Mary R. Somerville

Mary R. Somerville is an American librarian who served as president of the American Library Association from 1996 to 1997; she is best known for her advocacy for children's literacy and work as a library administrator. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina and went on to earn a Masters of Arts in English at the University of Colorado, and a Master of Library Science at the University of Oklahoma.

Somerville served as the director of the Miami-Dade Public Library System from 1994 until her retirement in 1998. She oversaw the renovation of one-third of the system's libraries and the reopening of libraries that had been damaged by Hurricane Andrew. An important initiative of Somerville's presidency was the creation of the ALA's Emerging Leaders Institute, a program to develop leadership in those new to the library profession.

She has also spoken and consulted internationally through the United States Information Agency and the State Department in South Africa and Brazil.