Carol Ann Desch joined the staff of the New York State Library's Division of Library Development in 1984 and has served as the Coordinator of Statewide Library Services and Director of the Division of Library Development since 1996.
Ms. Desch has been active in the New York Library Association, serving as Treasurer and as President of NYLA's Reference and Adult Services Section. She also served as President of the American Library Association's Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies State Library Agencies Section for 1999-2000 and as Director-at-Large for ALA's Public Library Association for three years.
Prior to becoming Coordinator of Statewide Library Services, Ms. Desch managed several statewide programs and initiatives, including the NYSILL statewide interlibrary loan program, the New York Medical Information Services Program, the statewide public library data collection program and the development and implementation of new minimum standards for public libraries. Ms. Desch also developed new legislation to advance libraries, and coordinated the administration of over $88 million in state aid to localities. Ms. Desch was instrumental in the creation of NYLINE, New York's Libraryline, which today is a listserv with over 1,100 subscribers.
Ms. Desch is recipient of the 2001 Distinguished Alumna Award in Information Science and Policy from the University at Albany, State University of New York.
Ms. Desch received a BA in Education and Social Sciences from the State University College of New York in Oneonta. She is a certified teacher, school library media specialist, and public librarian. She received her Masters in Library Science in 1977 from the University at Albany. Before joining the staff of the New York State Library, she worked at the Bethlehem Public Library in Delmar, New York, where she spearheaded a nationally recognized job and career information service.