Maryland’s State Librarian Irene Padilla is retiring after a long and distinguished career that includes nearly 22 years of service to the state of Maryland.
The Maryland State Library Agency (MSLA) announced on Wednesday the retirement of Padilla, State Librarian and Chief Operating Officer, effective June 30, 2024. There will be a nationwide search led by a committee for her replacement, who must be approved by the Maryland Senate.
“As I look ahead to the next chapter of my life, I’m most proud of the tremendous positive impact MSLA has had on Maryland’s libraries and librarians,” Padilla said in a statement. “Our libraries are changing, but at their core, they still serve the same essential purpose as when I started in this profession nearly 50 years ago. It has been an honor to serve the State of Maryland and do my part to ensure our libraries and communities have access to the resources they need to succeed.”
Padilla has led MSLA since 2002, overseeing the administration of state and federal programs to improve services in the 24 Maryland public library systems, the State Library Resource Center (SLRC), and the SAILOR broadband and Regional Resource Center programs. She also oversees the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD) and the Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library. In addition, she provides leadership for library services in Maryland, coordinates development and implementation of Maryland’s Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) five-year plan, and serves as an advocate for all types of libraries and their contributions to literacy, information acquisition and lifelong learning.
“Ms. Padilla’s vision of providing leadership and guidance for the development of collaborations across multi-type libraries has helped develop dialogue and partnerships within the library community to sharpen and prioritize shared challenges, increase the potential for expanded resource sharing and to build the case for supporting Maryland libraries,” read the press release announcing her retirement. “She strongly supports libraries’ roles in promoting intellectual freedom through an impartial environment where individuals and their interests and inquiries are brought together with ideas and information spanning the spectrum of knowledge and opinions.”
The changes over her tenure have been legion, including moving to enhanced digital collections; providing digital equity through public access computers, lendable computers, and Wi-Fi hotspots; and ensuring the provision of key library services beyond the library’s branches.
She established the MSLA as its own independent unit of state government following historic legislation passed unanimously in April 2017 by Maryland’s General Assembly. This achievement placed the State Library on equal footing with K-12 and higher education, giving public libraries a distinct identity within the Education Article.
“Other accomplishments include the development of a statewide library card and, in order to meet customers’ needs where they live, work, and play, the award of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support the purchase of 14 mobile library vehicles for libraries across the state, including bookmobiles, specialized service vehicles for job seekers, and vans to provide neighborhood services,” reads the press release.
Padilla began her library career working in Virginia and Michigan as a school librarian, corporate archivist, regional library projects manager, and public library administrator. She then served as deputy director and director of the Harford County public library system from 1990 through 2002 before arriving at the Maryland State Library Agency.
