieve for consumers?”

LLRX, Oct. 29
2d

Steven Mintz writes: “For decades, a college or university’s quality was measured by the size of its library collection. The library was the campus’s crown jewel, a towering building at the institution’s center, symbolizing academic prestige. But as collections shift online and physical books move into remote storage, the library’s purpose is now in question. For libraries to maintain their central place within the intellectual life of universities, they must become dynamic, multipurpose hubs that not only provide access to a vast array of digital and physical resources but also actively engage in the broader educational and cultural missions of their institutions.”

Inside Higher Ed: Higher Ed Gamma, Oct. 28
2d

On November 6, ALA issued a statement following the results of the 2024 US election. The full statement reads as follows: “In response to results of the 2024 US election, ALA vowed to continue its defense of the core values of librarianship in the face of political threats. ‘We know that many of our members are concerned that the election results portend attacks on libraries, library workers, and readers,’ said ALA President Cindy Hohl. ‘Whatever happens, ALA will stand up for all Americans’ freedom to read—and we will need everyone who loves libraries to stand with us.’”

AL: The Scoop, Nov. 6
2d

“Over 1.2 million school-aged children were identified as experiencing homelessness during the 2021–2022 school year. Kids who are experiencing homelessness and their caregivers can benefit greatly from the services libraries offer, including computer and printing access, programs and classes, books and other materials, and a place to spend time when their housing situation may not be safe or comfortable. Every school district in the US is required by federal law to have a homeless student liaison, usually called a McKinney-Vento liaison. The good news is that it’s usually pretty easy to find your McKinney-Vento liaison.”

ALSC Blog, Nov. 2
3d

“As early as 2003, certain university libraries in the US developed virtual libraries in the online video game Second Life and offered a variety of services, marking the first practical research on metaverse libraries. The metaverse is regaining popularity nearly two decades later, and technological circumstances have improved. Today’s metaverse is a collection of new technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), gaming, networking, etc. VR and AR are two of the most important metaverse enabling technologies, and their use in university libraries is growing.”

College & Research Libraries, Nov.