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CHICAGO – Raymond Pun, in line for the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ presidency, will not assume the role for health reasons. He was to take office as president elect after ¾«¶«´«Ã½Annual Conference adjourns in early July, and he would have been president in 2025-26.

The 2024-25 Executive Board will fill the vacancy within 30 days of taking office, subject to a confirmation vote by ALA’s Council. The process to fill the vacant position of president elect is spelled out in the ¾«¶«´«Ã½bylaws.

Pun was elected 2025-26 ¾«¶«´«Ã½president in the spring, with results announced April 8. He is an Academic and Research Librarian at the Alder Graduate School of Education in California.

“We are devastated that Ray will be unable to serve as ALA’s member-elected president in 2025-26,” ¾«¶«´«Ã½President Emily Drabinski said. “The most important thing right now is that he takes care of himself and that we respect his privacy. We are grateful for his service to ¾«¶«´«Ã½and the entire profession.”

Drabinski has convened a working group, which includes incoming and outgoing board members, to select and vet candidates for recommendation to the 2024-25 ¾«¶«´«Ã½Executive Board. Once a candidate is selected, the decision will go before the 2024-25 ¾«¶«´«Ã½Council for final approval this July.