Jessica Ballard-Lawrence, Assistant Professor and Archivist for Multicultural Collections and Services, has been appointed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to serve on the State Historic Preservation Board for a three-year term. She was selected for her expertise in library studies and archival work in Illinois.

The Board plays a vital role in preserving the state’s historic legacy, including listing and de-listing historic sites, advising on conservation efforts, and ensuring that stories of historically excluded communities are represented in the state’s historic portfolio.

“I am deeply honored to be selected to serve in this appointment. The state of Illinois has many rich histories shaped by the numerous communities that inhabit the state. I look forward to working with the other board members who represent multiple regions of Illinois. These integral histories of the state’s development both known and unknown will hopefully have an opportunity to be more widely available and it is incredibly meaningful to serve in this capacity,” said Ballard-Lawrence.

Congratulations to Ballard-Lawrence on this well-deserved recognition and important service to Illinois!

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is an independent, international, non-governmental, not-for-profit, public-benefit organization that advances the interests of library and information associations, libraries and information services, librarians, and the communities they serve worldwide. Leaders at the IFLA serve two-year terms and help shape the future of global librarianship. The following University Library faculty and staff have been elected to leadership positions at the IFLA:

1. Mandi Arlain – Social Science Libraries, Standing Committee
2. Sara Benson* – North America Regional Division Committee
3. Clara Chu – Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression & North America Regional Division Committee
4. Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe – Governing Board
5. Ruthann Mowry – Rare Books and Special Collections Section, Standing Committee
6. Peggy Nzomo – Library Services for Multicultural Populations Section, Standing Committee
7. Anna Oates Schlaack – Cataloging Section, Standing Committee
8. William Schlaack – News Media Section, Standing Committee

“Our Library is a global leader, and this level of engagement is reflective of our importance and our commitment to global information equity,” said Claire Stewart, Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Dean of Libraries and University Librarian.

Congratulations to our faculty and staff on being recognized for their incredible leadership! We look forward to seeing the work they do as they drive the future of libraries worldwide.

*Benson also serves as the Head of the IFLA Delegation to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, Professor and Coordinator for Research Professional Development has been named co-chair of United2Act Against Paper Mills, an international coalition of stakeholders taking decisive action against the collective challenge of paper mills in scholarly publishing. Hinchliffe will serve alongside Nandita Quaderi, Senior Vice
President, Clarivate and Editor-in-Chief, Web of Science. First convened in 2023, this coalition of research institutions, publishers, investigative researchers, universities, and publishing infrastructure leaders is a joint effort of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM).

Hinchliffe has long been an advocate for research integrity. Since its founding in 2023, she has served as a member of two working groups at United2Act that are concerned with enabling the development of trust markers and facilitating dialogue between stakeholders. Additionally, she is the chair of the Board of ORCID, which contributes trust markers to the research integrity ecosystem. Hinchliffe has delivered remarks about research integrity, including at the Journals Summit of the National Academy of Sciences this past March, and has also written about the topic.

Sara Benson, Copyright Librarian and Assistant Professor at the University Library has been selected to serve on the Copyright Public Modernization Committee. First established in 2021, this Committee was formed “to enhance communication with external stakeholders about the development of the new Enterprise Copyright System and other technology-related U.S. Copyright Office initiatives.” The Copyright Public Modernization Committee is managed by the Library of Congress (LOC) Office of the Chief Information Officer, with additional support from the U.S. Copyright Office and other LOC offices.