A stalwart advocate for access to and digitization of information is leaving the government at the end of the month.
Mary Alice Baish, the superintendent of documents for the Government Publishing Office, announced her plan to retire at the end of April after five years of federal service and more than 30 years as a professional librarian.
During her time with GPO, Baish helped lead the way on many of the agency’s modernization efforts, including development of the National Plan for Access to U.S. Government Information, bringing the Federal Depository Library Program into the new millennium and expanding collections in the Federal Digital System.
“Mary Alice has done an outstanding job as superintendent of documents,” said GPO Director Davita Vance-Cooks. “Her singular work to expand public access to the official, authentic publications of the U.S. government, support the FDLP in planning for its future, and assisting our library partners in carrying out our mission to ‘Keep America Informed’ has advanced the work of the GPO and set the FDLP on the path to a sustainable future. With deep appreciation for her contributions, we send her our thanks and our best wishes for a happy and well-deserved retirement.”
Baish will be succeeded on an acting basis by Laurie Hall, a 30-year veteran of GPO who first joined the agency in 1985.
Hall is currently director of GPO Library Services and Content Management, where she has been a similar advocate for digitization and access, including “harvesting” web content from federal agencies for archiving.
“Laurie Hall is a tremendous asset to GPO and the federal depository library community we serve,” Vance-Cooks said. “Laurie’s background and experience have well-positioned her to continue the strategic direction we have set for meeting the challenges of the digital era in carrying out GPO’s mission.”
