Keith Michael Fiels was executive director of the American Library Association from 2002 to 2017. Fiels received a BA in Philosophy from the State University of New York, Buffalo before obtaining a national defense fellowship and beginning his career in library science. After working as a school librarian, Fiels returned to the State University of New York, Buffalo to obtain his MLS. Fiels worked as a regional system consultant for the New York and New Jersey State Libraries. He spent ten years as the director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In 2002, he began his fifteen-year stint as executive director of the American Library Association. Fiels established the Office for Library Advocacy, the Center for the Future of Libraries, the Allied Professional Association, and United for Libraries. Reflecting on his time as executive director, Fiels noted the importance of consensus-building to his success in this role.
Fiels has been a member of the ALA since 1976. He was a recipient of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) Leadership Achievement Award and the Library Public Relations Council Award and was named to the ALA Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA) National Advocacy Honor Roll in 2000. He also served as president of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA).