ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 13, Number 8
February 13, 2004

In This Issue: PRESIDENT APPOINTS NCLIS COMMISSIONERS

Washington, DC - President George W. Bush appointed twelve individuals to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) on January 28, 2004. As a commission, NCLIS helps to effect policy concerning libraries and the dissemination and use of information in the US. NCLIS is a permanent, independent agency of the Federal government
whose commissioners provide advice to the President, Congress, and other policy makers.

By law, five Commissioners are librarians or information specialists, while nine members are drawn from the public and are knowledgeable about the needs of society for library and information services. One of the public members has a special competence in the needs of the elderly; another in information technology. Filling out the membership are two ex-officio Commissioners, the Librarian of Congress and the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The President submitted his nominations to the Senate on October 2, 2003, and the Senate, by unanimous consent, confirmed the nominations on January 26, 2004.

The individuals who were appointed to NCLIS are listed below. Their terms end July 19th of the year indicated. Also indicated is their category of membership.

Jose Antonio Aponte of Colorado, executive director, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs (2007; Librarian/information specialist)

Sandra Frances Ashworth of Idaho, director, Boundary County District Library, Bonners Ferry, ID (2004; Public-needs of elderly).

Edward Louis Bertorelli of Massachusetts, director of employee
benefits, MassHighway department and also a member of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. (2005; Public)

Carol L. Diehl of Wisconsin, a retired school librarian at New London, WI, a former member of the Manawa Board of Education, and the Sturm Memorial Library and an instructor for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, (2005, Public)

Allison Druin of Maryland, assistant professor, College of Information Studies, University of Maryland (UM), College Park (2006; Librarian/information specialist)

Beth Fitzsimmons of Michigan, president, Information Strategists, Ann Arbor, MI. and former chair of the Depository Library Council to the U.S. Public Printer. (2006; Librarian/information specialist). Upon appointment, the President named Dr. Fitzsimmons chairman of NCLIS; she succeeds Dr. Joan R. Challinor, whose term as a Commissioner continues until July, 2004.

Patricia M. Hines of South Carolina, previously Chief of Staff of
Domestic Policy in the White House under President Reagan and Assistant Secretary of Research and Development in the Department of Education under President George H.W. Bush. (2005; Public)

Colleen Ellen Huebner of Washington, associate professor, University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. (2007; Public)

Stephen M. Kennedy of New Hampshire, a former computer executive
responsible for state government relations and a former official in several New Hampshire administrations. (2007; Public-information technology)

Bridget L. Lamont of Illinois, former director of policy and program development for Illinois Gov. George Ryan and for 16 years the director of the Illinois State Library. (2008; Librarian/ information specialist)

Mary H. (Mitzi) Perdue of Maryland, former syndicated columnist on
environmental matters and founder of Healthy U of Delmarva, a 6000
member organization which seeks to decrease chronic disease by
encouraging healthier lifestyles. (2008; Public)

Herman Lavon Totten, regents professor of library and information
sciences, University of North Texas School of Library and Information Sciences, Denton and a former president of the Texas Library Association (2008; Librarian/information specialist).

The new Commissioners join the current NCLIS members: Commissioner
Challinor of Washington, DC and Commissioner Jack Hightower of Austin, Texas as well as Librarian of Congress James Billington and IMLS Director Robert Martin.


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ALA Washington Office, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 403, Washington, D.C. 20004-1701; phone: 202.628.8410 or 800.941.8478 toll-free; fax: 202.628.8419; e-mail: alawash@alawash.org; Web site: http://www.ala.org/washoff.  Executive Director: Emily Sheketoff. Office of Government Relations: Lynne Bradley, Director; Camille Bowman, Don Essex, Patrice McDermott and Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Carrie Lowe, Kathy Mitchell, Carrie Russell. ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.