Kelyn Ralya Appointed New APLS Director
Has been serving as Interim Director since March
The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) Board appointed Kelyn Ralya to the Directorship of APLS at Thursday’s Board meeting in Montgomery. Ralya had been serving as Interim Director since the resignation of Dr. Nancy Pack in March of this year.
At their last meeting, the Board voted to open the application process for Director, and today Board Chairman John Wahl said that they had received 14 applications. Wahl then reviewed the applications and presented three to the Board for approval. All three of those submitted by Wahl are current employees of APLS, which Wahl said was intentional. Wahl told the Board he felt that having a Director who was familiar with APLS would provide continuity, and that he had been satisfied with Ralya’s performance as Interim Director.
Board member Amy Minton moved that Ralya be appointed Director, and the motion passed.
When asked for a brief comment on her appointment, Ralya said, “I do look forward to the opportunity going forward, and I think we can make some good decisions in this agency.”
Ralya is a graduate of Auburn High School and has a Bachelor's in Elementary Education from Phillips University and a Master’s in Library and Information Studies from the University of Alabama. She worked in the Birmingham Public Library from 2003–2013 before joining APLS in 2003 as a Library Consultant and LSTA Grants Coordinator. She became Assistant Director in 2013 before becoming Interim Director earlier this year.
Minton also moved that a new position—Chief of Staff—be created to assist the Director, primarily as a point of contact between Alabama’s 226 public libraries and APLS. According to Minton, the funding for this position would come from the previous Assistant Director salary. This motion was also passed following a brief discussion, with the understanding that the new position should be appropriately advertised and resumes accepted.
During the discussion on this motion, it was generally agreed that all of the previous applicants for Director would be encouraged to apply for the new position of Chief of Staff.
