Nancy Clark Retiring from VA Library Network Office
Submitted by: Sola Whitehead
It is with mixed emotions that we announce the retirement of Nancy Clark, Director of the Library Network Office, effective July 31, 2025. Her legacy includes the creation of the National Core Collection of Digital Resources, unfailing advocacy for Librarians across VA, and so much more.
Nancy always knew she wanted to be a librarian, and she initially intended to get a bachelor’s in library science from the University of North Texas. Two years into her college experience, the American Library Association revised its guidelines to require a master’s degree, and Nancy pivoted to earn a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Spanish, as well as a teaching certificate and a school librarian’s certificate. She served as a junior high and high school librarian for three years in a small, rural Texas town and then returned to UNT to obtain a master’s degree, during which she interned at the Dallas VA Medical Center, kicking off her love of serving Veterans as a librarian.
In 1979 Nancy began serving as the VA medical librarian in Phoenix, AZ. After three years, she moved to Fayetteville, NC to serve as the Chief, Library Service, and then three years later she moved to Dallas to lead the library at the Dallas VA Medical Center. She used to say that rather than travel, she just changed jobs every few years.
In 2009, Nancy was selected as the Director of the VA Library Network Office, and she has told her colleagues that it is her dream job. As the Director of LNO, she established a legacy that includes the National Core Collection, which levels the playing field to give all staff across VA access to high quality information regardless of their location or whether there is a facility librarian. She established the Core Collection Advisory Group to bring together representatives from a wide swath of program offices to gain their insight into how best to serve VA staff through the purchase of library resources and has presided over the implementation of the Desktop Library website and LibLynx to make sure that all staff can easily access those resources.
Nancy’s advocacy for VA librarians has been unwavering, from providing funding to attend MLA CE courses and webinars, to making sure that there is a robust mentoring program for new VA librarians. Her leadership has built a strong librarian community of practice, and to say that she will be missed is an understatement.
In 1993, based on her work on behalf of the Federal Women’s Program Dallas/Fort Worth Council, Nancy received an award that was renamed in her honor and presented to her as the first recipient of the Nancy A. Clark Leadership Award. In 2014, based on her leadership in the development of the National Core Collection, the MLA Louise Darling Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Collection Development in the Health Sciences was presented to LNO. Nancy was further officially recognized in 2021 when she was awarded the Medical Library Association Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship. Those who work with her closely will tell you that these were well-deserved, and that there are many additional honors we would give her if we had the opportunity.
The Library Network Office staff extends Nancy wishes for a fun and relaxing retirement, free from worries about contracts, budget shortfalls, or access issues. We are so grateful for all that Nancy has done, and we will miss her humor, leadership, and advocacy.
Nancy has requested not to have a farewell gathering. If you would like to share a memory or appreciation of Nancy, please post it on this kudoboard, or reach out to her directly at Nancy.Clark@va.gov before July 31.