Library Director Kelvin Watson named to Book Industry Study Group’s Board

Library Director Kelvin Watson named to Book Industry Study Group’s Board

Two-year term to begin in July 2018

BROWARD COUNTY, FL – Broward County Libraries Director Kelvin Watson has been elected to the Book Industry Study Group’s Board of Directors, with his two-year term commencing on July 1, 2018.”

I am honored to represent Broward County Library and libraries nationwide,” says Watson. “I look forward to serving on the board and advocating on behalf of library customers in the United States.”

The Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG), is the leading book trade association for policy, technical standards and research related to books and similar products. The mission of BISG is to simplify logistics for publishers, manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, librarians and others engaged in the business of print and electronic media.

Members of BISG’s Board of Directors come from every segment of the book industry supply chain including publishing, retailing, manufacturing, libraries, distribution and other related service partners. They use their experience in these roles to guide BISG as it provides information, develops standards and conducts research that serves its membership and the industry as a whole.

Watson is the sole representative of libraries currently on the board. Watson was named Director of Broward County Libraries Division in February 2017. Since then he has led ambitious and innovative initiatives that have made the Library a force in bridging the community’s digital divide and strengthened the Library’s connection to the communities it serves.

Throughout Watson’s career he has remained active and involved in professional associations and was recently elected to the Public Library Association’s Board of Directors. He is currently the immediate past President of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Watson is a frequent speaker and panelist at conferences and the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2017 DEMCO/ALA Black Caucus Award for Excellence in Librarianship. He has worked tirelessly to evolve the Library’s role in the community as a welcoming place that “invites the uninvited.”