Media contact:
Beth Dempsey, 248.349.7810 or beth@bethdempsey.com
August 12, 2008 (CHICAGO) – Urban Libraries Council (ULC) President Martín Gómez will leave the organization on October 24 to become director of the San Mateo (CA) County Library.
“Martín has been an absolutely remarkable leader,” said ULC Board Chair Patrick Losinski, director of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. “He came to ULC with a vision to increase the visibility and mission of this important organization and bring the ULC agenda to an international stage. He accomplished those goals and more. We will miss him, but are happy for our colleagues at San Mateo County Library, where Martín will continue his important work at the local level. We wish him well in his new endeavor.”
Mr. Gómez joined ULC as president in 2004, immediately setting to work on an agenda to strengthen the infrastructure of ULC to better serve the membership. During his four-year tenure, ULC membership grew by 29%, including 16% growth in 2007. Staff and infrastructure were bolstered with new expertise at the organizational level to support members, new research and new programs. Among the new programs is ULC’s provocative and widely-praised Foresight 2020, which prepares libraries for the future by teaching them to be rapid-learning, rapid-responding organizations. Mr. Gómez also expanded ULC to the world-stage, creating a forum – via international study tours, colloquia, and speaking engagements -- for collaboration on the urban issues libraries share around the globe.
“I have truly enjoyed my experience with ULC and thank the membership for their tireless support,” said Mr. Gómez. “I’m deeply proud of the work of the ULC and the team of professionals that make it happen. I leave the ULC in fighting trim, with a powerful vision. I will continue to be a supporter and a fan.”
The ULC Board of Directors will begin the process of conducting a search for a new president immediately. “The ULC Executive Board is committed to ensuring that the good work of this organization continues in the interim,” said Mr. Losinski. “In front of us now is the task of hiring a President who is the best fit for the future of the organization and the membership. We willl continue the important work of helping public libraries meet the challenge of serving urban and metropolitan communities across North America.”
About the Urban Libraries Council
For more than 30 years the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) has worked to strengthen public libraries as an essential part of urban life. A membership organization of North America�s premier public library systems and the corporations that serve them, ULC serves as a forum for sharing best practices resulting from targeted research, education and forecasting. ULC's programs are acclaimed for inspiring new organizational models that invigorate urban libraries and enrich the areas surrounding them. ULC is headquartered in Chicago. For more information, visit the group on the Web at www.urbanlibraries.org. |
