Josie Barnes Parker

Josie Barnes Parker served as Director of the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) from 2002 to 2022, where she transformed the library system through innovative programs and facility expansion. After earning her MLIS from the University of Michigan School of Information and beginning her career in child care, she progressed through roles at Chelsea Library and Ypsilanti District Library before joining AADL in 1999 as youth department manager. During her 20-year tenure as director, she oversaw the construction of three new award-winning branch libraries and reimagined a fourth, earning recognition from the American Institute of Architects with an honorary affiliate membership in 2010. Her leadership brought significant innovations including the Unusual Tools collection, Fifth Avenue Press publishing imprint, and the popular Summer Game program. She established important community partnerships, including digitizing the Ann Arbor News archives and launching the Living Oral History Project with the African American Cultural & Historical Museum. Through her service on the Governor's Commission for the Blind and oversight of the Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, she demonstrated commitment to expanding library access for all populations. Her contributions to library science include serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Library Administration and editing the "In the Public Interest" column.