Wanda Kay Brown
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Wanda Kay Brown is an American
librarian A librarian is a person who works professionally in a library providing access to information, and sometimes social or technical programming, or instruction on information literacy to users. The role of the librarian has changed much over time ...
, and the president of the
American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...
for the 2019–2020 term. She is the director of the C. G. O'Kelly Library at
Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is a historically black public university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina. History Winston-Salem State University was founded as Slater Industrial Academy o ...
and a leader in state and national library associations. She is the first American Library Association president who is a library director at one of the nation's
historically black colleges and universities Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. ...
.


Background and education

Brown, a native North Carolinian, received a
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
in English at
Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is a historically black public university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina. History Winston-Salem State University was founded as Slater Industrial Academy o ...
in May 1977 and a
Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
in
Library Science Library science (often termed library studies, bibliothecography, and library economy) is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, an ...
at the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand- ...
in 1983. Her personal story as a chosen child and an example of a rise from adversity aired on WXII-12-Winston-Salem.


Career

Brown began working at
Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Reynolda Campus, the un ...
in 1977 as a library technician, eventually working her way up to associate director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Library in 2007. Since 2016, she has served as Director of Library Services for the C. G. O'Kelly Library at
Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is a historically black public university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina. History Winston-Salem State University was founded as Slater Industrial Academy o ...
. Brown has been a member of the American Library Association for 30 years. Brown has held multiple positions within the
Black Caucus of the American Library Association The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) is an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA) that focuses on the needs of African American library professionals by promoting careers in librarianship, funding literacy in ...
(BCALA), including time spent as treasurer (1992–1996, 2016–2018), executive board member (2001–2003, 2014–2016), and president (2006–2008). From 2011 to 2013 she was the president of the North Carolina Library Association, with which she has also held the positions of treasurer (1991–1998) and chair of the finance committee (2005–2009).


ALA Presidency


Campaign

In early 2018, Brown received endorsement from BCALA, supported by a petition signed by 34 members in support of her running. Brown was elected president of the
American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...
for 2019–2020. Brown received 6,066 votes; her opponent, Peter Hepburn, head librarian at the College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, CA, received 4,066 Votes. The 11,037 ballots cast, representing approximately 22.1 percent of ALA membership, were up from the previous year's total of 9,748. Brown is the first librarian from a historically black college or university to serve as ALA president.


Presidential Statements and Publications

As President of the American Library Association Brown writes a column for its magazine, ''
American Libraries ''American Libraries'' is the flagship magazine of the American Library Association (ALA). About ''American Libraries'' was first published in 1970 as a continuation of the long-running ''ALA Bulletin,'' which had served as the Association’s ...
'', and has addressed the role of librarians promoting Association values, the redesign of libraries. and how libraries can help immigrants and refugees thrive with inclusive programs and services. In 2020 Brown wrote "Forward Together: Charting a Path to a More Vibrant and Effective Organization," and presented recommendations to enable sustainable, long-term change for the American Library Association. On February 14, 2020 Brown and the Executive Board issued a statement regarding the Association's financial shortfall in the operating budget. On January 15, 2020 Wanda Kay Brown announced the appointment of Tracie D. Hall as Executive Director of the American Library Association. The role of librarians' intersection with the 2020 census was the topic of President Brown's March/April ''American Libraries'' column. She noted, "It's important to view this civic duty through the lens of social justice. Hard-to-count groups include recent immigrants, people of color, young children, and renters." Libraries' response to the
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
pandemic was the topic of Wanda Kay Brown's presidential column in May, 2020, "Libraries Adapt amid Crisis: Finding inspiration from library workers across the country." She highlighted homework help at the Charleston County Public Library in South Carolina, the My Librarian 30-minute appointments to assist patrons with navigating small business loans at the
Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) is a public library system in the United States. In addition to its main library location in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, CHPL operates 40 regional and branch locations throughout Hamil ...
in Ohio, and the housing of homeless people at the Spokane Public Library in Washington. Brown concluded, "May these challenging and uncertain times find us working even closer together so that our libraries, our communities, our association, and our families will all thrive. " In her final ''American Libraries'' essay as American Library Association president in June, 2020 President Brown reviewed her 2019-2020 year as one of change, loss, and hope. On June 1, 2020 Wanda Kay Brown announced the endorsement the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, "Statement Condemning Increased Violence and Racism Towards Black Americans and People of Color" by the American Library Association Executive Board.


#eBooksForAll

Under Brown's leadership the American Library Association launched the campaig
#eBooksForAll
denouncing Macmillan Publishers' planned embargo on eBook sales to libraries. The background on Macmillan's decision has been explained by Jessamyn West in a CNN opinion essay, "Libraries are fighting to preserve your right to borrow e-books".


2020 Annual Conference and COVID-19

Wanda Kay Brown was the first president in 75 years under whom the live Annual Conference, scheduled for Chicago in June 2020, was cancelled. The reason was the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). "ALA's priority is the health and safety of the library community, including our members, staff, supporters, vendors and volunteers," Brown stated in a press release. "As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, it's become clear that in the face of an unprecedented situation, we need to make tough choices." The 2020 conference was reconfigured as a virtual event, Community Through Connection, on June 24–25, 2020.American Library Association. Virtual Conferenc
Community Through Connection
/ref> The opening session features
Misty Copeland Misty Danielle Copeland (born September 10, 1982) is an American ballet dancer for American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. On June 30, 2015, Copeland became the first African Amer ...
and closing session features
Natalie Portman Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
.


Awards

Brown has been honored with the BCALA 2015 DEMCO/ALA Black Caucus Award for Excellence, the 2013 BCALA Leadership Award, and the 2012 BCALA Distinguished Service Award.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand- ...
awarded Brown the 2009 UNCG Kovacs Award for Outstanding Alumni Achievement and a 2013 UNCG School of Education Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Wanda Kay African-American librarians American librarians Winston-Salem State University alumni Presidents of the American Library Association Year of birth missing (living people) Living people University of North Carolina at Greensboro alumni Wake Forest University administrators American women librarians People from North Carolina 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women