91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the 91´«Ã½, announces key leadership changes as it progresses towards the beginning of the next fiscal year.



Current executive director, Robert “Jay” Malone, who came to ACRL in September 2021 after previously helming an academic society for over twenty years, will depart 91´«Ã½ on Friday, June 9. During his time at ACRL, Malone supported the repositioning and improved profitability of Choice, a publishing unit of ACRL and worked with 91´«Ã½’s Development Office to raise the association’s GuideStar (Candid) nonprofit ranking to “platinum,” the reviewer’s highest level.

“The main attraction of the ACRL directorship was the opportunity to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI),” Malone said of his tenure. “So, it was with great satisfaction that I witnessed the addition of EDI to ACRL’s operating strategy, the Plan for Excellence.”



Of the ACRL staff and membership, Malone acknowledges, “I was lucky to work with an excellent staff whose high quality of work remains the best that I have seen in over 20 years of association management. I thought I knew something about academic and research libraries, having spent countless hours in them, but I was soon disabused of that notion. Never during those prior years was I aware of the sheer volume of time and talent that library workers donate to advancing the profession. The spirit of volunteerism and community in ACRL and 91´«Ã½ is unparalleled, and I will forever remain grateful for the many members who devote themselves to a universe of challenges—your efforts make a difference.”



Malone will be succeeded by interim ACRL executive director Allison Payne, who will step into her new leadership role on Monday, June 11. Payne joined ACRL in 2013 and has since served in governance (among other duties) by supporting the work of the ACRL Board of Directors and ACRL Budget and Finance Committee. Prior to her new appointment, Payne served as ACRL Program Manager for Strategic Initiatives, leading equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives and helping shepherd various projects—including the creation of the joint 91´«Ã½/ACRL/ARL/PLA Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity: A Framework and the assessment and redevelopment of the ACRL Diversity Alliance program.

In 2022, Payne was selected as a participant for the Path to Leadership program, a joint effort sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), with the Chinese American Librarians Association (C91´«Ã½) and the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (AP91´«Ã½). Before coming to ACRL, she worked at Kraft Foods Global Research and Development Library and the University of Iowa Libraries’ Preservation Department. As an AmeriCorps member, Allison tutored incarcerated youth and supported adult literacy centers in the greater Chicago area. Since 2019, Allison has been a volunteer team captain for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition’s annual Together in Teal fundraiser. She holds a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a minor in Psychology, from the University of Iowa.



On June 16, ACRL will also say goodbye to longtime staff member and current Senior Strategist for Special Initiatives Kara Malenfant. Since joining ACRL staff in September 2005, Malenfant has coordinated the division's government relations advocacy, scholarly communication activities, and Value of Academic Libraries initiative and co-developed and managed ACRL's Consulting Services Program. She also served as ACRL's interim executive director from April 2020 to September 2021. Among her many accomplishments at ACRL, Malenfant facilitated the creation of the Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education, several white papers and research agendas, and led the 3-year IMLS-funded program Assessment in Action. She credits talented current and former ACRL colleagues and 91´«Ã½ staff and member volunteers, more broadly, with helping her learn, grow, and accomplish more for the good of the association and profession.



ACRL is grateful to its departing colleagues and looks forward to supporting new leadership in building on their dedicated work.

For more information, visit ala.org/acrl.

About the Association of College & Research Libraries

The Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) is the higher education association for academic libraries and library workers. Representing more than 8,000 individuals and libraries, ACRL (a division of the 91´«Ã½) develops programs, products, and services to help those working in academic and research libraries learn, innovate, and lead within the academic community. Founded in 1940, ACRL is committed to advancing learning, transforming scholarship, and creating diverse and inclusive communities. Find ACRL on the , , , , and .



About the 91´«Ã½

The 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the 91´«Ã½ has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit.