Peggy Sullivan

Peggy Sullivan, who currently resides in Chicago, IL, serves as a Library Consultant. She specializes in executive searches, primarily in public libraries. Throughout her career, she has served as:

From 1952 to 1977, Sullivan held positions of increasing responsibility in public and school libraries, directed the national Knapp School Libraries Project (1963–1968), and was on the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Chicago in their library education programs. She also taught on part-time, summer or interim bases at six other library education programs (the University of Maryland, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, Syracuse University, the Catholic University of America, Drexel University, and Rosary College) and directed the American Library Association’s Office for Library Personnel Resources.

Highlights of Sullivan’s career include: President of ALA’s Children’s Services Division (now the Association for Library Services to Children – ALSC) (1976–1977), Chair Centennial Celebration of the American Library Association (1976), assistant commissioner for extension services at the Chicago Public Library (1977–1981), ALA president (1980–1981), ALA executive director (1992–1994), Dean of the LIS Program at Rosary College (now Dominican University), Dean of the College of Professional Studies at Northern Illinois University, and numerous university teaching positions. Sullivan served as director of the Knapp School Libraries Project (1963–1968). This project had great national impact on convincing the public of the need for high quality school library media programs.

Furthermore, Sullivan was the 1991 recipient of ALA’s Joseph W. Lippincott Award, and is an alumnus of both Catholic University and Clarke College. In 2004, Sullivan established the Sullivan Award for Public Library Administrators. This award is presented annually to an individual who has shown exceptional understanding and support of public library service to children while having general management/supervisory/administrative responsibility that has included public library service to children in its scope. She also presents the Sullivan Award to a faculty member in the NIU College of Health and Human Sciences (formerly the College of Professional Studies, where she was dean) for achievement in research. It is presented every fall on the NIU campus.

Education

Publications

Recognitions and Special Assignments

ALA Honorary Member

In 2008, Peggy Sullivan was named Honorary Member of the American Library Association.[2] Sullivan, a library consultant, was nominated in recognition of over 50 years of dedicated librarianship during which she wrote the definitive scholarly history of the tenure of Carl Milam (ALA secretary 1920-1946) and the growth of the American Library Association to an international organization.

Peggy Sullivan is the only Honorary Member to have a giant image of her book on a parking garage in the Kansas City Library District. The facade includes her 1956 children’s book, The O’Donnells, as a title on the Community Bookshelf.

The official resolution is as follows:

Whereas, Dr. Peggy Sullivan has dedicated over 50 years to the field of librarianship, and

Whereas, Dr. Peggy Sullivan served as director of the Knapp School Libraries Project, which had great national impact on convincing the public of the need for high quality school library media programs; and

Whereas, Dr. Peggy Sullivan wrote the definitive scholarly history of the tenure of Carl Milam (ALA Secretary 1920-1946) and the growth of the American Library Association to an international organization; and

Whereas, Dr. Peggy Sullivan was the 1991 recipient of ALA’s Joseph W. Lippincott Award for distinguished service to the profession of librarianship; and

Whereas, Dr. Peggy Sullivan’s wide-ranging career includes such highlights as President of ALA’s Children’s Services Division (now the Association for Library Service to Children – ALSC), Assistant Commissioner for Extension Services at the Chicago Public Library, ALA President, ALA Executive Director, Dean of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Rosary College (now Dominican University), Dean of the College of Professional Studies at Northern Illinois University, various international assignments, and numerous administrative, library, and university teaching positions; now, therefore, be it Resolved, that in recognition of over 50 years of dedicated service to the profession of librarianship, Dr. Peggy Sullivan be awarded the highest honor this Association can bestow, Honorary Membership in the American Library Association.

Adopted by the Council of the American Library Association

January 15, 2008

Keith Michael Fiels

Secretary of the Association

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

References

  1. ↑ Sullivan P. "An enduring challenge, gladly accepted." American Libraries [serial online]. September 2000;31(8):45.
  2. ↑ "Peggy Sullivan Named ALA Honorary Member in 2008." No.110. Librarian: Libraries as the Future of Culture and History. (7.4.2008) go to Internet Archive http://archive.org/index.php and input http://librarian.lishost.org/?p=1114.