This just in from Minneapolis, announced by the Star Tribune:
Sally Williams, books editor since 2003, is leaving the Star Tribune. She has accepted a position as director of public relations for Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. Her last day at the newspaper will be June 3.
In 25 years here (interrupted by three years at the Seattle Post Intelligencer), Sally has been books editor, Pol/Gov team leader, World/Nation team leader/reporter, Social Issues team leader, assistant city editor and copy editor.
Everyone who knows and has worked with Sally will be saddened by news of her departure (even as they will no doubt wish her well in her new job). She has a rare combination of invaluable talents: keen news sense, passionate dedication, unstoppable work ethic, great people skills, high sense of purpose, exacting standards and a wonderfully graceful and humane writing style.
She also was a prime mover in the programming of Talking Volumes, working with partners to program stellar lineups for that visiting-author series, and writing memorable profiles of writers from Russell Banks to Anchee Min and, this week, Michael Ondaatje.
One duty of the books editor is herding the scores of books that arrive daily. Said Sally, “I will not miss pushing that books cart around, but I will dearly miss everyone in this building.”