Mary Lee Kennedy is the Executive Director of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). ARL represents 124 institutional members drawn from libraries and archives in major public and private universities, federal government agencies, and large public institutions in Canada and the USA. ARL’s mission is to advance research, learning, and scholarly communication by fostering the open exchange of ideas and expertise, promoting equity and diversity, pursuing advocacy and public policy efforts, forging partnerships, and catalyzing collective efforts.

Mary Lee managed the Corporate Library Group at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) while I was leading DEC’s knowledge management program. At Microsoft, she led a global team in the design and implementation of knowledge and information strategies that served all Microsoft employees and supported internal pilots for enterprise products. Mary Lee developed Microsoft’s intranet portal and collaboration solution to connect employees with internal and external knowledge and information. She achieved significant advances in market analysis, competitive intelligence, research and product information management, and internal communications.

Education

• Louisiana State University, Master of Library Science
• University of Alberta, Bachelor of Arts in Social Psychology and Classics

Experience

• Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Executive Director, 2018-Present
• New York Public Library, Chief Library Officer, 2013-2016
• Harvard University, Senior Associate Provost for the Harvard Library, 2011-2013
• Harvard Business School, Executive Director, Knowledge and Library Services, 2004-2011
• Microsoft Corporation, Director, Knowledge Network Group, 1998-2004
• Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), Corporate Library Group Manager, 1995-1998

Profiles

• Association of Research Libraries
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• SaintOnge Alliance
• Association Of Knowledgework (AOK) Star Series Biography
• Profiles in Knowledge

Books

Intranets for Info Pros edited with Jane Dysart

TIMAF Information Management Best Practices – Volume 1 edited by Bob Boiko and Erik Hartman – Chapter 1: Creating a Desired IM State: Understand, rationalize and take control of the state of information management in your organization – with Bob Boiko

The Emerald Handbook of Modern Information Management edited by James M. Matarazzo – Chapter 6: Leading and Managing Strategy in the 21st Century – with Rebecca Jones

Knowledge Management in Libraries and Organizations edited by Leda Bultrini, Sally McCallum, Wilda Newman, and Julien Sempere – Chapter 21: Knowledge Collaboration in Higher Education

Videos

• Keynote LIANZA Conference 2019
• NYPL’s Library HotSpot Program
• Interview on Information Types
• Keynote Roundtable: The Future of Libraries
• “Perspectives” discussion: “The Past, Present, and Future of University and College Libraries

Presentations

• Technology and Collaboration with Stephen Abram
• Leadership Roles for [Research] Libraries in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Conferences

• Dublin Core Conference 2003

Information Today

• KnowledgeNets 2001 — Microsoft Case Study: Portals as Communities for Knowledge Sharing
• 2002
• Workshop 1: Tying Information & Knowledge Together: Successful Strategies
• Session D103: Setting Context: Personas, Archetypes, and Organizational Engagement – Understanding User Requirements for the Enterprise Information Portal
• Intranet Professional’s Intranet Resources: CyberTour

KMWorld & Intranets

• 2003
• Preconference Workshop 2: Intranet Professionals Academy
• Session D301:Inside the Microsoft Intranet: Partnerships Across the Enterprise with Mark Davies
• 2005
• Session B303: Sharing Critical Knowledge: Healthcare Lessons
• Session E102: Governance Do’s and Don’ts
• Session F101: Implementing New Technologies – Lessons on Adoption from the Field – with Deb Wallace

Computers in Libraries

• Additional Links
• 2022 Powerful Thinking with Powerful Questions
• 2019
• D102: The Courage to Be Strategic
• Change Models: Strategy Leadership and Management
• 2018 Change Management
• 2017
• W11: Innovation for Significant Results
• Practitioners Panel: Strategies & Practices
• 2014 Keynote: Hacking Strategies for Library Innovation
• 2005 Delighting the Real User: Personas in Action

The Gilbane Conference

• Boston 2012 Creating Information Environments that Generate New Knowledge: Is it Science Fiction or Time to Suspend Disbelief?
• San Francisco 2007 CM-1: Case Studies – Stretching the New SharePoint
• Boston Content Management Technologies 2004
• CM-1: Planning for & Evaluating CMSes — How to Get Started
• KM-2: Collaboration and Knowledge Management Best Practices

Other Content

• ResearchGate
• Emerging Technologies for Research and Learning: Interviews with Experts with Scout Calvert
• What Do Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Ethics of AI Mean in the Context of Research Libraries?
• Moving Beyond Open Access to Digital Fluency
• How to Future-Proof Your Library
• The NYPL at its best
• Supporting Researchers at NYPL: Today, Tomorrow & Beyond
• Innovation, Creativity and Meaning: Leading in the Information Age with Tomalee Doan
• The “t”, “i” and “e” in knowledge
• A new approach to conference learning with Deb Wallace
• The tangible and potential impact of research libraries
• Why Net Neutrality Matters and What Research Libraries Can Do about It
• Implementing Open Science Principles through Research Partnerships with Judy Ruttenberg
• The Opportunity for Research Libraries in 2018 and Beyond
• How Employees Shaped Strategy at the New York Public Library with Bruce A. Strong
• Curating Knowledge Under Digital Conditions: Transforming into a New Era
• Research Libraries as Catalytic Leaders in a Society in Constant Flux
• Building Blocks for Knowledge Management at Digital Equipment Corporation: The WebLibrary
• Sense-Making

Change Models: Strategy Leadership and Management