Washington, DC. On February 17, 1998, Jeanne Hurley Simon, Chairperson, U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), named Robert S. Willard of University Park, MD, Acting Executive Director. Willard is a Member of the National Commission, appointed by President Clinton as one of five professional librarians or information specialists for a five-year term, 1994-1999.
In naming Willard, Chairperson Simon stated, "The Commission and the library and information science communities are fortunate to have Commissioner Willard as Acting Executive Director. Bob is an innovative and energetic business leader with high technology, finance and public relations skills. In addition, he has extensive experience in the fields of information science and libraries."
Willard's professional career includes more than 12 years as a marketing executive for legal publishing companies. He also spent 15 years in association management with trade, professional and educational associations in Washington, DC. He was a U.S. Army Officer with service in Vietnam.
Willard has an M.S.A. in Operations Research and Systems Analysis from The George Washington University and a B.S.F.S. in International Relations from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He was an At-Large Delegate to the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS) and served as Group Facilitator at the 1979 White House Conference.
Willard is married to the former Carolyn Crouse, a librarian at Children's National Medical Center. They have a daughter and two sons. He is a long-time collector of books and other material about Abraham Lincoln and was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Abraham Lincoln Association.
Jane Williams, Acting Executive Director from May 1997 to February 13, 1998, resigned to take a position at the University of Maryland Library in College Park.
The Commission had undertaken an extensive national search for Executive Director last year and had identified an excellent candidate. However, in final negotiation the candidate declined the position. The Commission will determine its next step in making a permanent appointment at its meeting in April.
The U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science is a permanent, independent agency of the Federal government charged by law (P.L. 91-345) to advise the President and Congress on national and international library and information policies and plans.