Palatine librarian elected to state post

The assistant director for Public Services at the Palatine Public Library District is the president-elect of the Illinois Library Association. Melissa Gardner will assume the post July 1 and is in line to become president of the state's largest professional association of librarians on July 1, 2017. "Libraries are a vibrant and essential part of our Illinois communities," Gardner said in a news release, adding that she is excited to advocate for libraries and help mentor the next generation of librarians. Gardner's career has included positions at the libraries in Broadview, Berkeley, Chicago, Glenwood and Normal, and at the Newberry Library in Chicago and Northwestern University's Joseph Schaffner Library. The Illinois Library Association has more than 3,000 personal and institutional members drawn from library and related professions. The association is headquartered in Chicago.