NYLA 2024 Elections

The NYLA Elections run from June 1st to June 15th. To vote in this election, you must be an active NYLA Member and have re-joined the new membership database on or before the May 31st deadline. If you haven't re-joined the new membership database yet,  you can do so here. Remember - you can only vote in this upcoming election if you re-join the database.

Please note that NYLA Unit Elections will run concurrently with the NYLA Council Elections. You must be a member of the NYLA Unit to vote in their election. All NYLA Elections you are eligible to vote in will appear on your My NYLA Profile. Closer to the launch of the elections, there will also be buttons below for each election running this cycle. You must be logged into your NYLA account and a member to see the elections those buttons will lead to. 

All NYLA Council Candidate Q&A videos will launch after the NYLA President-Elect Candidate Conversation on Wednesday, May 22nd. All NYLA Election Forms will launch on June 1st. 

NYLA President-Elect

Ginger Tebo School Library System Director at St Lawrence-Lewis BOCES

My decision to run for the position of NYLA President-Elect stems from a commitment to service and a profound belief in the mission of NYLA: to “lead, educate, and advocate for the advancement of the New York library community”. Through the dedicated efforts of NYLA staff and Council leadership, the organization has been moving steadily toward fiscal and operational sustainability. After being involved in a variety of roles in multiple library types and serving on the NYLA Council since 2021, I believe I can provide continuity and perspective in this effort.

Central to my vision is the maintenance of a professional and collaborative environment that empowers NYLA members to contribute their perspectives, skills, and ideas to our shared goals. I have consistently promoted a culture of professionalism within the NYLA Council and other library organizations in which I have been involved, recognizing this as an essential component of our ongoing success and credibility. I am also committed to ensuring that every voice within NYLA is not only acknowledged but truly heard and respected. In embracing the diversity of voices within our community, we can harness the collective wisdom and expertise necessary to navigate the challenges ahead and propel NYLA toward a future of genuine impact.

I am honored to run for the position of NYLA President-Elect. I appreciate your support in the upcoming election and look forward to the opportunity to serve our amazing New York library community.

Candidate Biography

Ginger has been the Director of the St. Lawrence-Lewis School Library System since 2017, and also serves as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Supervisor within the BOCES. She previously spent 7 years as the School Library Media Specialist at Clifton-Fine Central School and 5 years as the Children’s Librarian at Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library. Ginger is currently serving as a Member-At-Large representing School Libraries on the New York Library Association Council. She is also the President of the Canton Free Library Board of Trustees and a member of the Board of Trustees of the North Country Library System. Her core values of knowledge, service, and integrity guide her in creating welcoming environments with access to relevant, high-quality resources for all library patrons. She and her family live in rural Northern New York with their two dogs and two cats.

Candidate CV

It's almost time for you to use YOUR voice and shape the leadership and future of YOUR association. Your vote is important in choosing our leaders and we hope to see you at our upcoming NYLA 2024 President-Elect Candidate Forum! This will be a LIVE and recorded event with general questions from NYLA and then a live Q&A from our members.

If you would like one of your questions to be selected during the live Q&A, please add them in the Questions & Comment section of this registration form. Please note this will be streamed LIVE on NYLA's Facebook page, however, registration through Zoom is HIGHLY encouraged. Feel free to send over some love on Facebook Live as well since we will be monitoring those comments alongside the Zoom chat.

After the President-Elect Candidate Forum, ALL candidate Q&As will be made available for NYLA Members to view. If you have any questions, please contact C at [email protected].

Register Here 

NYLA Councilor-at-Large (Public Libraries) Candidates

B. Maggie Foster Outreach Coordinator at the Onondaga County Public Libraries

Becoming a public librarian has been a goal of mine since before I could spell g-o-a-l. It started with alphabetizing my parents’ bookshelves as a child and developed through high school when I asked to be a library aide instead of a teacher’s aide. Finally entering the profession as a page, post-undergrad, cemented my belief that I was supposed to be a librarian. I believe strongly in our core values of access, equity, and intellectual freedom. As a Councilor-at-Large, representing Public Libraries, I will stand by those library values, along with sustainability, and continue to advocate for the public good in all decisions.

When I began full-time work as a public librarian for Onondaga County Public Libraries, Mundy Branch, I was responsible for Technology and Job Information for our patrons. It was thrilling and terrifying to be in a busy, urban setting, and the good things our branch did for our library users showed me how important public library workers are to the library profession. We cannot empower children to read, and motivate adults to learn more if we don’t support one another first. As I have moved from that busy city branch to a Community Engagement role at Liverpool Public Library, and now Outreach Coordinator for the OCPL System, I continue to advocate for staff wellness, employee retention, and finding the good.

As I enter my 11th year as a certified Public Librarian, and the current president of START (Sustainable Thinking and Action Roundtable), I recognize that by being on the NYLA Council, I can help lead the way forward. If elected, I will continue to think sustainably about best practices for NYLA members and all of our public library workers. I will dedicate myself to empowering the profession and advocating for the future of librarianship.

1. I am running for this position because I saw the need for a public library representative and knew I would be a good advocate for those currently facing difficult and demanding situations in their public libraries. I have been a member of NYLA since about 2013, first as a student and then as an FT public librarian.
2. I believe NYLA’s most important responsibility to the NY library community is to continue to lead, educate, and advocate, for all library workers – not just the ones with degrees. Our library workers at all levels should feel connected and represented by NYLA.
3. One of NYLA’s biggest priorities that would provide much-needed support to public libraries is the Civil Service issues we are facing. It’s an outdated system with outdated descriptions but with NYLA’s help, public libraries could begin utilizing an improved process and new language that more adequately represents our 21st century libraries.
4. My best skill is an automatic need to feel part of a team. I am a triplet so you don’t grow up doing anything alone and everything is shared – from birthday gifts to household chores. As I grew older and entered the workforce, I realized that I was very good at organizing teams, finding out everyone’s skill set, and giving direction. Some would call that project management, but I think it’s more like team empowerment.

Candidate Biography

Call me Maggie. All of my official documentation says Bonnie Margaret Foster, but I came into this world already being called Maggie. Everyone calls me Maggie, so you should too! B. Maggie Foster received her MLIS from the iSchool, at Syracuse University, in 2013. Her experiences in public librarianship have included performing toddler story times, working one-on-one with job seekers, and learning to ride a book bike. In 2016, she began working with the NYLA Sustainability Initiative, Marketing the Cause/Making the Case. During this time, she took an interest in sustainable practices for public programming which she continues to encourage today when meeting with system staff. Maggie has been the Outreach Coordinator for the Onondaga County Public Libraries since the spring of 2022. Maggie lives in Syracuse, with her husband, teenagers, and a loud cat named Ms. Honey.

Alexandra Mercado Librarian III at Sachem Public Library

"Look for the helpers” is a phrase that Mr. Fred Rogers credits his mom with saying to him to help him persevere through uncertain times. I passionately believe that libraries are the great helpers of society. It is crucial that we, as a profession, continue to help foster connections, facilitate learning, defend intellectual freedom, and preserve our shared history.

My name is Alexandra Mercado and I am the Head of Library Programs & Newsletter at Sachem Public Library on Long Island. By population, we are the third largest public library in Suffolk County and serve nearly 82,000 residents. I have worked in public libraries for a decade and specialize in services for adult populations.

I was the 2021 president of the Suffolk County Library Association where I collaborated with my peers to support libraries and library workers in my community. My goal now is to reach librarians on a statewide level where I can share my public library expertise with the NYLA community.

We are in turbulent times and need to stand firm in our values as library workers. We need to continue to advocate for proper funding to meet the needs of our patrons. We need to continue to offer training and support to our library workers on the front lines. And we must defend the freedom to read. I hope to help NYLA Council in those efforts.

I am honored to be a candidate for the NYLA Councilor-at-Large for Public Libraries position. I appreciate your consideration.

Candidate Biography

I am Alexandra Mercado and I am the Head of Library Programs & Newsletter at Sachem Public Library on Long Island. I have worked at various public libraries in Suffolk County serving adult patrons for the past ten years. My focus is on fostering education and connection among patrons. My interest in public libraries likely began when my mom went into labor with me at Brentwood Public Library while my sister took her sweet time picking out some picture books. I am a proud pet parent to a handsome dog and two gorgeous cats. You are always welcome to come find me and chat about all things Bravo and Taylor Swift.

NYLA Councilor-at-Large (Academic/Special Libraries) Candidates

Sue Ludington Chief Law Librarian at the NYS Unified Court System

 As a librarian for 25 years, I’ve sought membership in numerous local, state, and national associations that are extremely meaningful to me and have enabled me to give back to this profession that I love so much. I’m thrilled to now be a candidate for the Councilor-at-Large for Academic/Special Libraries position on the NYLA Council.

I currently work for the New York State Unified Court System as Chief Law Librarian where I lead the Office of Legal Information, an administrative unit that provides operational support and resource management to our court law libraries and their staffs statewide. I’ve held this position for a little over two years, following relocation to New York from Oregon in late 2021.

Before moving to the East Coast, I had a decade-long career as a county law librarian in two different Oregon counties. Before law librarianship, I spent nearly ten (wonderful!) years as a Teen/Youth Services Librarian in public libraries. During all that time, I was an active member of the Oregon Library Association: serving on committees, assuming leadership roles, and engaging in advocacy activities that were professionally and personally rewarding.

I want to bring that same energy and passion that I have for special and academic libraries to the New York Library Association and help raise the visibility and influence of these institutions. Special and academic libraries have similar purposes: they typically maintain a specialized, targeted collection that serves a limited patron group, and emphasize meeting the unique needs of their particular users. While they may have differing objectives and processes, I believe library workers staffing these facilities have much they can learn from each other and share with the larger library community. I look forward to being a vocal advocate for further collaboration among library types and working together to advance NYLA’s mission and strategic vision.

If elected, I am confident both my librarian expertise and enthusiasm for association work will make me well-suited to serve as Councilor-at-Large representing special and academic libraries. I am honored to be considered!

Candidate Biography

Sue Ludington (she/her/hers) has served as Chief Law Librarian for the New York State Unified Court System since March 2022. She oversees the Office of Legal Information, which supports court law libraries statewide and administers reference services to the judiciary, court personnel, and the public. Before moving to New York in 2021, she worked as a county law librarian in Oregon. Earning her MLIS from the University of Washington in 2002, Sue initially worked for 10 years in Oregon public libraries as a teen/youth services librarian. Upon receiving her Paralegal Studies certificate in 2012, she transitioned into public law librarianship and found great satisfaction in helping court users navigate the legal system. In her current administrative role, Sue regularly promotes law libraries as integral players in the access to justice movement and actively seeks ways to foster collaboration and collegiality. Outside of work, Sue enjoys hiking, bird watching, puzzles, live music, cheering on the Yankees, and civic participation.

Jim Neal University Librarian Emeritus at Columbia University

I am standing for election as NYLA Councilor-At-Large. I will bring to the Board extensive experience and expertise in the areas of association leadership and governance, fundraising and new business development, association planning and budget, and legislative advocacy and information policy. I am hardworking, collaborative, and consultative. State library associations are essential to national library leadership, providing advocacy and support for the work of libraries and library workers, and providing opportunities for sharing, learning, networking, and fun.

Candidate Biography

Jim Neal is University Librarian Emeritus at Columbia University, where he served as the Vice President for Information Services. Previously he was Dean of University Libraries at Johns Hopkins and Indiana, and held administrative positions in the libraries at Penn State, Notre Dame and CUNY. He has extensive professional leadership and governance experience, Including President and Treasurer of the American Library Association, including service on the ALA Executive Board and Council working closely with public and school librarians, President of the Association of Research Libraries, President of the National Information Standards Organization, President of the Research Libraries Group, on the Board of OCLC for four terms, on the Board of the Freedom to Read Foundation, on the Board of the Metropolitan Library Council, among hundreds of other assignments on professional committees and task forces at state, national and international levels. He is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences, published author, and a consultant in areas such as scholarly communication, intellectual property, digital libraries. leadership and management, and library collaboration. He has received numerous awards and recognition, including ALA Honorary Membership. He has worked over many years in fundraising and grants, raising over $250 million for library, association, and community projects, and is co-chairing ALA’s 150th Anniversary Capital Campaign.