Former Chairs
Frederick Burkhardt
Charles Benton
Elinor M. Hashim
Kenneth Y. Tomlinson
Jerald C. Newman
Charles E. Reid
J. Michael Farrell
Jeanne Hurley Simon
Martha B. Gould
Joan R. Challinor
Frederick Burkhardt
Chairman 1971-78
Chairman Emeritus
Dr. Burkhardt of Bennington, Vermont was the former Vice Chairman of the National Advisory Commission on Libraries (1966-68). Frederick Burkhardt, was nominated to the Commission on July 15, 1971 by President Richard Nixon. Mr. Burkhardt was renominated on April 15, 1976 by President Ford and reappointed Chairman on August 2, 1976 with a term expiring on July 19, 1980. Mr. Burkhardt submitted his resignation on March 13, 1978 to pursue his writing and research commitments abroad. Dr. Burkhardt died on Sunday, on September 23, 2007 at the age of 95.
American Council of Learned Societies News Release
Charles Benton
Chairman 1978-82
Chairman Emeritus
President Jimmy Carter nominated Charles Benton as a Member of the Commission on August 21, 1978. President Carter named Mr. Benton Chairman of NCLIS following his Senate confirmed his nomination on October 11, 1978. At the time of his nomination Mr. Benton was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Films, Inc., Wilmette, Illinois. Mr. Benton was renominated to the Commission on July 31, 1980. Upon his confirmation of his reappointment by the Senate, Mr. Benton was redesignated Chairman. Mr. Benton is currently Chairman, Public Media, Inc. of Chicago, IL, and President of the Benton Foundation based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Benton's term expired in 1985.
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Elinor M. Hashim
Chairman 1982-86
Chairman, Emeritus
Elinor Hashim of Norwalk, CT, was confirmed by the Senate as Chairman of the Commission on October 1, 1982. At the time, Ms. Hashim was Supervisor of Reference and Technical Services, Perkin-Elmer Corporate Library in Norwalk, CT. Elinor Hashim was former OCLC Government Relations Officer in Newington, CT. Ms. Hashim served as NCLIS Acting Executive Director in 1986.
Kenneth Y. Tomlinson
Chairman 1986-87
President Reagan nominated Kenneth Tomlinson as the fourth Chairman in October 1986. At the time of his nomination Mr. Tomlinson was Executive Editor, Reader's Digest, Pleasantville, New York. During his chairmanship the Commission celebrated 15 years of activities under Public Law 91-345. Mr. Tomlinson resigned from the Commission in May 1987. The President had assigned him to another post.
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Jerald C. Newman
Chairman 1987-90
Chairman Emeritus
Jerald Newman was confirmed by the Senate as a Member of NCLIS on December 21, 1982. At the time of his appointment Mr. Newman was President & Chief Administrative Officer and Trustee of The Bowery Savings Bank in New York, New York. President Reagan named Mr. Newman NCLIS Chairman on May 13, 1987. Mr. Newman has over 40 years experience with computer and microform technologies and automated systems. Mr. Newman's term expired July 19, 1992.
Charles E. Reid
Chairman 1990-92
Chairman Emeritus
Charles Reid of Ft. Lee, New Jersey, was nominated as NCLIS Chairman by President George Bush in February 1990. Mr. Reid had chaired NCLIS' Committee on Library and Information Services to Native Americans and Program Review Committee. Mr. Reid also served as Chair of NCLIS Ad hoc Committee on the Library of Congress, formed in December 1989. Charles Reid served as Chairman of the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS). The Charles E. Reid Branch Library was dedicated on June 25, 1994.
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J. Michael Farrell
Chairman 1992-93
J. Michael Farrell of Washington, D.C. was confirmed as a Member of NCLIS on October 15, 1990. President George Bush designated J. Michael Farrell Chairman of the Commission on March 11, 1992. At the time of his appointment, Mr. Farrell was a partner in the law firm of Manatt, Phelps, Phillips, & Kantor. Mr. Farrell served as General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Energy. In addition, he served as a Member on the Commission for the Study of Alternatives to the Panama Canal from 1988-1991. Mr. Farrell's term expired July 19, 1993.
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Jeanne Hurley Simon
Chairperson 1993-2000
In November 1993, Mrs. Simon was appointed by President Clinton as the Chairperson of the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. She was nominated to a second term on November 6, 1997. Mrs. Simon was a member of the District of Columbia and Illinois Bars. She belonged to several organizations, including The League of Women Voters, The American Library Association, the American Association of University Women, the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association, and the Women's Bar Association of Illinois. In January 1997, Mrs. Simon was appointed Adjunct Professor of Library Affairs at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Mrs. Simon died on Sunday, February 20, 2000 following her gallant struggle with cancer.
Link to Jeanne Simon's papers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (Illinois), Morris Library Special Collections:
http://archives.lib.siu.edu/controlcard.php?id=40
Tributes and Notices
Congressional Record - Senate (S655) - February 22, 2000 
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Martha B. Gould
Chairperson 2000-03
Martha Gould brought a wealth of experience gained through a distinguished career in both public and state libraries. Beginning her professional career as a children's librarian at the New York Public Library, from 1984 - 1995 she directed the Washoe County Library in Reno, Nevada, where she also held positions as Public Services Librarian and Assistant Director. Mrs. Gould is now a consultant. She was nominated to a second term on January 29, 1998. Mrs. Gould was designated Chairperson on Friday, March 3, 2000 and served until July 19, 2003.
Press Release, January 29, 1998
Press Release, March 3, 2000
Joan R. Challinor
Chairperson 2003-04
Dr. Challinor serves as the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee of the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America at Radcliffe College, and she is a member of the Madison Council at the Library of Congress. In addition, she is a Director of Knight-Ridder, Inc., a newspaper and electronic publisher responsible for 29 daily newspapers and a variety of business, financial, professional, science, and technology on-line retrieval, database and CD ROM services. Mrs. Challinor was designated Chairperson on July 20, 2003 and served until January 28, 2004.
Press Release, July 22, 2003
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