Dean of Library Mary Alice Ball announces retirement from College

By Rebecca Roberts and Heather Fabritze

Elm Staff Writer and News Editor

On Sept. 20, Dean of Library and Academic Technology Mary Alice Ball sent out an email to all students announcing her decision to retire at the end of the academic year. 

Ball’s more than 40 years in the academic field started in her childhood, where she spent a lot of time in libraries. Her first official position as a librarian was as an Assistant Librarian in the undergraduate library of the University of Michigan.  

“I pushed back when the [library’s] director encouraged me to go to library school and [I] went to Korea as a Peace Corps volunteer instead,” Ball said. 

However, Ball ended up at library school anyway, although most of her career was focused on the technological aspects of the field.

She was a member of the National Information Standards Organization’s OpenURL Standard Committee twenty years ago, which provided a snapshot into the kind of work she dedicated her life to.

“We sat around the table imagining the possible uses of embedded hyperlinks, something we take for granted now as we click on a link to check out a book, order something online, or listen to a podcast,” Ball said. 

Ball came to Washington College in 2019. Since then, her favorite part of her job has by far been working with the students.  

“Being surrounded by undergraduates has brought me joy on a daily basis,” Ball said. “I may not always remember your names, but I treasure each and every one of you.” 

The staff and students who work in the Clifton M. Miller Library all agree that working with Mary Alice Ball has been one of the best parts of WC, including Public Services Librarian Andrea Boothby-Rice, who has been Ball’s colleague since 2022.

“She’s been a really amazing source, a wealth of knowledge and mentorship,” Boothby-Rice said. 

Front desk clerk senior Claire Garretson only recently started working at the library this semester, but has sat on multiple committees with Ball, who is heavily involved in the campus community.

“She’s one of those people who makes every experience that you have with her a little brighter,” Garretson said. 

Ball said that she truly treasures the time she spends with students. She is even still in touch with the first student assistant she hired in 1989. One of the parts of her career she is proudest of is the responsiveness of her team to student needs. 

According to Ball, the library will always encourage the College’s students to explore new worlds and serve others.

“Working with her has been such a privilege, because not only do I feel seen and supported, [but] she’s [also] really encouraged my voice and my participation in all of the different committee and advocacy opportunities that we’ve gotten to collaborate on,” Garretson said. 

Ball has also supported the entire library staff since she started at WC and has worked to make the library a safe space for everyone. 

“She’s really involved and has provided a really good platform to grow in this institution,” Boothby-Rice said. 

Although Ball does not have definite plans for her retirement, she hopes to spend more time with her family and her grandchild, Beckett. She said she wants to pay more attention to helping her son’s family thrive and to potentially pick up a new hobby.

“I might even join a bocce league,” Ball said. 

Even though she is retiring, she plans on staying active within the community and Chestertown itself. Ball has been a staple of the WC community, and she will be missed by all the people who she has worked with. 

“I will always be a proud member of Goose Nation,” Ball said. 

Photo by Ella Humphreys.

Photo Caption: Mary Alice Ball has spearheaded multiple initiatives and renovations since her hiring in 2019.

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