University of Richmond's head librarian elected president of American Library Association
May 14, 2007
James Rettig, the university librarian at University of Richmond, has been elected president of the 64,000-member American Library Association in nationwide voting completed last week.
After serving a year as president-elect, Rettig will take office in July 2008, becoming the chief elected officer of the world's oldest and largest library organization. ALA's mission is promoting highest-quality library and information services and public access to information.
"A major emphasis of my campaign has been increasing opportunities for members to participate in and contribute to ALA and the profession," Rettig said. "I look forward to working with ALA members to create and develop new ways that their ideas and activities can enrich the profession and strengthen our oldest, largest association."
As ALA president, Retting will serve as the association's chief spokesperson, representing it in various public forums, including testimony before Congress on issues related to ALA's mission. He also will preside over meetings of the ALA Council, its elected policy-making body.
"The perennial issue facing libraries of every type is funding," Rettig said. "Research has proven that investment in libraries yields returns in student achievement in schools, in economic development in their communities and in research capacity for scholars and the nation. As has every ALA president in my memory, I will be an advocate for adequate funding for libraries, including better compensation for library workers."
Rettig served on ALA's executive board from 2003-06 and on two of its national committees—organization (2000-03) and publishing (1997-99). He is also a past president of the Reference and User Services Association and former chair of the news editorial board (1986-88) of the Association of College & Research Libraries. He is a recipient of ALA's G.K. Hall Award for Library Literature among other professional honors.
A resident of Williamsburg, Rettig joined University of Richmond in 1998. He previously held administrative and public service positions at The College of William and Mary and the universities of Illinois at Chicago, Dayton and Murray State. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Marquette University and a master's in library science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.