Susan Kent Named Director and Chief Executive of The Branch Libraries at The New York Public Library

May 24, 2004, New York, NY -- -- Library Chairman Samuel C. Butler and Library President Paul LeClerc today announced the appointment of Susan Kent to the position of Director and Chief Executive of The Branch Libraries at The New York Public Library (NYPL). Ms. Kent is currently the City Librarian for the Los Angeles Public Library, responsible for the overall administration of the system serving the largest population in the U.S. and Canada. Ms. Kent will succeed current Director of The Branch Libraries Mary K. Conwell, who announced her retirement in February 2004. Ms. Kent's appointment is effective September 1, 2004.

Ms. Kent will oversee nearly 2,000 staff members in a system of 85 branch libraries serving the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, which forms one of the largest and finest urban public library systems in the world. Each year, more than 14 million books, films, recorded materials, magazines, and pictures circulate among the Library's 2 million cardholders. The NYPL Branches sponsor some 27,000 public programs annually, including free technology training for the public, reading programs for children and young adults, English classes for speakers of other languages, literacy training, assistance for the jobless, a medical reference database, outreach to public schools and parents, and cultural programming. In addition to her many responsibilities as Director of The Branch Libraries, Ms. Kent will advance developing initiatives such as the continuing integration of technology into the more traditional library services, the ongoing renewal and renovation of branch facilities, and the nurturing of close cooperation with New York City schools.

"To me, The New York Public's branch libraries are the most essential of our City's community-based service organizations. They provide a vast array of services to citizens of every age and attract some 14 million visits a year -- not including the millions more who come in through the web -- making them one of the most heavily-used public library systems in America," said Library President LeClerc. "Landing Susan Kent as the new Director and Chief Executive of NYPL's branch libraries is a real coup for us. I have always thought of Susan as one of the very best public library leaders in the world. She has had extraordinary success as City Librarian of Los Angeles and is just the right person to succeed Mary K. Conwell and to guide the evolution of our public libraries."

"I am thrilled to be going back home to The New York Public Library where I began my career," said Kent. "I have the greatest respect for The New York Public Library and its staff, and I look forward to the exciting opportunities ahead."

"Los Angeles was extremely fortunate to have Susan Kent as our City Librarian for nearly a decade," said L. A. Mayor James K. Hahn. "Susan spearheaded one of the city's most successful construction programs -- building and renovating libraries across the city. She has a deep commitment to providing people of all ages with free access to books, computers, and so much more. On behalf of the city, I wish her well in her new endeavors."

Ms. Kent became City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) in 1995, where she is responsible for the administration and management of the Central Library and 69 branches serving a population of nearly 4 million people. During her tenure in Los Angeles, Ms. Kent has more than doubled the Library's operating budget and expanded services. She led the effort to plan for capital projects and secure capital funding for library expansion, and has overseen $318 million in capital improvements to 62 branch libraries. In addition, Ms. Kent planned for the development of a sophisticated network of telecommunications and technology initiatives to deliver comprehensive public access to electronic information locally and globally. She expanded services to children, youth, and families with an emphasis on reading enhancement programs and literacy, and conceived broad cultural programming. Ms. Kent received the American Library Association's prestigious Joseph W. Lippincott Award for distinguished service to the profession of librarianship in 2003, and the Librarian of the Year 2002 award from Library Journal.

Ms. Kent began her career at The New York Public Library in 1965, and during her tenure worked as the Branch Librarian of the Donnell Art Library, which specialized in art and architecture. Her experience in public libraries also includes work at the Minneapolis Public Library, Arizona's Tucson Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Finkelstein Memorial Library in Spring Valley, N. Y. Ms. Kent was the Managing Director of the Arizona Theatre Company, a professional regional theater. She was an adjunct faculty member of the University of Arizona Graduate Library School where she taught courses in management, collection development, and future trends in library service. Ms. Kent serves as an independent consultant for libraries and non-profit organizations in the areas of strategic planning, capital facilities planning, financial development, and management.

Ms. Kent has been a member of the Bertelsmann Foundation's International Network of Public Libraries since 1999, and she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Council on Library and Information Resources. She served as the Chair of the Executive Board of the Urban Libraries Council in 1999-2000 and was a member of the Board from 1994 to 2001. She served as the President of the Public Library Association from 1987 to 1988 and was a member of the Council of the American Library Association from 1990 to 1998. Ms. Kent has a Master's in Library and Information Science from Columbia University and an undergraduate degree in English Literature from SUNY at Binghamton.

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Contact: Nancy Donner (ndonner@nypl.org), Caroline Oyama (coyama@nypl.org); 212.221.7676