E.J. Josey rose to prominence in the library profession by compelling the American Library Association (ALA) to live up to its creed of equality for all.  During his professional career, spanning over fifty years (1952-2002), Josey worked as a librarian (1953-1966), an administrator of library services (1966-1986), and as a professor of library science (1986-1995). He also served as President of the American Library Association and perhaps his most notable achievement, successfully drafting a resolution that prevented state library associations from discriminating against Black librarians. Josey’s transformative leadership provides a model to tackle today’s civil rights challenges both in and outside the library profession.

Renate Chancellor is Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility for the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University. She received her Master’s and Ph.D. in Information Studies from UCLA. Dr. Chancellor’s research centers around human information behavior, organizational leadership, social justice in library and information science, and library and information science education. She has published in scholarly journals and presented her research in national and international venues. Her book, E.J. Josey: Transformational Leader in the Modern Library Profession, has received widespread critical acclaim. Her next biography, Breaking Glass Ceilings: Clara Stanton Jones and the Detroit Public Library is scheduled for release in March 2024. She is a recipient of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) Leadership Award and the ALISE Excellence in Teaching Award.