The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has appointed Marcel LaFlamme as director, Research Policy and Scholarship, effective November 12, 2024. Marcel currently serves as an open research manager at the Public Library of Science (PLOS).

Marcel is a scholarly communication professional committed to building evidence, capacity, and consensus around an equitable transition to open scholarship. His past experience in libraries, publishing, and scholarly societies, along with his focus on understanding the distinctive needs of research communities, will help advance the Association's priority to bridge policy and practice. An attentive collaborator, Marcel is well positioned to advocate for research library and archives leaders and equip them to serve as partners in moving research and scholarship forward.

As ARL director, Research Policy and Scholarship, Marcel will be responsible for leading the Association's Scholars and Scholarship portfolio. This portfolio includes activities in data-intensive and technologically enabled scholarship, such as AI; new modes of publishing; open science; and community-engaged scholarship. ARL works in close collaboration with higher education, research, and policymaking communities on these issues.

"We couldn't be more excited about Marcel joining the ARL team," said Andrew K. Pace, ARL executive director. "The Association is in a unique position to influence the increasing complexity of the research policy environment so our members can thrive in meeting their mission. Marcel's experience is a perfect fit for this moment."

Prior to working at PLOS, Marcel was a postdoctoral researcher at the LBG Open Innovation in Science Center, in Vienna, Austria. Marcel holds a PhD in anthropology from Rice University, an MS in library and information science from Simmons College, and a BA in folklore and mythology from Harvard University.

"I have long admired the way that ARL stakes out bold, far-seeing positions that center library values," said Marcel. "I look forward to supporting a number of in-flight projects at the intersection of policy and practice, as well as defining a longer-term research agenda into changing conditions of scholarly work and life."

About the Association of Research Libraries

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of research libraries in Canada and the US whose vision is to create a trusted, equitable, and inclusive research and learning ecosystem and prepare library leaders to advance this work in strategic partnership with member libraries and other organizations worldwide. ARL's mission is to empower and advocate for research libraries and archives to shape, influence, and implement institutional, national, and international policy. ARL develops the next generation of leaders and enables strategic cooperation among partner institutions to benefit scholarship and society. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.