May 17, 2011
Carlson elected to state library association board
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- David H. Carlson, dean of Library Affairs at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, recently was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Illinois Library Association.
Carlson said the organization represents the interests and perspectives of libraries. Carlson’s term as director-at-large begins July 1. The Illinois Library Association promotes the development, promotion and improvement of library services in the state to enhance learning and assure all have access to information, according to the ILA website.
“In this difficult and challenging economic climate, it is vital to ensure that the needs and interests of libraries have a strong voice of advocacy. The services that libraries provide are often of greatest need in times of economic stress,” Carlson said.
Election to the board is the latest in a long line of awards and accomplishments for Carlson, who came to SIUC in 2001. Chosen as the 2010 Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year by the Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries (IACRL), a division of the Illinois Library Association, Carlson has also been active in a number of library organizations.
He was elected in 2009 to a three-year term as chair of the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Council, an international alliance of more than 800 universities, research libraries and other organizations fostering expanded distribution of scholarly information. Carlson also has been active with the Council of Directors of State University Libraries in Illinois and served leadership roles in the Association of Research Libraries. In addition, he has served on the board of directors for the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois, the Greater Western Library Alliance and BioOne.
Carlson, originally from Guilford, Conn., served as director of libraries at Bridgewater State College (Mass.) prior to taking the helm at SIUC Library Affairs. He completed his master’s degree in computer science at the University of Evansville along with a master’s in library science at the University of Michigan. He also holds a bachelor’s in English literature from the University of Connecticut.