And the winner is . . .

The official results of the ACRL 2023 Board of Directors vice-president/president-elect special election

As a result of the ACRL 2023 Board of Directors vice-president/president-elect special election held in June 2023, Leo S. Lo, dean and professor of the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences at the University of New Mexico, has been elected ACRL vice-president/president-elect.

Leo S. Lo

“I am deeply honored to have been elected as the vice-president/president-elect of ACRL, an association I passionately believe in and have proudly served. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for entrusting me with the responsibility of this position.

“As I assume this role, I am filled with an invigorating sense of responsibility and optimism. From my years of serving in the field of academic libraries, I understand the immense potential we possess and the challenges we face. My journey has always been guided by our core values of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and as president-elect, I am committed to strengthening these foundations.

“My vision for our future is driven by the transformative power of collaboration and innovation. I believe that to navigate the evolving landscape of higher education, we must foster strong partnerships, both within and beyond our community. Together, we can amplify our impact and advocate for the critical role libraries play in the advancement of knowledge.

“The burgeoning field of artificial intelligence (AI) holds tremendous potential for our libraries. As a long-term advocate for AI literacy, I will endeavor to explore the applications and implications of integrating AI and emerging technologies into our services and strategies, thus ensuring our libraries remain at the forefront of digital transformation.

“However, I firmly believe that our strength lies not just in our libraries, but also in the people who dedicate themselves to their success. Professional development and mentorship for our colleagues are paramount. I pledge to champion these initiatives, promoting a vibrant and diverse community of library leaders.

“My vision for the ACRL is to embrace change, drive innovation, and enhance inclusivity. I am incredibly excited about the journey we are embarking on, and I look forward to working together to shape the future of academic librarianship.”

During his 14 years of ACRL membership, Lo has served as co-chair of the ACRL President’s Program Planning Committee (2021–2023), a member (2017–2019); chair, ACRL College and Research Library News Editorial Board (2021–2023), a member (2017–2021); vice-chair, ACRL Publications Coordinating Committee (2022–2023), a member (2021–2022); a member, ACRL Academic/Research Librarian of the Year Award Committee (2020–2022); a member, ACRL ULS Public Service Directors of Large Research Libraries Discussion Group (2019–2022); and a member of the ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Awards Committee (2018–2020).

“I would like to express my gratitude and congratulations to Leo Lo for his election to the ACRL Board of Directors,” said ACRL Interim Executive Director Allison Payne. “Leo’s valuable contributions to ACRL, including serving on and chairing many committees and membership groups, will be an asset in the Board’s work supporting the ACRL strategic plan, the Plan for Excellence. Leo’s deep knowledge of the association and higher education will help the Board meet member needs and advance strategic priorities.”

Lo’s experience with ALA includes being a councilor-at-large of the ALA Council (2015–2018) and re-elected for another term (2018–2021). Lo has also served as a member on the ALA Training, Orientation, and Professional Development Committee (2011–2013); chair-elect, chair, and past-chair of the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) Library Organization and Management Section (2013–2016); a member of Library Leadership & Management Editorial Board (2011–2013); the LL&M editor of the column, “New Perspectives in Leadership”; Board of Directors new leader’s representative (2010–2013); chair of the LLAMA/NMRT Joint Committee on Collaboration (2011–2012); and chair of the Diversity Task Force (2010–2011).

He has also served as the assistant chair of the ALA New Members Round Table (NMRT) Liaison Support and Coordination Committee (2011–2012); chair of the Student Chapter Award Committee (2010–2011), a member (2009–2010); a member of the Membership, Promotion, Diversity, & Recruitment Committee (2010–2011); and a member of the Newsletter Committee (2009–2010).

Lo’s activity with state, regional, and other national associations include serving on the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), 2023 Association Program Planning Task Force (member, 2022–2023); Research and Analytics Committee (member, 2021–2023); The New Mexico Consortium of Academic Libraries (member representative, 2021–present); IMLS Advisory Board for CALA/APALA “Path to Leadership” (Board member, 2021–2023); and The Journal of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education (JOERHE) Editorial Advisory Board (member, Open Peer Reviewer, 2022–present). Lo has also served on the Future Information Professionals (FIP) Advisory Board (member, 2022–present)—an IMLS-funded internship program coordinated by Old Dominion University to introduce undergraduate students to the library profession; Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) (member representative, 2021–present); Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) (member representative, 2021–present); Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Heads of Public Services Group (member, 2019–2021); and the Chinese American Librarian Association (CALA) Publication Committee (member, 2009–2010).

Notable accomplishments for Lo include being selected as an ALA Emerging Leader and sponsored by LLAMA in 2010. As a scholar-practitioner, Lo’s two co-authored papers, “You’re Hired! An Analysis of the Perceptions and Behaviors of Library Job Candidates on Job Offer Negotiations,” and “Recent Changes to Reference Services on Academic Libraries and Their Relationship to Perceived Quality: Results of a National Survey,” were awarded the first and second prizes respectively of the 2016 EBSCO/Alabama Library Association Research Paper Award.

ACRL Board of Directors

Vice-President/President-Elect: Leo Lo (1,514); Write-in (25)