Virginia Library Association Hires New Staff, Nan Carmack as Interim Executive Director

The Virginia Library Association has hired a part-time interim Executive Director and a Manager of Member Engagement and Communications, following the departure of Executive Director Lisa Varga.

Interim Executive Director

Nan Carmack is the Virginia Library Association's part-time interim Executive Director. She will assume the role on April 16, 2025 while the Executive Committee seeks a qualified permanent replacement through Bradbury Miller Associates.

Nan Carmack has enjoyed a 21 year career in Virginia’s public libraries, from librarian, to director, to state library work. She currently teaches at Old Dominion University where she has taught library leadership and development for the past five years. Nan holds a Doctorate in Education in Organizational Leadership, a Masters in Library Science, and a Masters in Education.

Nan has maintained a private consultancy for 15 years, providing professional development, executive coaching and speaking engagements for organizations from libraries to manufacturing to local government.

Her commitment to librarianship has been honored by both the VLA (2016 Donna Cote Librarian of the Year) and the Southeastern Library Association (2024 Mary Rothrock Contribution to the Profession Award) and served as VLA president in 2024.

Nan lives in Richmond with her husband and dogs and enjoys reading, knitting, Pilates, and painting.

She can be reached at [email protected]

 Manager of Member Engagement and Communications

Vanessa Garbarino is the Virginia Library Association's new Manager of Member Engagement and Communications. She has been the association's administrative assistant for the past year.

Vanessa worked for the Alexandria Library for over five years where she specialized in art history and public history programming and outreach for children. She has presented at the National Council on Public History, volunteers as a judge for National History Day, and serves on committees for the Collaborative Summer Library Program. She is an active member of the Association for Library Services to Children, including attending 2024’s Bill Morris Seminar for Book Evaluation, and serves as YALSA's Administrative Assistant for the 2026 Printz Committee. Vanessa previously served the Virginia Library Association as a chair of the Cardinal Cup Committee and the Executive Board Secretary of the Professional Associates Forum. She will complete her Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Kentucky in December.

Vanessa was a 10-year Alexandria, Virginia resident before her move to New York in 2024. She loves art history and museums, the Boston Celtics, and Ukrainian food.

She can be reached at [email protected]

Next Steps for VLA

The Executive Committee of the Virginia Library Association will launch a search for an Executive Director through Bradbury Miller Associates and will also seek a part-time, permanent administrative assistant. Additionally, the Executive Committee will utilize services from Richmond's Eisenman & Associates, a longtime partner of VLA, for the 2025 Annual VLA Conference.

Moving forward, plan to contact Vanessa regarding website management, committee and forum needs, membership management, and anything relating to marketing or communications. Billing questions should be forwarded to Vanessa until an administrative assistant is hired. Contact Nan Carmack for all other Virginia Library Association inquires.

Cindy Church Receives Honorary Lifetime Membership to the Virginia Library Association

Cindy Church has received an Honorary Lifetime Membership in the Virginia Library Association.

From Past President Nan Carmack:

Cindy’s contribution to the profession has been profound. Cindy has had a 20 year career at the Library of Virginia as the Continuing Education Consultant. She has also worked part time for the Virginia Department of Corrections for 12 years a library coordinator, coaching and developing correctional librarians. She will continue in this role. Prior to LVA, she also worked as a librarian for NASA.

Her 26 year membership in VLA has been active. She has served as secretary and ex officio liaison to the Continuing Education Committee prior to its dissolution. She has served on numerous conference committees, coordinating the Bookmobile Rodeo in Richmond during the 2021 conference. Additionally, she has actively promoted libraries as a primary source of broadband in the Commonwealth, resulting in an invitation to the table of the Commonwealth Connect working group to improve broadband access across Virginia and to be the first applicants to the Virginia BEAD grant funds. Other innovations in Virginia include, but are not limited to, establishing a Niche Academy User Group, a Continuing Education Mentor Group, the Bookmobile and Outreach Services listserv and user group, and so much more.

On the regional level, Cindy birthed the Southeastern Collaborative Online Conference with her counterparts in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, now in its 6 th year with thousands of attendees from across the country. On the national level, Cindy has successfully expanded eRate funding to libraries and, most recently, earned an IMLS grant to plan and conduct an eRate training for coordinators across the county. Cindy’s national reputation has brought major speakers and trainers to Virginia, including David Lankes, David Lee King, and Audrey Barbakoff, most recently. Her connections have been invaluable.

Cindy has been a colleague, coach, and friend for so many during her career. I honestly don’t know what we will do without her. Perhaps her honorary lifetime membership will keep her active in VLA and continuing to have a positive impact on Virginia libraries for years to come.

2026 Graphic Novel Diversity Award Committee Seeking Members

Judge the 2026 Graphic Novel Diversity Award! Submit your application below and see current award winners here.

A judge for the VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Committee agrees to commit to two years (2025 and 2026) on the committee. Judges must maintain VLA membership for the entirety of their time on the committee. Committee members should have no affiliations with publishers of graphics novels, are not to contact publishers, and agree to keep all committee deliberations private outside of the committee. Judges should be able to read English and have an understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Ten judges (Five in the Youth Category and five in the Adult Category) will be selected for the 2026 award season.

Submit your application by April 13, 2025. It is recommended to type out answers in a word processing program and paste them into the application to make sure progress is not lost.

Virginia Library Association Announces Departure of Executive Director Lisa Varga, Named Associate Executive Director of ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office

VIRGINIA BEACH - The American Library Association (ALA) announced the departure of Virginia Library Association's (VLA) Executive Director Lisa Varga, who has accepted a new position as the Associate Executive Director of ALA's Public Policy and Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C. Varga will begin her new role on April 21, 2025, after nearly 15 years of outstanding leadership at VLA.

Her last day with the Virginia Library Association is April 15, 2025.

Lisa Varga has been a tireless advocate for Virginia’s libraries. Known for her courageous defense of intellectual freedom, Varga spearheaded efforts to defeat legislation that threatened First Amendment rights. In 2024, she played a pivotal role in defeating four bills in the Virginia General Assembly, and in 2023, she helped defeat 11 bills that could have restricted access to library materials for students across the Commonwealth.

While no task was ever too small, Varga’s leadership extended far beyond day-to-day operations of VLA. She brought a personal touch to advocacy, empowering library workers and communities across Virginia to stand up for their rights and defend access to information. Varga’s dedication earned her national recognition as the 2024 Librarian of the Year, an honor bestowed by Library Journal.

As Lisa Varga prepares to assume her new role with the ALA, the VLA will continue to thrive during this time of transition through the VLA Executive Committee. The organization will build on Varga's legacy in continuing her commitment to advocating for libraries and all library professionals.

VLA is grateful for Lisa Varga's years of service and leadership. We will miss her guidance and leadership, but look forward to her continued success with the American Library Association.

News about next steps for the Virginia Library Association will be available shortly.