Rachel Garbow Monroe Joins Maryland State Library Board

Weinberg Foundation CEO brings philanthropic leadership and a longstanding commitment to libraries

BALTIMORE — The Maryland State Library Agency (MSLA) is pleased to announce that Governor Wes Moore has appointed Rachel Garbow Monroe, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, to a five-year term on the Maryland State Library Board.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rachel Garbow Monroe to the Maryland State Library Board,” said Board Chair Kristen Pironis. “Her strategic leadership, philanthropic experience and belief in the power of libraries will bring a valuable perspective to our work on behalf of communities across Maryland."

The mission of the Weinberg Foundation is to fight poverty and build strong, vibrant communities where everyone can thrive by directing philanthropic support toward housing, health, jobs, education and aging. Throughout her tenure, Monroe has emphasized philanthropy’s ability to do more than provide funding — bringing people, ideas and resources together to tackle complex challenges and create lasting change. The Foundation provides about $150 million in grants each year to nonprofit organizations.

Among Monroe’s achievements is the Baltimore Library Project, which brought together more than 30 public, private and community partners, and invested over $45 million to transform Baltimore City school libraries in high-poverty neighborhoods.

“Libraries have been part of my story since childhood, and I am deeply grateful to serve on the Maryland State Library Board,” Monroe said. “My experience with the Baltimore Library Project reinforced what libraries can make possible when welcoming spaces, skilled librarians, strong collections, technology and community partnerships come together. Libraries connect people with knowledge, resources and one another, helping students succeed and people of all ages continue to learn. I look forward to supporting that work across Maryland.”

The 12-member Maryland State Library Board provides general direction for library development across Maryland, working with the State Librarian, who leads the Maryland State Library Agency. Among its duties, the Board approves recommendations for public library capital projects for State funding through the agency’s County Library Capital Grant Program. It also reports annually to the Governor and the people of Maryland on the support, condition, progress and needs of libraries.

Monroe joins the State Library Board as Maryland’s public libraries continue to expand their reach. Through longstanding work in literacy, workforce development and education, libraries connect people with the information, technology and resources they need to learn and thrive. Half of all Marylanders are active library cardholders. In FY 2024, public libraries recorded more than 17 million visits and offered 84,576 programs. Those programs drew more than 2.1 million attendees, an 18% increase over the previous year.

About the Maryland State Library Agency

The Maryland State Library Agency (MSLA) is an independent agency providing leadership and guidance for the planning and coordination of libraries across the state. MSLA administers all state and federal funding for public libraries, oversees policy development and compliance for libraries, promotes the planning and implementation of various programs, advances professional development through education and certification, and facilitates coordination and resource sharing among all types of libraries. MSLA oversees Maryland’s 24 public library systems, the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, the Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library, the Governor’s Young Readers Program, the County Library Capital Grant Program and the Library Associate Training Institute.

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