Re-posted from ARL News October 9. 2025
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) elected its 2026 Board of Directors today during the Fall 2025 Association Meeting. On January 1, 2026, Melissa Just, the holder of the Valerie and Ronald Sugar Dean’s Chair of the USC Libraries, 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. Melissa will begin her presidential year with an ARL President’s Institute on “Unlocking Innovation.”
“I am excited to lead our Association in the coming year and look forward to working with our member libraries, and ARL’s Board of Directors, executive director, and staff during this critical time,” said ARL Vice President/President-Elect Just. “The work that ARL undertakes every day is more important than ever. Our strategic advocacy, collaborative partnerships, and shared commitment to advancing equitable access to knowledge drive learning, research, and innovation at our member institutions and beyond.”
Melissa will succeed Rhea Ballard-Thrower, dean of libraries and university librarian at the University of Illinois Chicago, as ARL president. Rhea will continue to serve as a member of both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as past president through December 31, 2026.
During the Fall Meeting, the Association’s membership ratified the Board’s election of Simon Neame as ARL vice president/president-elect for 2026. Simon is dean of University Libraries, University of Washington, and will become ARL president on January 1, 2027.
Two new Board members were elected by the membership to serve 2026–2028: Beth Sandore Namachchivaya, university librarian, University of Waterloo, and Jon Shaw, university librarian, Vanderbilt University.
Continuing elected members of the Board are: Brent Reidy (2025–2027), Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries, The New York Public Library; Hilary Seo (2024–2026), dean of Library Services, Iowa State University; Claire Stewart (2025–2027), Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Dean of Libraries and University Librarian, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Evviva Weinraub Lajoie (2024–2026), vice provost for University Libraries, University at Buffalo; Stanley Wilder (2025–2027), dean of libraries, Louisiana State University; and Shali Zhang (2025–2027), dean of libraries, Auburn University.
Also continuing to serve on the Board and Executive Committee for 2026 are Joseph A. Salem Jr. (2025–2027), the Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs, Duke University, who serves as ARL treasurer, and Andrew K. 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.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit membership organization of research libraries and archives in major public and private universities, federal government agencies, and large public institutions in Canada and the US. ARL champions research libraries and archives, develops visionary leaders, and shapes policy for the equitable advancement of knowledge.
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