ACRL College & Researc Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

Althea H. Jenkins named ACRL executive director

Althea H. Jenkins, library director at the Sarasota/New College Campus of the University of South Florida, has been appointed executive director of ACRL effective July 8, 1991. In her new post, Jenkins will serve as head of the 11,000-member division, the largest of ALA’s 11 divisions. Jenkins succeeds JoAn S. Segal, who was appointed ALA associate executive director for programs in May, 1990.

“I am delighted with Althea’s appointment,” said Barbara J. Ford, ACRL president. “She is eminently qualified for the position with her many years of academic library experience and her association leadership as past president of both the Florida ACRL chapter and the Florida Library Association. Her activities on ACRL committees and broad record of publications and professional presentations make her an excellent choice.”

ALA Executive Director Linda F. Crismond said, “Althea’s experience and leadership abilities will be an asset to the ALA management team. She has a strong record of active commitment to the profession, to ACRL, to the education community and to her local community.”

Jenkins, commenting that she never imagined her career outside the walls of an academic institution, quickly adds, "This is a great challenge that I am looking forward to. The opportunity to improve the visibility of academic librarians and libraries within higher education is but one aspect of the job that makes it so appealing. I am excited about working with the ACRL staff, board, chapters, sections and committees, with other ALA division directors and department heads, and continuing the outreach to other information and higher education organizations and associations.”

Jenkins is also a guest lecturer and associate instructor in the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida. She previously served as library director and professor at Miami-Dade Community College and supervisor and teacher in the Adult Basic Education Program at Indian River Community College, Fort Pierce, Fla.

Active in the profession, Jenkins currently serves as chair of the ACRL Access Policy Guidelines Task Force. She is a member of the ACRL University Libraries Section Conference Program Planning Committee; the Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA) Governmental Affairs Committee; the Social Responsibilities Round Table; and the Black Caucus of the ALA.

Jenkins is chair of the Sarasota County His- torical Commission and member of Eckerd Col- lege, St. Petersburg, Fla., board of trustees. She is a member of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Education Committee and the Committee on Higher Education Presbyterian Church USA. Jenkins is grant evaluator and pan- elist for Title III and Talent Search, Upward Bound, Economic Opportunity (TRIO) Programs, USDOE, Office Postsecondary Education. She also serves on site visit teams for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Althea H. Jenkins

Her community involvement includes serving as a board of directors member for the Community Foundation of Sarasota, United Way of Sarasota and Girls Incorporated of Sarasota. Jenkins received her bachelor’s degree in library science from Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, Fla.; her master’s degree in library and information science from Florida State University and her doctoral degree in educational administration from Nova University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Both Ford and Crismond commended ACRL deputy director and acting executive director Cath- leen Bourdon for the "excellent support and leadership” she has provided to ACRL and ALA. “She guided the division through a challenging decision to move the 1992 national conference from Arizona and filled two jobs for the last ten months,” Crismond said.

ACRL members serving on the ACRL Executive Director Search Committee, chaired by consultant Maureen Sullivan, were: Hiram L. Davis, Michigan State University; Barbara J. Ford, Trinity University; W. Lee Hisle, Austin Community College; William A. Moffett, Huntington Library; Elizabeth Salzer, Santa Clara University; and Patricia Wand, American University.