Amy Ryan Appointed New Chair of Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) Board of Directors

The nine-member Board of Directors of the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Amy Ryan, President of the Boston Public Library, as its next chair, beginning in July 2015 and effective for two years. Ryan will succeed the current chair, John Palfrey, Head of School at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.
“In an ever expanding world of information, the Digital Public Library of America occupies the intersection of how people learn, read, write, teach, access information and come together as a thinking community.” said Amy Ryan. “I am honored to participate in the leadership of the DPLA as we advance in making our cultural and intellectual heritage easily discovered and readily used by people of all ages and from all walks of life.”
As Board chair, Ryan will collaborate with Dan Cohen, DPLA’s Executive Director, and the rest of the Board of Directors to fulfill DPLA’s broad commitment to openness, inclusiveness, and access. “John’s founding leadership has been so critical to the success of the Digital Public Library of America, and I’m deeply appreciative of his creativity and dedication,” Cohen said, “and I am really looking forward to working more closely with Amy, who has been such a great leader in the public library world.”
“Amy Ryan is exactly the right person to take over the job as board chair for the DPLA,” said John Palfrey, whose term as board chair ends in June, 2015.  “She brings a wealth of experience in public libraries, along with an amazingly open mind about the future.  Amy is full of ideas for how we can build from strength in the world of libraries, with the DPLA as a key partner to libraries, museums, archives, and people from every walk of life.  The DPLA community, and the world of libraries at large, are very fortunate to have Amy taking on this leadership position at this time.”
Ryan has over 35 years of public library experience. Before being named to lead the Boston Public Library, she was the director of the nationally recognized Hennepin County Library in Minnesota, and prior to that Ryan served in leadership positions for over 28 years with Minneapolis Public Library.
Amy Ryan serves on several boards including the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library, the Boston Public Library Foundation, the Associates of the Boston Public Library, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries Visiting Committee, the Back Bay Association, Boston After School & Beyond, the Copley Square Charitable Trust; and is a Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society and a member of the Grolier Club.