October 9, 2024. The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) elected its 2025 Board of Directors today during the Fall 2024 Association Meeting. On January 1, 2025, Rhea Ballard Thrower, dean of libraries and university librarian at the University of Illinois Chicago, will begin a one-year term as president of ARL. The president serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, along with the vice president/president-elect, past president, and treasurer.
"I am honored and excited to lead our association of energetic changemakers who are committed to our forward-looking goals that impact the higher education and scholarly communities across North America and the world," said ARL Vice President/President-Elect Ballard-Thrower. "During the coming year, the ARL DEI Institute will undoubtedly lay a foundation for the institutional change that is so critically needed at our galleries, libraries, archives, and museums. I look forward to witnessing how this important initiative will equip us to equitably serve our diverse patrons and continue to work toward creating a more just society."
Ballard-Thrower will succeed Trevor A. Dawes, vice provost for libraries and museums and May Morris University Librarian at the University of Delaware, as ARL president. Dawes will continue to serve as a member of both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as past president through December 31, 2025.
During the Fall Meeting, the Association's membership ratified the Board's election of Melissa Just as ARL vice president/president-elect for 2025. Just holds the Valerie and Ronald Sugar Dean's Chair of the USC Libraries at the University of Southern California and will become ARL president on January 1, 2026.
The membership also ratified the Board's election of Joseph A. Salem, Jr., Ph.D., the Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs, Duke University, as ARL treasurer for 2025–2027.
Five new Board members were elected by the membership to serve 2025–2027: Simon Neame, dean of University Libraries, University of Washington; Brent Reidy, Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries, The New York Public Library; Claire Stewart, Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Dean of Libraries and University Librarian, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Stanley Wilder, dean of libraries, Louisiana State University; and Shali Zhang, dean of AU Libraries, Auburn University.
Continuing elected members of the Board are Hilary Seo (2024–2026), dean of Library Services, Iowa State University, and Evviva Weinraub Lajoie (2024–2026), vice provost for University Libraries, University at Buffalo.
Also continuing to serve on the Board and Executive Committee for 2025 is Andrew Pace, ARL executive director, who serves in an ex officio, non-voting capacity.
The Board of Directors is the governing body of the Association and represents the interests of ARL member libraries in directing the business of the Association, including establishing operating policies, budgets, and fiscal oversight; modifying the ARL mission and objectives; and representing the Association to the community.
