Diane Foote Selected As the Next Executive Director of the Illinois Library Association
October 31, 2017
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The Board of Directors of the Illinois Library Association (ILA) unanimously approved the hire of Diane Foote as the organization’s next Executive Director.
Diane Foote, 50, boasts a long history of effective leadership, both as an Executive Director of a membership association and as a member leader. Most recently, Diane served as Assistant Dean of the School of Information Studies and Curator of the Butler Children's Literature Center at Dominican University in River Forest. At Dominican, Foote recruited and shaped new librarians, launched and managed multiple special projects, and conducted both donor stewardship and development—particularly with the Butler Family Foundation.
“The mission of the Illinois Library Association resonates with me as a citizen, a parent, and a professional,” explains Diane. “I have spent my entire career, as well as my volunteer time and effort, in organizations dedicated to ensuring a literate, educated population. As the information environment grows ever more complex, librarians will be needed more than ever, and the opportunity to lead Illinois librarians in these ventures is extremely exciting to me."
Foote has a B.A. from Colgate University and an M.S. in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The Illinois Library Association (ILA) is the voice for Illinois libraries and the millions who depend on them. It provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services in Illinois and for the library community in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all. More than 2,500 personal (individuals) and 500 institutional members, made up of public, academic, school, and special libraries as well as librarians, library assistants, trustees, students, and library vendors, comprise the ILA membership.
ILA Board President Melissa Gardner commented, “We are excited to bring Diane on board as our next leader. Her experience, energy, and vision are the perfect combination to propel us into the next era at ILA. I am confident that she will serve our membership well.”
The Illinois Library Association’s current Executive Director, Robert P. Doyle, is retiring after twenty years of dedicated service and leadership. Ms. Foote will officially step into the role on November 14, 2017. To learn more about ILA, visit www.ila.org.
ILA’s Board of Directors retained Alford Executive Search, a division of KEES, as its executive search partner in the Spring of 2017. A national search was launched, and the search committee ultimately selected Diane for the Executive Director position.
“Diane emerged early as a top candidate in a pool of highly qualified professionals in the library, association and general nonprofit arenas. She brings stellar experiences from multiple viewpoints and will ensure the future of ILA is as strong as its past,” says Heather Eddy, President and CEO of Alford Executive Search, a division of KEES. For more information on Alford Executive Search, please visit www.alfordexecutivesearch.com.
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If you would like more information about Illinois Library Association, please contact:
Cynthia Robinson
Conference and Continuing Education Manager
312-644-1896
robinson@ila.org
If you would like more information about Alford Executive Search and/or KEES, please contact:
Jennifer Mathews
Research and Marketing Associate
773-209-3889
jmathews@alfordexecutivesearch.com
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