Loida Garcia-Febo | |
|---|---|
 Loida Garcia-Febo speaking at a library conference in the Dominican Republic, 2016 | |
| Past-President of the American Library Association | |
| Assumed office 2018 | |
| Preceded by | James G. Neal |
| Succeeded by | Wanda Kay Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Occupation | Librarian |
| Committees | International Federation of Library Associations |
Loida Garcia-Febo is a Puerto Rican American librarian and library consultant. Garcia-Febo served on the Governing Board of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) 2013-2015 and 2015-2017[1][2] and she was a member of the executive board of the American Library Association 2015-2020 serving as a board member and president.[3][4] She was president of the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA) from 2009 to 2010.[5]
Garcia-Febo has served as an elementary school librarian in Puerto Rico, Graduated from the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology (EGCTI), University of Puerto Rico. Was a librarian at the Centro de Informacion (PRATP) of the Unidad de Servicios Bibliotecarios para Personas con Impedimentos (SBPI) de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, [University of Puerto Rico, Library Services for Persons with Disabilities’ Assistive Technology Information Center], Chief of the SBPI, and Manager at Queens Library.[6]
Garcia-Febo was a co-founder of the IFLA New Professionals SIG (Special Interest Group), an international forum for library and information services students and newly qualified librarians.[7]
Garcia-Febo has served on the Access to Learning Award Advisory Board for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Global Libraries,[8] the Library 2.0 advisory board from the San Jose State University School of Information,[9] Library Advisory Board of Praeger an imprint of ABC-Clio, and the Public Libraries Advisory Committee[10] and has been associated with REFORMA (The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking) serving on the board from 2008 to 2011, including a term as president from 2009 to 2010.[7]
Garcia-Febo represented the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions as a speaker at the United Nations Development Programme Meeting on Data Accountability for the Post-2015 Development Agenda in New York.[11]
Garcia-Febo was the President of Information New Wave,[9] an international charity seeking to enhance the education of minority groups in the US and in developing countries.[12]
In April 2017, Garcia-Febo was elected president-elect of the American Library Association 2018–2019.[13][14][15] Garcia-Febo completed a national tour of libraries during her presidential term leading the Libraries = Strong Communities national advocacy initiative.[16][17][18][19] Garcia-Febo represented the American Library Association at Generation Code: Born in the Library interactive exhibition presenting to the members of the European Parliament.[20]
In June 2020, Garcia-Febo was elected to the board of trustees for the Freedom to Read Foundation.[21] She also chairs the American Library Association Task Force on United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.[22]
