NCSU Libraries Focus Online

Volume 27 number 1 - Fall 2006

Friends of the Library: Dahlstein Named Director of FOL

Anna Dahlstein, the NCSU Libraries' Director of External Relations, has expanded the scope of her responsibilities to include management of the Friends of the Library. The External Relations program helps to raise the Libraries' visibility with alumni and the public, often leading to the identification of library supporters, while the Friends program builds and maintains an ongoing relationship with those supporters. Both programs will benefit from this administrative alignment, and the Friends board gains enhanced support for communication in its advocacy role.

Dahlstein's education and experience make her uniquely suited for this new role. In her work with External Relations, Dahlstein has delivered effective public relations for the Libraries, including publicity for numerous library developments, news, and events; interviews with donors for the Focus; and preparation of the NCSU Libraries' Progress Reports covering the past four years. Among her accomplishments as an NCSU Libraries Fellow for 2002-2004, Dahlstein coordinated the highly successful exhibit, Transforming Society: The G.I. Bill at NC State. Dahlstein earned her B.A. in government from Harvard University. She received an M.A. in library and information studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), where she was awarded a fellowship from the Friedman Fund.

After completing her undergraduate degree, Dahlstein worked in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for five years. She held positions as an English teacher, a news editor for the Buenos Aires Herald, and a news analyst at Esmerk Information. In addition, she authored a book on Swedish immigration to Argentina over the past two centuries and volunteered as a librarian/editor for the local Swedish Association and Church. At UW-Madison, she served as a news librarian for the university communications department.