The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has appointed M. Ryan Clough as senior director of public policy and general counsel, effective May 2, 2019. Clough is currently general counsel for Public Knowledge, a nonprofit organization that promotes freedom of expression, an open internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works.
At ARL, Clough will lead the Association’s advocacy and public policy agenda, which is focused on copyright and intellectual property; information access; diversity, equity, and inclusion; accessibility; privacy; and open scholarship. He will cultivate and leverage a broad base of political and public support that elevates research libraries as influential partners in higher education, in national and international institutions, and in society.
As general counsel for Public Knowledge since 2016, Clough has overseen advocacy efforts on copyright, privacy, and other major organizational priorities. Representative projects include US Copyright Office reform legislation, net neutrality administrative and court proceedings, privacy legislation, and the Music Modernization Act.
Prior to going to Public Knowledge, Clough was an intellectual property litigator at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP in Denver, Colorado. Before that, he served as counsel to Representative Zoe Lofgren of California, with a focus on intellectual property, internet, and competition policy. He holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA from Emory University.
“We are thrilled that Ryan Clough will be leading ARL’s public policy efforts,” said Mary Lee Kennedy, ARL executive director. “His strong ties to the US Congress, his significant knowledge of the primary areas in our policy portfolio, and the deep respect in which he is held by the public policy community will be tremendous assets to the Association.”
Beginning in May, Clough can be reached at rclough@arl.org.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 124 research libraries in Canada and the US whose mission is to advance research, learning, and scholarly communication. The Association fosters the open exchange of ideas and expertise, promotes equity and diversity, and pursues advocacy and public policy efforts that reflect the values of the library, scholarly, and higher education communities. ARL forges partnerships and catalyzes the collective efforts of research libraries to enable knowledge creation and to achieve enduring and barrier-free access to information. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.
