From the Publisher: American Libraries Transition

January 19, 2011

As Editor and Publisher Leonard Kniffel leaves the helm of American Libraries and then takes on new responsibilities upon his return from a sabbatical, I would like to acknowledge his many contributions to the evolving character of our member magazine and all that it has become. Under his leadership and with the support and contributions of his hard-working and talented staff, American Libraries has become a successful and popular suite of products that speaks to the increasingly diverse engagement preferences and needs of ALA members.

These products now include the electronic newsletter AL Direct, video interviews and profiles, digital issues that alternate with the print issues, a new and popular comment-enabled website that allows for both faster coverage of breaking news and a new editorial platform for publishing both online and print content faster and more efficiently.

For the time being, George Eberhart and Beverly Goldberg will share the role of acting editor-in-chief and work with me to implement the editorial plans that have been made for 2011. Associate Publisher Brian Searles will report directly to me as well, and together we will manage and develop advertising sales.

Meanwhile, I will continue to consult with staff and with the American Libraries Advisory Committee to review the editorial direction of the publication and establish a search committee. Once that is in place, we will begin a national search for a new Editor and Publisher. Our objective is to identify a successor by June 1, 2011.

As the two senior editors on staff, George and Beverly bring many years of experience to this assignment and will be best able to carry on the traditions and expedite the processes that apply to the magazine and all its extensions. We will offset their additional responsibilities with both in-house and part-time assistance to cover the more routine editorial and production processes that they now cover.

All in all, American Libraries stands at a turning point in a rapidly evolving environment, and we are looking forward to new leadership to identify, integrate, and grow the exciting opportunities that a new world presents. Leonard has left us with a legacy that offers exciting possibilities.

Thank you all for your support, and do let me know if you have any questions or thoughts on what you would like to see in your member magazine.

Don Chatham
ALA Associate Executive Director
Publishing Department
800-545-2433, ext 5414
dchatham@ala.org

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