Julius C. Jefferson Jr., section head of the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., has been elected president-elect of the American Library Association (ALA). Jefferson received 5,108 votes, while his opponent, Lance Werner, executive director of Kent District Library in Comstock Park, Michigan, received 3,011 votes.
Jefferson will serve as president-elect for one year before stepping into his role as president at the close of the 2020 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.
In a statement, Jefferson said he looked forward to building the ALA brand, focusing on the value of library workers, and advocating for the essential work being done to support our libraries.
"Together we will collaborate to strengthen our core values of equity, diversity, and inclusion; advocacy; leadership and professional development; and information policy, and address the internal and external challenges," he said. "It is my vision that together we will transform ALA into a modern library association, ensuring that libraries remain at the center of public engagement and enrich the lives of the communities we serve."
An active member of ALA for 15 years, Jefferson currently serves on and has been a member of ALA Council since 2011. In addition to his service to ALA, Jefferson is also a past president of the Freedom to Read Foundation; past president of the DC Library Association, and has served on the board of BCALA.
A frequent speaker on issues of importance to library workers, Jefferson has appeared on a number of media outlets, including National Public Radio, and he is co-editor of The 21st Century Black Librarian in America: Issues and Challenges.
For more ALA election results, including those for Council, divisions, visit the ALA website.
