Atla Board of Directors Members Elected for 2024-2027

Chicago, IL, February 26, 2024 – Richard “Bo” Manly Adams, Jr., Jessica Boyer, Vance Thomas, and Kris Veldheer have been elected to serve on the Atla Board of Directors. Atla members elected the four candidates to serve a three-year term from 2024 to 2027, subject to the membership’s confirmation of the Board Secretary’s report at Atla Annual 2024. Approximately 41% of eligible members voted.

 Richard “Bo” Manly Adams, Jr.

Richard “Bo” Manly Adams, Jr. is the Director of Pitts Theology Library at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He has previously served on the Theological Librarianship editorial board and on the Atla Digital Library Advisory Council. 

“Enacting these values requires leadership from nimble thinkers who both understand the challenges we face and can direct the resources of Atla to empower members.” Bo reflected in his election statement. He continued, “The core problem we face is scale: we are being asked to do more than time or resources will allow. I find comforting that these core values are espoused by our association. They are commitments from a collective of library professionals. We should not merely ask how each of us can embody the values, but how the organization can empower us to implement these values across our organizations.”

Jessica Boyer

Jessica Boyer is the Director of Phillips Library at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She also currently serves as the Chair of the Conference Committee. 

In her election statement, Jessica said, “Atla excels at collegiality and collaboration. Within the organization, I have discovered an exceptional and supportive community of members who have served as invaluable resources to me. Having been affiliated with numerous professional organizations, I can confidently assert that Atla has provided me with the most rewarding experience due to the exceptional community I have found here. I am eager to bring the values of collegiality and collaboration to the Atla Board of Directors meetings, where we can collectively address important opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the organization.”

Vance Thomas 

Vance Thomas is a theological librarian from Shawnee, Kansas. He previously served as Director of the Library at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, has served as the Chair of the Conference Committee, and has been involved with the Small Libraries Interest Group since 2017.  

“We are all aware that Atla is an important global actor in the tasks of creating, collecting, and preserving literature in religion and theology.” Vance expressed in his election statement. “Atla has come a long way from its modest origins, and Atla continues to broaden its story further. From expanding discovery and access to non-English literature and facilitating consortium deals for databases to offering educational opportunities to explore theological librarianship and providing a listserv for mutual support (to name just a few), Atla fosters collegiality and collaboration because we are better individually with the support of our colleagues and our professional community. It is in and through community, especially a ‘sustainable and diverse global community’ in today’s context, that we embody this most fully.”

Kris Veldheer

Kris Veldheer is the Director of the Paul Bechtold Library at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois. She is an incumbent and has served on the Board of Directors since 2021, and has participated in various Atla groups in committees including the Conference Committee, the Professional Development Committee, and as the Editor in Chief of Proceedings. 

“Atla is fortunate to have a strong and vibrant staff that works together with the Board to provide Atla members and the wider community of religion and theology scholars with some of the finest resources available,” Kris wrote in her election statement. “For me, the Board’s role is to provide leadership, looking forward to trends in both theological education and the marketplace. Yet, the Board also needs to look back and ensure that Atla members aren’t being left behind. Sometimes this means asking hard questions about change in theological librarianship and the future needs of faith communities.” 

The Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors express their appreciation to all the candidates who agreed to be on the slate and for their many efforts on behalf of the association.

About Atla

Established in 1946 as the American Theological Library Association, Atla is a membership association of librarians and information professionals, and a producer of research tools, committed to advancing the study of religion and theology. Atla’s membership includes more than 800 individuals and libraries at academic institutions from diverse religious traditions and backgrounds. As a community of collectors and connectors, Atla works to promote worldwide scholarly communication in religion and theology by advancing the work of libraries and related information providers.

Press Contact

Gillian Harrison Cain, Director of Membership and Engagement, +1 872.310.4215, gcain@atla.com