Barbara J. Ford

• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Tufts University
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Barbara J. Ford
Ford in 2014
President of the American Library Association
In office 1997–1998
Occupation	Librarian

Barbara J. Ford is an American librarian who served as president of the American Library Association from 1997 to 1998. ^[1] She earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, a master's degree in International Relations from Tufts University and a master's degree in library science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. ^[2]

Career

Ford served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama and Nicaragua. ^[3]

Her professional positions include assistant commissioner for central library services at the Chicago Public Library; executive director of the Virginia Commonwealth University libraries; and associate library director at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She has also served in several positions at the University of Illinois at Chicago. ^[4]

Ford was Director of Mortenson Center for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign libraries from 2003 to 2014. ^[5]

Ford served as an elected member of the Governing Board of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions from 2005 to 2009. ^[4] She served as a member of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO from 2011 to 2013.

Community engagement

Ford has been an advocate of community engagement throughout her career. In her 2000 Coleman Lecture for the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services she noted the need for libraries to broaden their strategies to collaborate with new partners. ^[6]

Living this advocacy, Ford has been an active member of community groups in all the places she has worked. Her community engagement has included service on the Boards of the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library, Friends of the Richmond Public Library, and Friends of the Champaign Public Library. While commissioner of the Chicago Public Library she served on the Greater State Street Council, and the Printer's Row Book Fair.

In Champaign, Illinois, Ford serves on the Advisory Board of the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures and the Champaign Historic Preservation Commission.

American Library Association

Ford's ALA Presidential theme was "Libraries: Global Reach – Local Touch" during 1997–1998. ^[7] She edited a volume, Libraries: Global Reach Local Touch, that included her inaugural speech. ^{[8] [9]}

Ford was president of the Association of College and Research Libraries from 1990 to 1991. ^[4] She was chapter councilor from Illinois 1980-1984 and councilor-at-large 1985-1989.

International librarianship

Ford served as an elected member of the Governing Board of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) from 2005 to 2009. ^[4] She served as secretary for IFLA's Section on Government Information and Official Publications, and on IFLA's Academic and Research Libraries Section.

She wrote "Librarians: Our Reach Is Global and Our Touch Is Local" in 2005. ^[10]

Ford is active in the International Relations Round Table of the American Library Association and serves on the Endowment and Fundraising Committee.

As Director of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2003–2015 Ford spoke to embassies, library associations in many countries and international library association conferences. ^[11] She is also founder of the UNESCO Center for Global Citizenship. ^[12]

She served as a member of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO from 2011 to 2013.

Awards and honors

• 2016. Illinois Library Association Illinois Library Luminary for her dedication to the field. ^[13]

• 2010.Sheth Distinguished Faculty Award for International Achievement, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recognizing her work in teaching, research, and public service in the international arena. ^[14]
• 2008. John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award for significant contribution to international librarianship. ^[15]
• 2008.ALA Legacy Society Honor Roll for contributions to the library community. ^[3]
• 2000. Inaugural lecturer Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture. ^[16]
• 1998. Illinois Wesleyan University. Distinguished Alumni Award. ^[17]
• 1997. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Distinguished Alumnus Award from the School of Information Sciences. ^[18]

Selected publications

• Chu, Clara M.; Ford, Barbara J. (2025). "Global Perspective on Public Libraries". In Bossaller, Jenny S.; Adkins, Denice (eds.). Introduction to Public Librarianship (4th ed.). Chicago: ALA Neal-Schuman. pp. 279–310. ISBN   9798892555630.
• Ford, Barbara J. (2011). "Global Perspectives on Public Libraries". In McCook, Kathleen de la Peña (ed.). Introduction to Public Librarianship (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman. pp. 312–337. ISBN   9781555706975.
• Ford, Barbara J. (2008). "LIS Professionals in a Global Society". In Haycock, Ken; Sheldon, Brooke E. (eds.). The Portable MLIS: Insights from the Experts. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited. pp. 195–203. ISBN   9781591585473.
• Ford, Barbara J.; Schnuer, Susan (2008). "A Global Leadership Context for Librarians". Thinking Outside the Borders: Library Leadership in a World Community. Urbana-Champaign, Illinois: Mortenson Center for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois. pp. 8–16. OCLC   298435615.
• Ford, Barbara J.; Schnuer, Susan; Johnson, Debra Wilcox (2007). "Developing an International Library Leadership Institute: Thinking Outside the Borders". In Ritchie, Ann; Walker, Clare (eds.). Continuing Professional Development: Pathways to Leadership in the Library and Information World (1st ed.). München, Germany: K. G. Saur. pp. 40–56. ISBN   9783598220340.
• Ford, Barbara J. (2005). "Librarians: Our Reach Is Global and Our Touch Is Local". In Horrocks, Norman (ed.). Perspectives, Insights & Priorities: 17 Leaders Speak Freely of Librarianship. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. 49–54. ISBN   9780810853553.
• Ford, Barbara J. (2004). "Global Perspectives on Public Libraries". In McCook, Kathleen de la Peña (ed.). Introduction to Public Librarianship. New York: Neal-Schuman. pp. 265–291. ISBN   9781555704759. ^[19]
• Ford, Barbara J. and Sally J. Jacobs. "Academic Libraries", pp.55-89 in Librarianship and Information Work Worldwide. 1995. London: Bowker-Saur.
• Ford, Barbara J. and Yuri Nakata. (1983). "Reference Use of State Government Information in Academic Libraries", Government Publications Review. 10(2): 189-199.

References

1. "ALA's Past Presidents". American Library Association. November 20, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
2. "2012 CALA Distinguished Service Award". Chinese American Library Association. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
3. "Barbara Ford". ALA Legacy Society Honor Roll. American Library Association. August 21, 2008. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
4. McCook, Kathleen de la Peña (2011). Introduction to Public Librarianship (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers. pp. 522–523. ISBN   978-1555706975.
5. "Barbara Ford". Library – People. University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
6. Libraries, Literacy, Outreach and the Digital Divide. Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture.American Library Association, 2000.
7. "Barbara J. Ford Papers, 1994–1999". ALA Archives. University of Illinois Archives. 2004. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
8. McCook, Kathleen de la Peña; Ford, Barbara J.; Lippincott, Kate, eds. (1998). Libraries: Global Reach, Local Touch . Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association. ISBN   9780838907382. OCLC   38856035.
9. Chu, Clara M.; Ford, Barbara J.; Raju, Jaya (2019). "Revisiting 'Libraries: Global Reach, Local Touch' with Barbara J. Ford: Insights for Academic and Research Libraries". College & Research Libraries News. 80 (5): 289–292. doi: 10.5860/crln.80.5.289 .
10. Ford, Barbara J. "Librarians: Our Reach Is Global and Our Touch Is Local" pp. 49–54 in Perspectives, Insights; Priorities: 17 Leaders Speak Freely of Librarianship. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2005.
11. Ford, Barbara J. | The American Library Association Archives. American Library Association Archives, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign.
12. Ayad, Ford co-found UNESCO Center for Global Citizenship at Illinois.School of Information Sciences. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. April 10, 2013.
13. "Illinois Library Luminary Honorees". Illinois Library Association. 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
14. "Barbara Ford". American Libraries. Vol. 42, no. 5–6. Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association. May–June 2011. p. 76.
15. "Barbara Ford Wins John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award". International Leads. 22 (1): 5. 2008.
16. Ford, Barbara J. (2000). "Libraries, Literacy, Outreach and the Digital Divide". American Library Association. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
17. Barbara J. Ford. Illinois Wesleyan University. Distinguished Alumni Award.1998.
18. "Alumni Awards: Past Winners". University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Information Sciences. 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
19. "Ms. Barbara J Ford". University of Illinois College of LAS. 2014. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by Mary R. Somerville	President of the American Library Association 1997–1998	Succeeded by Ann K. Symons