Delaware Department of State Announces Retirement of Dr. Annie Norman

DOVER, Del. — The Delaware Department of State today announced the retirement of public servant Dr. Annie Norman, effective August 1, 2026. Dr. Norman has held the position of State Librarian of Delaware and Director of the Delaware Division of Libraries since 2002.

“A society that cannot read is a society that cannot succeed,” said Governor Meyer. “Thanks to the decades of service from Dr. Annie Norman, people all across our state have been given the greatest gift imaginable, the ability to learn without anyone else’s help.  Annie, the people of our state owe you an immense debt of gratitude for the work you have done, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating a space where every Delawarean can learn and grow.”

“Dr. Norman is the definition of public servant and has changed the trajectory of Libraries in our state,” said Delaware Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez. “She’s a systems-thinker, focused on encouraging innovative programming and partnerships to foster an environment that supports literacy across the lifespan. We are so proud — and so lucky for — the work and passion that Annie has done for our state. We are excited for her as she enters her next chapter and wish her a joyful retirement.”

“It has been my great honor and pleasure to serve with Delaware Libraries on behalf of Delawareans! We appreciate the support of the Department of State to continuously elevate libraries, and in turn, to champion Delawareans in learning and renewal throughout their lives,” said Dr. Annie Norman.

Over the years, with the support of each Administration and the General Assembly, as State Librarian, Dr. Norman steered Delaware’s libraries in collaboration, expansion, and improvement of services on behalf of Delawareans. As Delaware Libraries celebrate their 125th Anniversary, the Delaware Library Catalog/Consortium, also celebrates its 20th year!

• Under Dr. Norman’s leadership, the Delaware Library Catalog/Consortium was launched and has expanded to all Delaware public libraries, academic libraries, many school libraries, and special libraries sharing over 4 million items on behalf of Delawareans statewide.
• The Delaware Division of Libraries supports the statewide library technology infrastructure including all public library technologies, the Delaware Library Network, Wi-Fi, public access computing, catalog, electronic collections, program calendar, and more, under Dr. Norman’s leadership — a program that was integral as our state was managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Under her tenure as Director, more than 2 dozen library buildings have almost doubled in size overall and are designed to deliver state-of-the-art services through the robust shared technology infrastructure supported by the Delaware Division of Libraries. This included American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding in 2022 that directly funded the match for projects at nine Delaware Libraries — including new buildings for the Selbyville Public Library, the Harrington Public Library, and the Duck Creek Regional Library, among other critical construction projects.
• Dr. Norman is the founder and Co-Chair of the Delaware Literacy Alliance alongside Secretary of Education Cindy Marten. The organization aims to address the significant literacy gap in our state and reinforce the role Libraries and other state and community programs have in the solution.
• A successful statewide launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – a program that provides free books for all Delaware children ages birth to five — and providing registration through partnerships with hospital systems to ease the registration lift for parents and guardians.
• Delaware Libraries Social Innovation Team, first formed as Job Centers with federal funds and a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, also expanded the capacity to support Entrepreneurs and innovators through maker technologies and events where people can enthusiastically learn about and experiment with technology and DIY activities and now added Delaware Libraries Teleservices.
• The Social Innovation Team collaborates with Delaware Partners which links over 300 organizations and growing, virtually and in libraries, to expand the reach and capacity to meet Delawareans’ needs across all subject areas, including job training, social services support, Teleservices, and much more!

Dr. Norman has been State Librarian of Delaware for nearly 25 years.
Awards and Educational highlights include:

• Appointed by President Biden to the National Museum and Library Services Board.
• Inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women in March 2016.
• Recipient of the Delaware Library Association Distinguished Librarian Citation.
• Delaware Division of Libraries received the Delaware Quality Award of Merit and the Delaware Library Association Institutional Award in recognition of performance excellence principles and practices
• Annie is a charter member of the popular Delaware Library Book Cart Drill Team, the Bronze World Champions for 2007.
• Annie received her Doctorate of Education in Innovation and Organizational Leadership from Wilmington University, and is the recipient of the Audrey K. Doberstein Award for Leadership for her dissertation entitled Librarians’ Leadership for Lifelong Learning.
• Her Master’s degree in Library Science is from Drexel University and she is a member of Beta Phi Mu, the international library and information studies honor society.

Delaware Libraries offer specialty library cards for every age group, including a My First Delaware Library Card featuring Baby Blue; a Super Library Card for children ages 6–12; a Teen Delaware Library Card for middle and high school students; and Delaware Library cards featuring the library’s core values: find, connect, learn, inspire, and transform.

Sign up for a Delaware Library Card today! It’s Easy! It’s Free! It’s Online!
Instructions in Spanish are also available. (En el sitio web de las bibliotecas de Delaware se pueden encontrar instrucciones en español para obtener una tarjeta de biblioteca gratuita de Delaware)