As the New Year dawns, I am thrilled to share the news that Meredith Schwartz, Library Journal’s Executive Editor, will be the new Editor-in-Chief, starting January 1. On the same day, I will take on the role of Group Publisher, overseeing the development of LJ, School Library Journal, and The Horn Book. In our respective new capacities, Schwartz and I will build on an effective partnership to bring you what you need to do your important work, through the many projects and initiatives that make up the Library Journal brand as a whole.

Schwartz brings forward deep insight into the work of libraries and their impact on their communities and campuses, as well as avid curiosity about what will be next. She joined LJ as news editor in 2012, informed by her 14 years working as a journalist, a passion for books and reading culture (including a background as an LJ and Publishers Weekly reviewer) and a deep affinity for the library world’s emphasis on equity, access to information for joy as well as learning, and ethos of open sharing with one another as well as with patrons.

We have been working together since 2013, when I became EIC of LJ and Editorial Director of LJ and SLJ. Schwartz has been my right hand woman since, first as senior editor, and then as executive editor since 2015. She has been fundamental to shaping our in-person events and research projects. Her ideas drive the editorial calendar, and her editing and writing acumen infuses anything she touches with energy and deeper meaning. Several features she has taken the lead on have earned national recognition, including the Leading Inside & Out package that anchored our June 1, 2018, issue, which won a Folio Eddie award for Full Issue. It is an understatement to say that I am excited to see what she will do as EIC.

When I moved to New York City some 21 years ago to take a job as a reviews editor at LJ, I knew I was on an adventure. Over the years since, in successive roles on the masthead, and through work with the National Book Critics Circle, the NYLA Sustainability Initiative, and several library boards, I have been inspired and challenged. Now I look forward to applying that experience and more to these powerful brands in a new capacity. The learning continues, as does the passion to make the library ecosystem stronger. In my new role, I will be as focused as ever on what you require to deepen and evolve your work, to help you realize your collective impact, and to effectively share the library story. The adventure continues.

Happy New Year!