About Molly

Education
Career
Professional Service
Honors and Awards
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications

EDUCATION

BA, Psychology, Oberlin College, 1967.
MS, Library Science, Simmons College, 1969.

CAREER

Director of Libraries, Multnomah County, Portland, Oregon, 2003-2009. Directed Oregon’s largest public library system serving a primary population of 700,000 residents (metropolitan area of 2 million) with a budget of $60 million, 500 employees, 17 locations, and host to Oregon’s L-Net (email and chat state-wide reference service); expanded award-winning early literacy and school-age outreach programs (Raising a Reader, Books 2 U, School Corps); developed programs and services celebrating cultural minorities; built collaboratives across all types of libraries and other community organizations including partnerships with local government and business leaders.
Director, District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) and DC State Librarian, 1997-2003. Directed public library serving the nation’s capital with a primary population of 600,000 (metropolitan area of 4 million), over 400 employees and 26 locations; served also as DC State Librarian; developed model adult and family literacy services and outreach to underserved, at-risk populations; strengthened partnerships with K-12 schools, local colleges/universities, and federal library community.
Assistant Director for Program and Support Services, DCPL, 1992-1997. Directed management of technical services, collection development, children and young adult services, adult services (including adult basic education and literacy), information technology, marketing and communications, and facilities (including new building and renovation planning).
Executive Assistant to the Director, DCPL, 1981-1992. Served as legislative liaison, District of Columbia Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Coordinator, Board of Library Trustees liaison, Friends of the Library liaison; and coordinated launch of new Teen Services Center.
Assistant Librarian, Martin Luther King Memorial Library (DCPL’s Central Library) and Chief, Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Division, 1978-81. Managed three subject divisions and one support unit of DCPL’s Central Library.
Chief, Telephone Information and Reference, DCPL, 1976-78.
Reference Librarian, Biography Division, MLKML, DCPL, 1972-1976.
Children’s Librarian, Chevy Chase Branch, DCPL, 1970-1972.
Assistant Librarian, Wilbraham (MA) Public Library, 1969-1970.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

ALA

Member, 1974-present
Executive Board, 2000-03;
Councilor-at-Large, 1998-2006, 1985-89;
Budget Analysis and Review Committee (BARC), 1993-97 and 2000-02, (Chair 1996-97);
President, Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA), 2008-09;
Board of Directors, LLAMA, 1990-91;
Board of Directors, Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, (ASCLA), 1979-80;
Chair, Nominating Committee, 1998-99;
Intellectual Freedom Committee, 1988-92;
Committee on Committees, 2005-06;
Committee on Professional Ethics, 1999-2000;
Equality Award Jury, 1997-98;
Coordinating Committee on Access to Information, 1989-91;
Chair, LLAMA Fund Raising and Financial Development Section, 1990-91;
Co-founder and first Chair, ALA Committee and then ASCLA Section on Library Service to the Deaf, 1976-80;
Various committees in PLA, LLAMA, ASCLA, and RUSA, 1976-1987.

State and Other Associations and Organizations

Board of Directors, ALA-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA), 2001-2003;
Councilor at Large, ALA-APA, 2001-06;
Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), 1997-2003;
Trustee, Freedom to Read Foundation, 1998-2000; member 1985-present;
Oregon Library Association, 2004-present;
District of Columbia Library Association (DCLA), 1971-present;
President, DCLA, 1987-88;
Board of Directors, DCLA, 1984-86;
Chair, National Library Legislative Day Committee, 1982-84;
Urban Libraries Council, 1997-2009;
OCLC Public Library Advisory Committee, 1999-2004;
Board of Directors, The Library Foundation of Multnomah County, 2003-2009;
Board of Directors, District of Columbia Public Library Foundation, 1997-2003;
Vice Chair, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, 1997-2003;
DC Citywide Labor Management Partnership Council, 2000-03;
Planning Committee, 2nd National Conference on Computers, Freedom and Privacy, 1991-92;
Friends of Libraries USA, 1985-2009;
Steering Committee, Friends of the Oberlin College Library, 1995- 2003;
Founding Board, Life by Design Northwest, 2004-2009;
Delegate, DC Pre-White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services, 1978.

Library School Advisory Boards

University of Washington, iSchool, Masters in Library and Information Science, 2004-09;
Emporia State University, MLIS, Portland Program, 2005-present;
San Jose State University, Executive Masters in Library and Information Science, 2006-present;
Kent State University, Masters in Library and Information Science, 2000-2003.

HONORS AND AWARDS

Individual Honors and Awards

Arthur Flemming Civil Rights Award, for increasing diversity in library employment, collections, and programs, presented by the Multnomah County Managers of Color, 2008;
Alumni Achievement Award, Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science, 2006;
Honorary Life Membership in the District of Columbia Library Association, 2004;
Invited presenter “Luminary Lecture” @ the Library of Congress, April 2003;
Leadership Washington (competitive selection process), Class of 2001;
Invited speaker for international conference in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece, October 2001: “Greek and American Librarians: A Time for Interaction”;
District of Columbia Labor Management Partnership Council Awards:
- Special Award as “A diligent leader and champion for change whose commitment to excellence in the workplace is an inspiration”, 1998 – 2003;
- District of Columbia Public Library Labor Management Partnership Council (Group Award), 2001;
- Co-Chairs Award (shared with labor co-chair of DC Public Library’s LMPC), 2000;
Freedom to Read Foundation/Office for Intellectual Freedom 30th Anniversary Roll of Honor, 1999;
Several individual performance awards during employment at the District of Columbia Public Library.

Library Awards (recognizing achievements during my tenure)

2009 Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries, presented to Multnomah County Library. Award specifically cited two service areas: MCL’s outreach to target language communities, (Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Russian speakers), nearly all developed between 2004 and 2009, as well as MCL’s early literacy programs. Nomination submitted in February 2009;
2009 Library Journal “Five Star Library”, one of only five in this highest category (5 stars) presented to libraries with a budget of $30,000,000+; rating based on total visits, circulation, program attendance, and Internet use (Library Journal, Feb. 15, 2009);
ALA/LLAMA/H. W. Wilson – John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award, 2009, “Campaign for a Lifetime of Literacy”, with The Library Foundation of Multnomah County. Campaign raised nearly $12 million plus $4.2 million in in-kind gifts;
Ranked second or third in HALPR rankings for libraries serving populations over 500,000 for 2002-2009;
Highest gross circulating library in the United States for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 (Public Library Data Service statistics).

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS (CURRENT)

American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF)
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA)
Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA)
Public Library Association (PLA)
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT)
International Relations Round Table (IRRT)
Library Support Staff Interests Round Table (LSSIRT)
Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT)
Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF)
Oregon Library Association
District of Columbia Library Association

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Raphael, Molly. “Serving Diverse Communities: A Case Study in Leadership Through Continuous Learning”. Texas Library Journal 86:1 (Spring 2010), pp. 17-19.

English, Ray, and Molly Raphael. “The next big library legislative issue: taxpayers are storming the fee-based barricades that keep them from federally funded research”. American Libraries 37:6 (September 2006), pp 30-32.

Raphael, Molly. “Why Do Libraries Matter in the 21st Century?” in Norman Horrocks, ed. Perspectives, Insights & Priorities: 17 Leaders Speak Freely of Librarianship. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2006, pp 115-122.

Raphael, Molly. “Transforming the Urban Public Library”. Luminary Lecture @ your library. Live Cybercast by Library of Congress, April 18, 2003.

Raphael, Molly. “A challenging decision in a changing environment: options for internet access at the Multnomah County Library”. OLA Quarterly 11:2/3 (Fall 2005), pp 8-9, 20.

Raphael, Molly. “District of Columbia: State Report”. The ALA Yearbook of Library and Information Services, 1989. Vol. 14. Chicago: American Library Association.

Raphael, Molly. “Deaf awareness at the District of Columbia Public Library”. PLA Newsletter 15:1 (Winter/Spring 1976).

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