ALA's Past Presidents

Names, images, and service dates for ALA's Past Presidents.

This page contains links to archived information about ALA's Past Presidents. Please view this Pinterest board from American Libraries for a pictorial listing of the all of the past ALA Presidents.

Photo Name Years of service Death date
Lessa%20Pelayo%20Lozada%20pf%20%28crop%29 Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada 2022-2023
Patricia "Patty" Wong Patricia "Patty" Wong 2021-2022
Julius C. Jefferson, Jr. Julius C. Jefferson, Jr 2020-2021
Wanda K. Brown Wanda Kay Brown 2019-2020
Loida Garcia-Febo Loida Garcia-Febo 2018-2019
Photo of Past President Jim Neal James "Jim" Neal 2017-2018
Photo of Past President Julie Todaro Julie B. Todaro 2016-2017
Photo of Past President Sari Feldman Sari Feldman 2015-2016
Photo of Past President Courtney Young Courtney Young 2014-2015
Photo of Past President Barbara Stripling Barbara Stripling 2013-2014
Photo of Past President Maureen Sullivan Maureen Sullivan 2012-2013
Photo of Past President Molly Raphael Molly Raphael 2011-2012
Photo of Past President Roberta Stevens Roberta A. Stevens 2010-2011
Photo of Past President Camila Alire Camila Alire 2009-2010
Photo of Past President Jim Rettig Jim Rettig 2008-2009 August 17, 2022
Photo of Past President Loriene Roy Loriene Roy 2007-2008
Photo of Past President Leslie Burger Leslie Burger 2006-2007
Photo of Past President Michael Gorman Michael Gorman 2005–2006
Photo of Past President Carol A. Brey-Casiano Carol A. Brey-Casiano 2004–2005
Photo of Past President Carla Hayden Carla D. Hayden 2003–2004
Photo of Past President Maurice Freedman Maurice J. (Mitch) Freedman 2002–2003
Photo of Past President John W. Berry John W. Berry 2001–2002
Photo of Past President Nancy Kranich Nancy Kranich 2000–2001
Sarah Ann Long 1999–2000
Ann Symons 1998–1999
Barbara J. Ford 1997–1998
Mary R. Somerville 1996–1997
Betty J. Turock 1995-1996
Arthur Curley 1994-1995 April 1, 1998
Hardy R. Franklin 1993-1994 August 21, 2004
Marilyn L. Miller 1992-1993 May 22, 2014
Patricia G. Schuman 1991-1992
Richard M. Dougherty 1990-1991
Patricia Wilson Berger 1989-1990 March 27, 2011
F. William Summers 1988-1989 August 12, 2016
Margaret E. Chisholm 1987-1988 November 20, 1999
Regina Minudri 1986-1987 June 18, 2021
Beverly P. Lynch 1985-1986
E. J. Josey 1984-1985 July 3, 2009
Brooke E. Sheldon 1983-1984 February 11, 2013
Carol A. Nemeyer 1982-1983 June 30, 2008
Elizabeth W. (Betty) Stone 1981-1982 March 6, 2002
Peggy A. Sullivan 1980-1981 April 13, 2020
Thomas J. Galvin 1979-1980 February 18, 2004
Russell Shank 1978-1979 June 26, 2012
Eric Moon 1977-1978 July 31, 2016
Clara Stanton Jones July 1976-1977 September 30, 2012
Clara Stanton Jones (Acting President) April 11-July 22, 1976 September 30, 2012
Allie Beth Martin 1975-April 1976 April 11, 1976
Edward G. Holley 1974-1975 February 18, 2010
Jean E. Lowrie 1973-1974 November 9, 2014
Katherine Laich 1972-1973 November 16, 1992
Keith Doms 1971-1972 September 26, 2009
Lillian M. Bradshaw 1970-1971 February 9, 2010
William S. Dix 1969-1970 February 22, 1978
Roger McDonough 1968-1969 December 2, 2001
Foster E. Mohrhardt 1967-1968 June 7, 1992
Mary V. Gaver 1966-1967 December 31, 1991
Robert Vosper 1965-1966 May 14, 1994
Edwin Castagna 1964-1965 November 26, 1983
Frederick H. Wagman 1963-1964 November 30, 1994
James E. Bryan 1962-1963 May 10, 2007
Florrinell F. Morton 1961-1962 January 1990
Frances Lander Spain 1960-1961 January 20, 1999
Benjamin E. Powell 1959-1960 March 11, 1981
Emerson Greenaway 1958-1959 April 1990
Lucile M. Morsch 1957-1958 July 3, 1972
Ralph R. Shaw 1956-1957 October 17, 1972
John S. Richards 1955-1956 December 1979
L. Quincy Mumford 1954-1955 August 15, 1982
Flora Belle Ludington 1953-1954 March 23, 1967
Robert Bingham Downs 1952-1953 February 24, 1991
Loleta Dawson Fyan 1951-1952 April 1990
Clarence R. Graham 1950-1951 January 28, 1989
Milton E. Lord 1949-1950 February 12, 1985
Errett Weir McDiarmid 1948-1949 April 27, 2000
Paul North Rice 1947-1948 April 16, 1967
Mary U. Rothrock 1946-1947 January 30, 1976
Ralph A. Ulveling 1945-1946 March 21, 1980
Carl Vitz 1944-1945 January 28, 1981
Althea H. Warren 1943-1944 December 21, 1958
Keyes D. Metcalf 1942-1943 November 3, 1983
Charles Harvey Brown 1941-1942 January 19, 1960
Essae Martha Culver 1940-1941 January 2, 1973
Ralph Munn 1939-1940 January 22, 1975
Milton James Ferguson 1938-1939 October 23, 1954
Harrison Warwick Craver 1937-1938 July 26, 1951
Malcom Glenn Wyer 1936-1937 December 31, 1965
Louis Round Wilson 1935-1936 December 9, 1979
Charles H. Compton 1934-1935 March 17, 1966
Gratia A. Countryman 1933-1934 July 26, 1953
Harry Miller Lydenberg 1932-1933 April 16, 1960
Josephine Adams Rathbone 1931-1932 May 17, 1941
Adam Strohm 1930-1931 October 30, 1951
Andrew Keogh 1929-1930 February 14, 1953
Linda A. Eastman 1928-1929 April 5, 1963
Carl B. Roden 1927-1928 October 25, 1956
George H. Locke 1926-1927 January 28, 1937
Charles F. D. Belden 1925-1926 October 23, 1931
Herman H. B. Meyer 1924-1925 January 16, 1937
Judson Toll Jennings 1923-1924 February 8, 1948
George Burwell Utley 1922-1923 October 4, 1946
Azariah Smith Root 1921-1922 October 2, 1927
Alice S. Tyler 1920-1921 April 18, 1944
Chalmers Hadley 1919-1920 May 11, 1958
William Warner Bishop 1918-1919 February 19, 1955
Thomas Lynch Montgomery 1917-1918 October 1, 1929
Walter Lewis Brown 1916-1917 October 16, 1931
Mary Wright Plummer 1915-1916 September 21, 1916
Hiller Crowell Wellman 1914-1915 February 3, 1956
Edwin Hatfield Anderson 1913-1914 April 29, 1947
Henry Eduard Legler 1912-1913 September 13, 1917
Theresa West Elmendorf 1911-1912 September 4, 1932
James Ingersoll Wyer 1910-1911 November 1, 1955
Nathaniel Dana Carlile 1909-1910 November 25, 1927
Charles Henry Gould 1908-1909 July 30, 1919
Arthur Elmore Bostwick 1907-1908 February 13, 1942
Clement Walker Andrews 1906-1907 November 20, 1930
Frank Pierce Hill 1905-1906 August 28, 1941
Ernest Cushing Richardson 1904-1905 June 3, 1939
Herbert Putnam 1903-1904 August 14, 1955
James Kendall Hosmer 1902-1903 May 18, 1927
John Shaw Billings 1901-1902 March 11, 1913
Henry James Carr 1900-1901 May 21, 1929
Reuben Gold Thwaites 1899-1900 October 22, 1913
William Coolidge Lane 1898-1899 March 18, 1931
Herbert Putnam Jan.-Aug.1898 August 14, 1955
Justin Winsor July-Oct.1897 October 22, 1897
William Howard Brett 1896-1897 August 24, 1918
John Cotton Dana 1895-1896 July 21, 1929
Henry Munson Utley 1894-1895 February 16, 1917
Josephus Nelson Larned 1893-1894 August 15, 1913
Melvil Dewey 1892-1893 December 26, 1931
William Isaac Fletcher* 1891-1892 June 6, 1917
K. August Linderfelt* Oct. 1891-May 1892 March 18, 1900
Samuel Swett Green July-Nov. 1891 December 8, 1918
Melvil Dewey 1890-July 1891 December 26, 1931
Frederick Morgan Crunden 1889-1890 October 28, 1911
Charles Ammi Cutter 1887-1889 September 8, 1903
William Frederick Poole 1885-1887 March 1, 1894
Justin Winsor 1876-1885 October 22, 1897

Past ALA Officers Photo Name Years of Service Molly Raphael's photo Molly Raphael 2011-2012 roberta stevens Roberta A. Stevens 2010-2011 camila alire Camila Alire 2009-2010 jim rettig Jim Rettig 2008-2009 loriene roy Loriene Roy 2007-2008 leslie burger Leslie Burger 2006-2007 michael gorman Michael Gorman 2005–2006

carol a. brey-casiano

Carol A. Brey-Casiano

2004–2005 Carla Hayden's photo

Carla D. Hayden

2003–2004

maurice freedman

Maurice J. (Mitch) Freedman 2002–2003 past president john w. berry John W. Berry 2001–2002 Nancy Kranich's photo Nancy Kranich 2000–2001 Sarah Ann Long 1999–2000 Ann Symons 1998–1999 Barbara J. Ford 1997–1998 Mary R. Somerville 1996–1997 Betty J. Turock 1995-1996 Arthur Curley 1994-1995 Hardy R. Franklin 1993-1994 Marilyn L. Miller 1992-1993 Patricia G. Schuman 1991-1992 Richard M. Dougherty 1990-1991 Patricia Wilson Berger 1989-1990 F. William Summers 1988-1989 Margaret E. Chisholm 1987-1988 Regina Minudri 1986-1987 Beverly P. Lynch 1985-1986 E. J. Josey 1984-1985 Brooke E. Sheldon 1983-1984 Carol A. Nemever 1982-1983 Elizabeth W. (Betty) Stone 1981-1982 Peggy A. Sullivan 1980-1981 Thomas J. Galvin 1979-1980 Russell Shank 1978-1979 Eric Moon 1977-1978 Clara Stanton Jones July 1976-1977 Clara Stanton Jones (Acting President) April 11-July 22, 1976 Allie Beth Martin 1975-April 1976 Edward G. Holley 1974-1975 Jean E. Lowrie 1973-1974 Katherine Laich 1972-1973 Keith Doms 1971-1972 Lillian M. Bradshaw 1970-1971 William S. Dix 1969-1970 Roger McDonough 1968-1969 Foster E. Mohrhardt 1967-1968 Mary V. Gaver 1966-1967 Robert Vosper 1965-1966 Edwin Castagna 1964-1965 Frederick H. Wagman 1963-1964 James E. Bryan 1962-1963 Florrinell F. Morton 1961-1962 Frances Lander Spain 1960-1961 Benjamin E. Powell 1959-1960 Emerson Greenaway 1958-1959 Lucile M. Morsch 1957-1958 Ralph R. Shaw 1956-1957 John S. Richards 1955-1956 L. Quincy Mumford 1954-1955 Flora Belle Ludington 1953-1954 Robert Bingham Downs 1952-1953 Loleta Dawson Fyan 1951-1952 Clarence R. Graham 1950-1951 Milton E. Lord 1949-1950 Errett Weir McDiarmid 1948-1949 Paul North Rice 1947-1948 Mary U. Rothrock 1946-1947 Ralph A. Ulveling 1945-1946 Carl Vitz 1944-1945 Althea H. Warren 1943-1944 Keyes D. Metcalf 1942-1943 Charles Harvey Brown 1941-1942 Essae Martha Culver 1940-1941 Ralph Munn 1939-1940 Milton James Ferguson 1938-1939 Harrison Warwick Craver 1937-1938 Malcom Glenn Wyer 1936-1937 Louis Round Wilson 1935-1936 Charles H. Compton 1934-1935 Gratia A. Countryman 1933-1934 Harry Miller Lydenberg 1932-1933 Josephine Adams Rathbone 1931-1932 Adam Strohm 1930-1931 Andrew Keogh 1929-1930 Linda A. Eastman 1928-1929 Carl B. Roden 1927-1928 George H. Locke 1926-1927 Charles F. D. Belden 1925-1926 Herman H. B. Meyer 1924-1925 Judson Toll Jennings 1923-1924 George Burwell Utley 1922-1923 Azariah Smith Root 1921-1922 Alice S. Tyler 1920-1921 Chalmers Hadley 1919-1920 William Warner Bishop 1918-1919 Thomas Lynch Montgomery 1917-1918 Walter Lewis Brown 1916-1917 Mary Wright Plummer 1915-1916 Hiller Crowell Wellman 1914-1915 Edwin Hatfield Anderson 1913-1914 Henry Eduard Legler 1912-1913 Theresa West Elmendorf 1911-1912 James Ingersoll Wyer 1910-1911 Nathaniel Dana Carlile 1909-1910 Charles Henry Gould 1908-1909 Arthur Elmore Bostwick 1907-1908 Clement Walker Andrews 1906-1907 Frank Pierce Hill 1905-1906 Ernest Cushing Richardson 1904-1905 Herbert Putnam 1903-1904 James Kendall Hosmer 1902-1903 John Shaw Billings 1901-1902 Henry James Carr 1900-1901 Reuben Gold Thwaites 1899-1900 William Coolidge Lane 1898-1899 Herbert Putnam Jan.-Aug.1898 Justin Winsor July-Oct.1897 William Howard Brett 1896-1897 John Cotton Dana 1895-1896 Henry Munson Utley 1894-1895 Josephus Nelson Larned 1893-1894 Melvil Dewey 1892-1893 William Isaac Fletcher 1891-1892 Samuel Swett Green July-Nov. 1891 Melvil Dewey 1890-July 1891 Frederick Morgan Crunden 1889-1890 Charles Ammi Cutter 1887-1889 William Frederick Poole 1885-1887 Justin Winsor 1876-1885

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* Mr. Fletcher is listed as serving as President 1891-92 since on May 21, 1892, the Executive Committee accepted the resignation of K. August Linderfelt who was elected in October 1891, with the stipulation that his name would be expunged from the presidential rolls. Please see Executive Board minutes cumulated index, volume 47, or reach out to the ALA Archives.