[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 210 (Friday, December 12, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING JUDITH CANNAN FOR HER NEARLY 50 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE 
                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOSEPH D. MORELLE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 12, 2025

  Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Judith Cannan, Chief 
of the Policy, Training and Cooperative Programs Division (PTCP) at the 
Library of Congress on her retirement after nearly 50 years of service 
and thank her for her extraordinary dedication to the institution.
  Her exemplary career has left an enduring mark on the profession, the 
global library community, and on generations who have benefitted from 
her dedication, scholarship, and leadership,
  Born in Birmingham, England, and raised in New Zealand, Ms. Cannan 
earned her bachelor's degree from Victoria University of Wellington and 
a diploma in library science from the National Library School. Before 
joining the Library, she served as a serials cataloger at Cornell 
University, experience that would lay the foundation for her lifetime 
of professional service.
  Ms. Cannan joined the Library of Congress in 1976, and from 1977 to 
1985 served as Head of the English Language Serials Cataloging Section. 
She later became the first Chief of the Technical Processing and 
Automation Instruction Office, the precursor to what is now the PTCP. 
Over her decades of service, she played a central role in some of the 
Library's most significant transitions: the implementation of its first 
integrated library system in 1999; national and international training 
for the new cataloging standard in 2013; and the recent shift toward a 
linked open data environment through the BIBFRAME initiative.
  A widely respected authority in serials cataloging, Ms. Cannan 
authored two monographs and numerous journal articles that guided 
practitioners through periods of extensive change. Her scholarly 
contributions shaped the field and continue to influence catalogers 
around the world.
  When the Library's training functions merged with the Policy and 
Standards Division to form PTCP, Ms. Cannan was entrusted as its first 
Chief. In this role, she oversaw professional training across the 
Library Collections and Services Group and led the secretariat for the 
Program for Cooperative Cataloging, an international community of 700 
member institutions. Her steady leadership, deep subject expertise, and 
unwavering commitment to professional development strengthened the 
Library and the broader community it serves.
  In 2023, Ms. Cannan was recognized with two of the American Library 
Association's highest professional honors: the ALA Medal of Excellence 
and the ALA Core Margaret Mann Citation--fitting acknowledgments of a 
career defined by excellence, service, and innovation.
  Judith Cannan's legacy at the Library of Congress is profound. Her 
leadership strengthened one of our Nation's most treasured 
institutions, elevated the standards of cataloging worldwide, and her 
commitment to mentoring and training ensures future librarians are well 
prepared to carry this mission forward.
  Her nearly half-century of service exemplifies the very best of 
public stewardship. We are grateful for her longtime commitment to the 
Library and wish her the best in her well-deserved retirement.

                          ____________________