Kathy Carroll, Sara Dallas to serve on ALA Executive Board

CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) Council has elected Kathy Carroll and Sara Dallas to serve on the ALA Executive Board. The Executive Board election took place during the virtual 2022 Library Learning Experience. Elected board members will begin a three-year term beginning in July 2022 and concluding in June 2025.

Kathy Carroll is library director at Westwood High School in Blythewood, South Carolina. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in English, a master’s degree in teaching, and a master’s in library and information science from the University of South Carolina. An ALA Spectrum Scholar, she is a 13-year ALA member. She has served on the ALA Spectrum Scholar Advisory Committee and the ALA Spectrum Jury. She has also been active with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), serving as 2020-21 president.  She currently serves on the ALA Transforming ALA Governance (TAG) Task Force and the ALA Working Group to Condemn White Supremacy and Fascism as Antithetical to Library Work.

Carroll said, “The diversity we desire within the profession must be mirrored in our governance representation. School librarians are an essential component of the library ecosystem, and our perspective and leadership will strengthen the work of the association. I hope to be a part of this critical moment in time to ensure that ALA not only maintains its influence but serves as an impactful and visionary cornerstone for our profession.”

Dallas is director of the Southern Adirondack Library System in Saratoga Springs, New York. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in rhetoric and communications and a master’s in library and information science from the State University of New York at Albany. An ALA member for more than 25 years, she serves as chair of the ALA Core Values Task Force and is on the Sustainability Committee. An ALA Councilor at Large, she also serves on the Committee on Legislation. She has served on the Public Library Association (PLA) board of directors and has chaired several committees, including the Committee on Professional Ethics.

Dallas said, “It would be an honor to serve on the Executive Board of the ALA at this critical time in its history. I bring extensive professional experience working on intellectual freedom issues, sustainability, strategic planning, building collaborative partnerships, strengthening government policies, programs and funding in support of libraries. My career shows my continuous commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and social justice.”

The ALA Executive Board manages the affairs of the Association. It is composed of the president, president-elect, immediate past president, treasurer, executive director and eight members elected by Council from among the members of that body. For more information on the Executive Board, please visit

About the American Library Association
ALA 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, ALA has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.