CHICAGO – The American Library Association is set to confer an honorary lifetime membership upon former ALA President Barbara J. Ford. Recommended by the ALA Executive Board and elected by the ALA Council, honorary membership is the highest honor given by the Association and conferred upon a living person whose outstanding contributions have made a lasting impact on librarianship, libraries, and the communities they serve.
Ford is a distinguished librarian with a career in librarianship and with ALA spanning more than 50 years. She served as ALA president from 1997-1998 where she launched her initiative, "Libraries: Global Reach – Local Touch" which emphasized international collaboration and community engagement.
"Barbara exemplifies the best of librarianship—visionary leadership, steadfast service, and a deep belief that libraries strengthen communities everywhere," said ALA President Sam Helmick. "It is a profound honor to recognize her with an honorary lifetime membership, the Association's highest distinction, in celebration of the lasting impact she has made on ALA and on the global library community."
Ford has contributed and engaged with the Association in many ways including as president of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL, 1990-1991), as a councilor at large and chapter councilor (1980-1989), and most recently on the Philanthropic Advisory Group (2019-2025).
Ford has made significant contributions to the international library community. As director and distinguished professor at the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2003-2014), she organized professional development programs for librarians worldwide, fostering global collaboration and enhancing library services in diverse contexts.
Her involvement with the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO (2011-2013) furthered worldwide efforts to foster education and information access as public goods. She co-founded the UNESCO Center for Global Citizenship which promotes multicultural knowledge and intercultural understanding. Ford also served as an elected member of the Governing Board of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions from 2005 to 2009.
Ford has participated in more than 150 conferences at the state, national and international levels, using her experience in academic and public libraries including director of libraries at Virginia Commonwealth University and director of the Harold Washington Library in her capacity as assistant commissioner of the Chicago Public Library, to deliver impactful presentations and contribute to professional development worldwide. On the local level, Ford's community engagement has included service on the boards of the friends of the public library in the communities where she lived.
ALA is slated to officially confer the honorary membership upon Ford this June during the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago.
About the American Library Association
The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala.org.