Sam Helmick
Sam Helmick | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the American Library Association | |
| Assumed office July 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Cindy Hohl |
Sam Helmick is the 2025–2026 president of the American Library Association.[1] Helmick is community and access services coordinator at Iowa City Public Library.
Education and career
[edit]Sam Helmick earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Iowa Wesleyan University and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences in 2012.[2]
They served on the American Library Association Executive Board.[3] They were also previously chair-elect of the ALA's Intellectual Freedom Round Table and Freedom to Read Foundation.[4][5]
They have served on committees for the United States National Library of Medicine, Stonewall Book Award, Young Adult Library Services Association, and Sophie Brody Award.[5]
Helmick was president of the Iowa Library Association in 2023 and chair of the Iowa Governor's Commission on Libraries.[6][7] As president of the Iowa Library Association, they wrote to newspapers in Iowa to support a library levy.[8]
Helmick has been active in speaking against Iowa legislation limiting library funding[9] and against book censorship.[10] Publishers Weekly highlighted Helmick's anti-censorship work in 2024.[11]
They were named ALA president-elect in 2025 after Raymond Pun stepped down.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sam Helmick Selected as ALA President-Elect". American Libraries Magazine. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ "Helmick chosen 2024-2025 ALA president-elect". University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ "Sam Helmick chosen 2024-2025 American Library Association president-elect". ALA. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ a b Albanese, Andrew (2024-07-26). "Sam Helmick Named ALA President for 2025-2026". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ a b Crossett, Laura (2024-02-08). "Four Questions with ALA Presidential Candidates Sam Helmick and Ray Pun". Library Futures. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ SinhaRoy, Sanhita (2024-03-01). "Meet the Candidates for ALA President: Sam Helmick". American Libraries Magazine. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ King, Grace (2024-08-01). "Iowa City librarian named next president of American Library Association". The Gazette. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ Helmick, Sam (2023-10-20). "Letters to the editor: Use your voice to support library funding". Storm Lake Times Pilot. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ Clayworth, Jason (2024-02-08). "Group warns Iowa's war on books now targeting public libraries". Axios. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ Phelps, Becky (2024-03-15). "Iowa libraries see increase in attempts to challenge and ban books". KCRG. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ^ Maher, John (2024-04-12). "Censorship Is a Hammer Looking for a Nail: PW Talks with Sam Helmick". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2025-06-10.