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ACRL honors the 2007 award winners: Part two
C&RL News, April 2007
Vol. 68, No. 4
by Megan Griffin
Lindquist named WESS Coutts Nijhoff International West European Specialist Study Grant winner
Thea Lindquist, assistant professor and history and Germanic language and literature librarian at the University of Colorado-Boulder, has been selected to receive the Western European Studies Section (WESS) Coutts Nijhoff  International West European Specialist Study Grant.
This grant covers airfare to and from Europe, transportation in Europe, and lodging and board for up to 14 days. The primary criterion for awarding the grant is the significance and utility of the proposed project as a contribution to the study of the acquisition, organization, or use of library materials from, or relating to, Western Europe.
Lindquist will receive her plaque and 4,500 Euros at the WESS general membership meeting during the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., June 25.
Lindquist’s proposal aims to examine holdings of the Fruchtbringende Gesellschaft, the first of Germany’s academies of arts and letters, which were involved in a 2004 fire at the Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek in Weimar, Germany. She will examine the library’s records to determine which volumes were lost and which survived.
“In a strong field of proposals, Thea Lindquist’s project stood out both for its relevance to European cultural history, particularly the German baroque, and for its urgency,” said award committee chair Thomas M. Izbicki. “Only by identifying which titles were lost and which remain of so important an agency as the Fruchtbringende Gesellschaft (or Fruitful Society) will scholars receive adequate guidance for their pursuit of research in this world-renowned library.”
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Betsy A. Wilson named ACRL Academic/Research Librarian of the Year
Lizabeth (Betsy) A. Wilson, dean of university libraries at the University of Washington, is the 2007 ACRL Academic/Research Librarian of the Year. The award, sponsored by YBP Library Services, recognizes an outstanding member of the library profession who has made a significant national or international contribution to academic/research librarianship and library development.
Wilson received a $5,000 award on March 29, 2007, at the opening keynote during the ACRL 13th National Conference in Baltimore.
“Betsy has been recognized as a pioneer and leader throughout her career, particularly in the areas of information literacy, assessment and collaboration,” said award committee chair Mark Winston, associate professor, School of Information and Library Science, at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. “Under her leadership, the University of Washington Libraries received the 2004 ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. In this regard, one nominator wrote, ‘Betsy envisioned and built a model assessment program, created strong collaboration with faculty in the classroom on information literacy and alliances with IT to produce the UWired service, and provided leadership and inspiration for the development of other outstanding and nationally known programs.’”
Betsy A. Wilson
"I was thrilled—no, make that flabbergasted—when ACRL President Pam Snelson told me about the award,” said Wilson. “I can think of no greater honor than to first be nominated by wonderful colleagues and then recognized by ACRL, an organization that has meant so much to me throughout my career. To join the list of esteemed past awardees is indeed humbling.”
Wilson has a distinguished record of service to the profession. She served as ACRL president (2000–01), helped establish the ACRL Institute for Information Literacy, and chaired the ACRL Instruction Section. She also served as a Member-at-Large on the ALA Council (1991–95). Wilson currently chairs the ACRL 14th National Conference Committee, which is planning the next conference to be held March 12–15, 2009, in Seattle, Washington. She recently finished a term on the Association of Research Libraries Board and currently serves on the Digital Library Federation Executive Committee.
Wilson’s numerous articles, presentations, and workshops represent a significant contribution to the profession. Many, however, believe her mentorship of emerging leaders represents her greatest educational legacy.
Nominators also recognized Wilson’s commitment to collaboration and partnership, noting, “She was instrumental in the merger of Orbis and Cascade, two groups that operated separately in Oregon and Washington, to create the regional consortium of the Orbis Cascade Alliance in 2003. In 2005, she formed the Digital Futures Alliance with partners in Microsoft, Vulcan, Real Networks, and others to address the commonly held problem of long-term preserving digital assets held in library collections and industry archives.”
Wilson’s leadership in the historic merger of RLG and OCLC was also praised, “In her role as chair of the Board of Trustees of OCLC, having previously served as president of the OCLC Members Council, she had an active and pivotal role in what has been termed ‘the hallmark of Betsy’s work—creating strong and vital organizations that derive more benefit for all.’ The vision, diplomacy and pragmatism of Betsy Wilson were absolutely critical to the year-long negotiations that resulted in the coming together of the two organizations.”
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Kim named Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Award winner
Jihyun Kim, graduate student instructor at the University of Michigan School of Information, has been awarded the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for her proposal, “Faculty self-archiving behavior: Methods and factors  affecting the decision to self-archive.” The fellowship is sponsored by Thomson Scientific, and fosters research in academic librarianship by encouraging and supporting dissertation research.
The award of $1,500 and a plaque will be presented during the ACRL President’s Program, June 25, at 1:30 p.m.
“Ms. Kim’s research will contribute empirical evidence to the scholarly discussion surrounding institutional repositories, academic publishing, and the role of academic libraries,” said Teresa Y. Neely, chair of the selection committee and director of the Zimmerman Library at the University of New Mexico.
“The committee was impressed with the quality and content of her proposal. Ms. Kim’s research is significant because it breaks new ground as it will provide insight into faculty self-archiving behavior, as well as the impact of institutional repositories on faculty behavior.”
Dowell wins CJCLS Leadership Award
David R. Dowell, director of the Library/Learning Resource Center at Cuesta College, has been selected as the winner of the Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS) EBSCO Community College Learning  Resources Leadership Award. The award honors significant achievement in the advocacy of learning resources, as well as leadership in professional organizations that support the missions of community, junior, and technical colleges.
A citation and $500, donated by EBSCO Information Services, will be presented to Dowell during the CJCLS Awards Breakfast, June 24, at 8 a.m.
“David R. Dowell embodies the spirit of the CJCLS/EBSCO Leadership award criteria,” said Matt Burrell, CJCLS award committee chair. “Beyond academic preparation and contribution to literature, Dowell is an active member of several committees and never turns down an opportunity to lead, contribute, and serve his fellow community college librarians.”
Dowell has served as director of the Library/Learning Resource Center at Cuesta College since 1995. Prior to that, he was the library director and assistant dean at Pasadena City College (1991–95), and the director of libraries at the Illinois Institute of Technology (1981–90). Dowell served as assistant university librarian at Duke University (1975–81), and as head of the Administrative Services Department at the Iowa State University Library (1972–75).
Libutti named EBSS Distinguished Librarian
Patricia O’Brien Libutti, social sciences/education librarian emerita at Rutgers University Libraries, has been chosen to receive the Education and Behavioral Sciences Section (EBSS) Distinguished Education and Behavioral Sciences Librarian Award. This award honors a distinguished academic librarian, who has made an outstanding contribution as an education and/or behavioral sciences librarian through accomplishments and service to the profession.
“Dr. Patricia O’Brien Libutti has made significant contributions to the field of education and behavioral sciences librarianship, most notably through her mentoring of librarians new to the field or beginning the research and publication process,” said award committee chair Nancy P. O’Brien, head of the Education and Social Sciences Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
“Her enthusiastic leadership has been evident in EBSS as well as the Education Division of the Special Libraries Association. She has served as chair of both organizations and held additional leadership positions in those and other professional associations.
“Dr. Libutti has published extensively, notably collaborating with other librarians and teaching faculty to produce case studies and other articles that address digital information, library practice, and information literacy,” said O’Brien. “Her numerous presentations also reflect a focus on the librarian as both learner and teacher in the digital environment. With active participation in national and regional library associations, she demonstrates professional involvement, leadership, and mentoring at all levels. Dr. Libutti’s publication record in education and the behavioral sciences; the testimony from new and mid-career librarians of her support, mentoring, and encouragement; and her participation in professional associations make her a worthy recipient of this award.”
A prize of $1,000 and a plaque, donated by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., will be presented to Libutti at the EBSS Program on June 23, 2007, at 1:30 p.m.
ACRL Best Practices in Marketing Award winners announced
Eastern Illinois University (EIU) and Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) have won the ACRL Best Practices in Marketing @ your library Award. The awards were presented at the ACRL 13th National Conference, “Sailing into the Future–Charting Our Destiny,” in Baltimore, during the keynote luncheon on March 30, 2007.
Sponsored by the ACRL Marketing Academic and Research Libraries (MARL) Committee and funded by Springer, the award recognizes academic/research libraries that demonstrate an outstanding best practices marketing program. Each winning institution received a $2,000 award.
Eastern Illinois University, Booth Library
“Committee members were impressed by the EIU Library’s initiative,” said MARL chair Frank D’Andraia, dean and director of libraries at the University at Albany-State University of New York. “They clearly demonstrated how campus and community partnerships can work together to produce a creative and positive marketing plan. The plan successfully positioned the library in the minds of many constituencies, while at the same time capturing the attention of students, scholars and area citizens.”
Booth Library staff created a unique program to promote the library as a cultural center, as well as a place. The EUI marketing plan capitalized on a traveling exhibit opportunity offered by ALA’s Public Programs Office. The plan promoted the library’s goals and produced a suite of best practices, tools, and strategies that may be easily exported to or adapted by other academic libraries.
Booth Library engaged a variety of stakeholders to invest in the initiative and to assist in crafting and delivering its message to on- and off-campus communities. More than a dozen public and private agencies assisted in developing strategies to shape the message, as well as build awareness and interest. Among the results of this program was the fact that more than 80,000 people were exposed to the successful best practices initiative during the program life span. Also, the marketing plan ensured that more than 40 scholars and nearly 100 students from campus and area public schools were either presenters or participants.
“Booth Library is honored to be recognized by our colleagues from ACRL,” said Allen Lanham, dean of library services. “It is truly a team effort when local initiatives sprout from the dedicated work of our national associations, thrive due to local conditions created by caring librarians, and ultimately create a more solid base of support for libraries of all types across America. We all gain when ALA and ACRL are obvious partners @ your library.”
Winston-Salem State University, C. G. O’Kelly Library
“The WSSU Library marketing plan effectively repositioned the library in the eyes of university administrators and campus users,” said D’Andraia. “The project addressed basic user challenges faced by many academic libraries today and the solutions developed by WSSU were a prime example of how an academic library may successfully tackle changing use patterns, while at the same time promoting the positive role of the library in the education process. Their marketing plan made the library a valued operation.”
The WSSU Library initiative was designed to reverse declining user trends by developing a comprehensive marketing plan that would be embraced by users, while repositioning the perception of the library in the minds of the campus community.
With a modest investment of resources, the librarians of C. G. O’Kelly Library met with significant success in reversing downward service trends. The outcomes that WSSU achieved included an increase in instructional session attendance, a rise in gate counts, an expansion of student use of reserves, more reference questions asked, and an increase in collection use. The WSSU marketing plan demonstrates that it is possible to create a plan that has a tangible and measurable impact.
“I am extremely excited and delighted that the ‘O’K dream team’ is being nationally recognized for their work,” said Mae L. Rodney, director of library services at the C. G. O’Kelly Library. “It is a true joy to have such talented and personable individuals on the O’Kelly Library staff. We have tried to create an environment where creativity is nurtured and celebrated. This national recognition will encourage other small environments, like Winston-Salem State University, to shoot for the stars.”
April 2003 marked the official launch of ACRL’s Academic and Research Library Campaign, part of ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries, to create awareness and understanding of the value of academic and research libraries and librarians in the 21st century.
Megan Griffin is ACRL program coordinator, e-mail: mgriffin@ala.org
© 2007 Megan Griffin
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