The U.S. Senate on Tuesday night confirmed President Obama’s nomination of Charleston native Kathryn K. Matthew to be director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal agency that is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums.
“I am honored to have been nominated by President Barack Obama and to have received the confidence from the Senate through their confirmation process. I look forward to being appointed to serve as the fifth Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services,” said Matthew, still a Charleston resident. She is married to George Stevens, past head of the Coastal Community Foundation.
“I am eager to begin my work at IMLS to help to sustain strong libraries and museums that convene our communities around heritage and culture, advance critical thinking skills, and connect families, researchers, students, and job seekers to information.”
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley commended Matthew on her confirmation.
“Dr. Kathryn ‘Kit’ Matthew will be an extraordinary resource as IMLS director,” he said. “She is an extraordinarily accomplished person with great skills and understanding of communities and cities. We commend her as she embarks on this great task.”
Matthew will serve a four-year term as the director of the Institute. Trained as a scientist, Matthew has had a 30-year museum career and worked in the private sector. She received a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College, master’s in business administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. More.
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