Peggy Barber

Margaret “Peggy” Barber (1943 – 2019) was a pioneering librarian and marketing/communications expert at the American Library Association from 1970 to 2000.

Education and career Barber held a B.A. in English from the University of California–Riverside and an M.L.I.S. from Rutgers University.

She worked as a coordinator for the Orange County Cooperative Library System in California and as a reference librarian at the San Francisco Public Library.

American Library Association

Barber served as Associate Executive Director for Communication at the American Library Association from 1970 -2000 and established several key programs that professionalized how libraries promote themselves nationwide.

These included creation of the ALA Public Information Office and Public Programs Office; the ALA Graphics program, which created Celebrity READ posters series; and the universal library logo.

In her role as associate executive director for communication, Barber launched National Library Week in 1975 as an initiative of the American Library Association.

Barber also chaired the National Coalition for Literacy.

Legacy

In 1999, Barber received the American Library Association Joseph W. Lippincott Award for distinguished service to the library profession.

After Barber's death the Peggy Barber Tribute Grant was established within the American Library Association to support innovative library programming.

Selected publications