Additional information
by Renate L. Chancellor (Author)
This book tells the story of Clara Stanton Jones, the first woman to direct a major public library system in the United States and the first African American president of the ALA. After being appointed as Director of the Detroit Public Library in 1944, Jones transformed libraries everywhere. She focused on community and worked to desegregate libraries, library services, and overall library culture by encouraging the American Library Association to pass the Resolution on Racism and Sexism Awareness. In addition to being the first Black to be president of the ALA, Jones was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. She was a member of the Public Library Association, American Civil Liberties Union, National Council of Negro Women, and more.
Author Biography
Renate Chancellor is chair and associate professor in the department of library and information science at the Catholic University of America. She received her master's and Ph.D. in information studies from UCLA. Her research focuses on human information behavior, organizational leadership, equity, diversity and inclusion and social justice in library and information science. She has published numerous scholarly articles in this area. Recent publications include: Racial Battle Fatigue: The Unspoken Burden of Black Women Faculty In LIS, Communities in the Crossfire: Models for Public Library Action and Libraries on the Frontlines: Neutrality and Social Justice. Her previous book, E.J. Josey: Transformational Leader in the Modern Library Profession (2020) was published by Rowman & Littlefield.
