May 14, 2021 On May 14, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the appointment of Mary Davis Fournier as executive director of the Public Library Association, a division of ALA. Her first day will be June 14. The full statement follows: The American Library Association (ALA) announced today the appointment of Mary Davis Fournier as executive director, Public Library Association (PLA), a division of ALA. Her first day in her new role will be Monday, June 14. Fournier is a 20-year veteran of ALA, having served in various roles including most recently deputy director of the Public Programs Office. At ALA, she spearheaded dozens of groundbreaking projects that have paved the way for innovation in the library field, including Libraries Transforming Communities and the National Impact of Library Public Programs Assessment (NILPPA), Building Common Ground: Discussions of Community, Civility and Compassion, and the first “One Book” resource,