Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
(215) 567-7710
FAX (215) 567-7850
Contact: Communications and Development
FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR NAMED CHAIR OF LYRASIS BOARD OF TRUSTEES
PHILADELPHIA, July 25, 2012—The Free Library of Philadelphia is pleased to announce that its President and Director, Siobhan A. Reardon, has been named the new Chair of the Board of Trustees of LYRASIS. LYRASIS is the nation’s largest regional non-profit membership organization serving libraries, helping them to operate more effectively by providing expanded access to resources and professional expertise in content creation and management.
”I am honored to become Chair of LYRASIS’s Board of Trustees,” said Ms. Reardon. “I am excited to apply my expertise as head of one of the nation’s largest public library systems to my new leadership role with this wonderful organization, which seeks to help libraries run more smoothly internally, so that they can deliver maximum public service to the customers who rely on them.”
Ms. Reardon was appointed the seventh President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia in September 2008. Since joining the Free Library of Philadelphia, Ms. Reardon has overseen freelibrary.org’s expansion as a major digital force, featuring a robust set of downloadable materials, online collections, and mobile web pages; has spearheaded the Library’s initiative to move beyond its walls by creating computer and internet outposts—called Hot Spots—located deep in the hearts of underserved neighborhoods; and has steered the creation of an ambitious five-year strategic plan for the Free Library, underscored by a new mission to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity. In addition, Ms. Reardon is working with Mayor Michael A. Nutter to set an ambitious new agenda for tackling the city’s literacy crisis and equipping all of its citizens with the necessary skills to contribute to the economic vitality of Philadelphia and fully thrive in the 21st century.
Previously, Ms. Reardon was Executive Director of the Westchester (NY) Library System, a 38-member cooperative library system. Prior to that, she was Deputy Executive Director of the Brooklyn Public Library, serving as Chief Operating Officer of the nation’s fifth largest library system. She also served as Acting Executive Director and Director of Finance, responsible for the Library’s $85 million annual budget. Ms. Reardon began her library career at New York Public Library in several finance roles, including Manager of Budget and Planning.
Ms. Reardon holds a B.A. from SUNY Purchase, an M.A. from Fordham University, and an M.L.S. from the Palmer School of Library Science at Long Island University. She serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Philadelphia Education Fund, and the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children. She is a resident of the Logan Square neighborhood of Philadelphia.
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The Free Library of Philadelphia system consists of 49 branches, three regional libraries, the Parkway Central Library, and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. With more than 6 million visits annually, the Free Library is one of the most widely used educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia.
Created in April 2009 by the merger of PALINET and SOLINET and joined shortly thereafter by NELINET, LYRASIS is the nation's largest regional membership organization serving libraries and information professionals — providing opportunities for networking and collaboration, offering innovative solutions and delivering significant cost savings through group purchasing for products and services. For more information, please visit www.lyrasis.org.
07/25/2012
Department of External Affairs, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
(215) 567-7710, FAX (215) 567-7850