News from SAL’s Executive Director

February 11, 2021

Dear friends,

I am writing with news that is deeply bittersweet. As you may have seen today, at the end of April, I will leave SAL to become the next Executive Director of the National Book Foundation.

While I am thrilled to get to continue championing books and reading on a national scale, I will deeply miss SAL and the incredible board, staff, writers, volunteers, partners, donors, subscribers, teachers, students, audience members, and readers who have made my work an incredible joy and privilege for the past almost 8 years. I’ll have more to say (and more tissues) about that in the coming months, but what feels most important at this moment is to assure you that SAL is strong, stable, and well-prepared for this transition.

Thanks to the hard work and participation of ALL of you, we have an incredible board and staff, robust infrastructure, and a healthy financial position. We have a clear vision of the work ahead, and will lead a thoughtful search to find SAL’s next leader. SAL’s board leadership will follow up with more information about the search and our plans as they solidify, and we’ll keep you regularly updated.

I look forward to connecting with you all over the coming months as we welcome authors into our homes and classrooms, celebrate Words Matter, and prepare SAL for this transition and for the next chapter of important work ahead. And, if you have questions or thoughts about the transition, as always I’d love to hear from you.

My warm and grateful best,
Ruth E. Dickey