MLA 2021 Election Results

April 29, 2021

Congratulations to MLA's new Directors! Ryan Wieber, Library Director, Kalamazoo Public Library was voted President-elect. Anne Heidemann, Tribal Librarian, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Libraries; Cathleen Russ, Library Director, West Bloomfield Township Public Library; and Tiffany Russell, former Social Services Manager, Niles District Library, were elected as Members-at-Large to serve three-year terms, beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2024.

Many thanks to all the candidates for demonstrating leadership by agreeing to run and to all our members who voted. We look forward to a great year! Please feel free to welcome and congratulate our new Directors!

President-elect

Ryan Wieber

Library Director
Kalamazoo Public Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Member-at-Large

Anne Heidemann

Tribal Librarian
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Libraries

Cathleen Russ

Library Director
West Bloomfield Township Public Library

Tiffany Russell

Former Social Services Manager
Niles District Library

Ryan Wieber
Library Director
Kalamazoo Public Library

Ryan Wieber has served as Director of the Kalamazoo Public Library (KPL) since 2017. Prior to KPL, he was Director at Van Buren District Library in Van Buren County for four years and Director at Otsego District Library in Allegan County for 13 years. He has also worked as an Archivist at Cranbrook Educational Community and a Reference Librarian at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Wieber holds a Master of Library and Information Science Degree from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Public History from Western Michigan University. He has served on the MLA Board of Directors since 2018 and the MLA Legislative and Advocacy Committee since 2016. He has also served several terms on the Board of the Southwest Michigan Library Cooperative (President 2009-2010), and as past-Chair of the Allegan County Library Association. He is a member of the City of Kalamazoo’s Downtown Development Authority Board, and the Downtown Economic Growth Authority, as well as a member of the Oshtemo Township DDA. He is also a member of the Kalamazoo Rotary Club and volunteers on the Rotary is for Reading Committee. Wieber has authored two books on local history and served as chair of a historical society for several years. He also served as a city commissioner in Otsego, Michigan for four years.

Anne Heidemann
Tribal Librarian
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Libraries

Anne Heidemann has served as the Tribal Librarian for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan in Mount Pleasant Michigan since 2013. Prior to her work at Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Libraries, Heidemann worked as a Librarian for the Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso IN in 2013. She was Department Head of the Children’s, Tween and Teen Services department at Canton Public Library in Canton, MI, from 2006-2012, and served as Co-Department Head of the Technical Processing Workgroup from 2010-2012. Before her work at Canton Public Library, she served in the youth department at Chippewa River District Library System in Mount Pleasant Michigan, starting out as a Youth Services Associate before moving into the role of Youth Services Coordinator Librarian from 2001-2006.

Heidemann holds a Master of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Central Michigan University. Heidemann currently serves on MLA’s Board of Directors as a Member-at-large and served on the Spring Institute for Youth Services 2021 Conference committee. She is a long-time MLA member and has served on numerous committees beginning in 2000, including serving as Chair of MLA’s Thumbs Up! Award Committee in 2007, and the Teen Services Division Chair-elect, Chair and Past Chair from 2005-2007. Heidemann was the recipient of the 2011 MLA Frances H. Pletz Award for Excellence in Service to Youth.

Cathleen Russ
Library Director
West Bloomfield Township Public Library

Cathleen Russ was named the Director of the West Bloomfield Township Public Library in West Bloomfield Township, MI, in December 2020. Before that, Russ served as Director of the Troy Public Library in Troy, Michigan for 13 years. From 2010-2014, she was an Adjunct Professor at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, teaching Library Administration and Management. Russ has also served as Director of the Chelsea District Library, Chelsea, MI, and before that, the Assistant Director at the Macomb County Library, Clinton Township, MI, and Director at the Center Line Public Library, Center Line, MI.

Russ holds a Master of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts, Honors, Communications from Loyola University Chicago. Russ previously served as a member-at-large on the MLA Board of Directors from 2017-2020. Honored as the MLA 2019 Librarian of the Year, Russ has been an MLA supporter and member since 2000. She served on the MLA Awards Committee in 2020 and has served as MLA Conference Chair, 2009; MLA Awards Committee Chair, 2006-2008; and MLA Conference Programs Committee Co-Chair, 2006. She is a member of MLA Leadership Academy, Class of 2006, and has presented at MLA conferences numerous times. Russ has served as a mentor in MLA's Mentor Program for three years.

Tiffany Russell
Social Services Manager
Niles District Library

Tiffany Russell, LMSW is a licensed clinical social worker and formerly the Social Services Manager at Niles District Library in Niles, Michigan. In her role at Niles District Library, Russell oversees the Social Workers in Rural and Small Libraries (SWIRSL) program, a grant-funded project, which provides patrons with information, referrals, and resources as well as develops collaborative relationships with local social service agencies. Russell is also a part-time instructor for Western Michigan University’s School of Social Work.

Russell received her Master of Social Work Degree from Western Michigan University. She also holds a Bachelor of Social Work Degree from Western Michigan University. In 2019, she was the recipient of the Field Instructor of the Year award for Western Michigan University’s School of Social Work Southwest Campus. Russell is a new member of MLA but has presented at MLA events including an MLA Connect Coffee Hour in 2020. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Public Library Association (PLA) Social Work Task Force. Russell also serves as a Community Advisory Board Member at Western Michigan University School of Social Work and as a Board Member of the City of Niles Housing Commission.