ALCTS Awards Honor Outstanding Contributions

Each year ALCTS and its sections present eight awards to honor individuals who have made highly significant contributions in the areas of technical services, collection development, and preservation. The 2002 ALCTS awards were presented on June 17 at the ALCTS membership meeting during ALA Annual Conference in Atlanta.

In addition, ALCTS President Bill Robnett chose to recognize the exceptional achievement of four people who have made very special contributions to the continuing education of ALCTS members by presenting two Presidential Citations.

• Paul Banks and Carolyn Harris Preservation Award
• Best of LRTS Award
• Blackwell’s Scholarship Award
• Bowker/Ulrich’s Serials Librarianship Award
• First Step Award/Wiley Professional Development Grant
• Leadership in Library Acquisitions Award
• Margaret Mann Citation
• Esther J. Piercy Award
• Presidential Citations

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Paul Banks and Carolyn Harris Preservation Award

ALCTS is pleased to announce that Ellen McCrady is the recipient of the 2002 Paul Banks and Carolyn Harris Preservation Award. Since 1975, she has been the editor and publisher of the Abbey Newsletter, which has subscribers in forty-four countries. During her long career, first in book binding and then in preservation, McCrady has made significant contributions to the library and archives preservation field. Besides her own publications, she has contributed numerous articles to publications in the fields of librarianship, papermaking, and conservation. In addition she is known for her strong advocacy of alkaline papers and the development of a reliable pH testing pen used to determine whether paper or cellulosic board is acid or alkaline. McCrady is a ready source of information on a wide range of preservation topics and shares this information willingly with colleagues in the library and archives fields.

The Paul Banks and Carolyn Harris Preservation Award presented by the Preservation and Reformatting Section (PARS) honors the memory of Paul Banks and Carolyn Harris, early leaders in library preservation, teachers, and mentors for many in the field of preservation. The award, consisting of $1,500 and a citation, sponsored by Preservation Technologies, L. P., recognizes the contribution of a professional preservation specialist who has been active in the field of preservation and/or conservation for library and /or archival materials.

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Best of LRTS Award

Bartley A. Burk, Social Science and Hispanic Bibliographic Access Management team leader at the Hesburgh Library at the University of Notre Dame, and Laura D. Shedenhelm, media archives cataloger of the University of Georgia, are the 2002 Best of LRTS Award recipients. The award, a citation and $250, is given to the author or authors of the best paper published each year in the official journal of ALCTS, Library Resources and Technical Services (LRTS). Burk and Shedenhelm received the award for their article titled “Book Vendor Records in the OCLC Database: Boon or Bane?” published in LRTS 45, no. 1.

“The topic and the authors’ presentation are significant to both acquisitions and cataloging departments. The article is well-written, interesting, practical, and is a logical presentation of an important issue that is a welcome addition to the literature of technical services,” noted Wanda Dole, Best of LRTS Award Committee chair. “Shedenhelm and Burk explore the impact of vendor records in the OCLC database on the day-to-day operations of cataloging units. Using a 1998 sample of Spanish language, firm-ordered materials, represented by vendor records in OCLC, the authors clearly and concisely address the differences between these records and full-level bibliographic records. Types of errors and error rates are analyzed, the resulting costs in cataloging time are calculated, and suggestions for improvement are offered.”

Burk holds an MLIS and a BS in Business Management with a minor in Economics/Accounting from Brigham Young University. He is currently the rapporteur general for the Seminar of the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials.

Shedenhelm holds an MLS from UCLA and a BA in Spanish and Political Science from the University of California, Riverside. She is the author of three other publications and compiled the section on Uruguay for the ALA Government Documents Round Table Guide to Official Publications of Foreign Countries, 2d ed.

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Blackwell’s Scholarship Award

Left to right: Daniel Halloran, president and chief executive officer, Blackwell's; Richard Meyer, award recipient; Sharon Bonk, member, award committee; Linda Smith, interim dean, University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science.

Richard Meyer, Dean and Director of Libraries at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has been designated the Blackwell’s Scholarship Award winner for his article “A Tool to Assess Journal Price Discrimination,” published in College and Research Libraries 62 (May 2001), 269–88. Meyer is one of the first researchers to apply empirical data to a major question in collection development. He builds on previous research and uses sophisticated analysis to answer the question.

Meyer has held positions as director of libraries at Trinity University, associate director of libraries at Clemson University, and assistant director of technical services at Indiana State University and the University of Texas at Dallas. He holds bachelor degrees in chemistry and library science from the University of Missouri and master’s degrees in library science and economics from Clemson University.

The award, a citation and $2,000 scholarship to the library school of the winner’s choice donated by Blackwell’s, is given to the author(s) of an outstanding monograph, published article, or original paper on acquisitions, collection development, or related areas of resource development. Meyer has designated the $2,000 scholarship be awarded to the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science.

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Bowker/Ulrich’s Serials Librarianship Award

Eric Lease Morgan is the 2002 recipient of the Bowker/Ulrich’s Serials Librarianship Award. Presented by the ALCTS Serials Section, the award consists of a citation and $1,500, donated by R. R. Bowker. This award is given for distinguished contributions to serials librarianship, including but not limited to those made within the previous three years, demonstrated by such activities as leadership in serials-related activities through participation in professional associations or library education programs, contributions to the body of serials literature, conduct of research in the area of serials, development of tools or methods to enhance access to or management of serials, and other advances leading to a better understanding of the field of serials.

Morgan exemplifies leadership and excellence in librarianship. He has used his considerable technical skills and vision to tackle problems that limit user access to electronic information and helps users reduce information overload. The tools he has created have enhanced the value of electronic serials within the library and scholarly communities. He exhibits a unique combination of technical expertise, broad vision, genuine creativity, and a talent for imagining new solutions that puts him at the forefront of digital librarianship. Moreover, he has repeatedly chosen to apply these talents to electronic serials.

In the early 1990s, Morgan wrote a program called Mr. Serials that focused on the problems of electronic serials acquisition, issue-level check-in, and access. “Mr. Serials” was the first systematic method for collecting Internet-based e-serials, and it demonstrated his ability to think creatively about serials issues and to apply the latest technologies to addressing them. His next project, Index Morganagus, dealt with the searchability of online serials. It uses sophisticated Web site crawling and indexing software to retrieve and index the full text of dozens of electronic serials, clearly demonstrating to the scholarly community the potential of e-serials. Eric adapted Index Morganagus to Web-based agricultural serials in a service called “AgZines: A Harvest of Free Agricultural Journals” that was gratefully received by librarians and researchers alike. He also set up a similar service for the current awareness newsletter Current Cites.

In a recent project at North Carolina State University, Morgan created MyLibrary@NCState, a user-driven, customizable, portal-like interface to a library’s collection of Internet resources. MyLibrary@NCState allows scholars to build personal virtual libraries by choosing journals, databases, and other online resources that fit their needs, and it has been adapted by other libraries.

Morgan is active in the North American Serials Interest Group and the Library Information Technology Association. He has made presentations about his serials programs to a wide variety of groups throughout North America, has published serials-related papers in Serials Review and Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, and serves on the editorial board of Information Technology and Libraries.

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First Step Award/Wiley Professional Development Grant

Susanna Flodin, award recipient; Barry Champany (John Wiley and Sons); Anne McKee, chair, award committee.

Susanna Flodin, technical services librarian at Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT), has been awarded the First Step Award, a Wiley Professional Development Grant, for 2002. Presented by the Serials Section, the grant of $1,500 donated by John Wiley and Sons, is applicable toward round trip transportation, lodging, registration fees, and related expenses providing librarians new to the serials field the opportunity to broaden their perspectives and to encourage professional development by attending ALA conferences and participating in ALCTS Serials Section activities.

Flodin received her MLIS from University of British Columbia in 1999 and her BS in psychology in 1994 from Pacific Lutheran University. She held a graduate assistantship as well as several temporary staff positions in libraries during her library studies and, while a graduate student, coauthored a journal article published in Library and Archival Security.

Flodin was originally hired at OIT as the catalog librarian. She quickly established herself locally and regionally and has been promoted to manager of the technical services area, overseeing acquisitions, serials, and government documents processing. And, as a true serialist multitasker, she continues to serve as the catalog librarian at OIT. She currently serves on two ORBIS Consortium Committees, is part of the Online Northwest Planning Team (an annual conference to promote innovation and technology in libraries), and is a member of the Learning Resources Commission and the Americans with Disabilities Commission on OIT’s campus.

In being selected for this award, Flodin has stated that she looks forward to contributing to ALA, ALCTS, and the Serials Section. She is eager to network with mentors in the serials field so she can become a better serialist. The First Step Award gives her this opportunity.

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Leadership in Library Acquisitions Award

Left to right: Rosann Bazirjian, award recipient; Knut Dorn, managing director and partner, Otto Harrassowitz; James Mouw, Chair, ALCTS Acquisitions Section; Nancy Gibbs, chair, award committee.

Rosann Bazirjian, associate director of technical services at Pennsylvania State University Libraries, has been named the recipient of the 2002 Leadership in Library Acquisitions Award presented by the ALCTS Acquisitions Section. The award, a citation and a $1500 grant donated by Otto Harrassowitz, is given to recognize the contributions by and the outstanding leadership of an individual in the field of acquisitions librarianship.

Bazirjian received the award in recognition of her scholarship, research, and leadership in support of acquisitions, including her role as principal director of the Charleston Conference on Books and Serial Issues, and her publishing efforts with Against the Grain. She has held positions at Syracuse University and Florida State University, as well as her current position at Penn State. Colleagues also noted Bazirjian’s continued efforts to mentor staff at each institution where she has served. She received her bachelor’s degree from Herbert H. Lehman College of the City University of New York, her MLS from Columbia University, and she has a graduate degree in social science from Syracuse University. Bazirjian is the incoming chair of the ALCTS Acquisitions Section for 2002–2003.

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Margaret Mann Citation

Left to right: Gary Houk, vice president, OCLC Services; Jean Hirons, award recipient; Daniel Kinney, member, award committee.

Jean L. Hirons, CONSER coordinator in the Serial Record Division at the Library of Congress, is the recipient of the 2002 Margaret Mann Citation presented by the Cataloging and Classification Section. The selection committee is pleased to present this award to Hirons for her extraordinary contributions to serials cataloging. Hirons holds an MLS from the University of Rhode Island and a BA from Marietta College.

The award is a citation and a $2,000 scholarship donated in the recipient’s honor by OCLC to the library school of the winner’s choice. It recognizes outstanding professional achievement in cataloging or classification either through publication of significant professional literature, participation in professional cataloging associations, demonstrated excellence in teaching cataloging, or valuable contributions to practice in individual libraries.

Hirons has influenced both the theory and practice of serials cataloging in a changing environment. Hirons developed concepts, proposals, and rule changes to improve chapter 12 of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules. She also has advanced serials cataloging through her committee work, publications, and presentations. Joan Swanekamp, chair of the selection committee, said “the respect and authority that Jean has earned among cataloging colleagues and serials specialists is based on demonstrated dedication to the principles of cooperative bibliographic control, the power of collaboration in standards development and implementation, and innovative approaches to the development and delivery of serials cataloging training programs. Her numerous publications and presentations affirm her leadership and contributions in this area. Jean has been a pioneer, leaping barriers to develop the bridge areas between serials cataloging and other types of cataloging.”

The great success of the CONSER program owes much to the outstanding leadership of Hirons. She has fostered cohesiveness and a cooperative spirit among CONSER participants that have made the program a model to follow by other PCC programs. Hirons organized the Serials Cataloging Cooperative Training Program and is the editor of the CONSER Editing Guide and the widely acclaimed CONSER Cataloging Manual.

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Esther J. Piercy Award

Left to right: John Harr III, Chair, award committee; Lisa German, award recipient; Gary Shirk, president and chief operating officer, YBP Library Services.

Lisa German, acquisitions team leader and assistant professor of library administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, is the 2002 recipient of the Esther J. Piercy Award. The award, a citation and $1,500 donated by YBP, is given to a librarian with fewer than ten years’ experience for contributions and leadership in the field of library collections and technical services. German holds an MSLIS and a BA in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a member of ALA, ALCTS, the Association of College and Research Libraries, and the Library Administration and Management Association.

John Haar III, chair of the selection committee, said, “the Piercy Award Jury selected Lisa German as this year’s recipient because of her outstanding record of accomplishment in the field of acquisitions, including professional advancement, publications, and leadership in library organizations. In her first professional position at Wright State University, she became Head of Acquisitions barely two years after earning her master’s degree in library science. She subsequently moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the nation’s largest academic libraries, where she rose to Acquisitions Team Leader within two years. These administrative appointments attest to her management skills and mastery of acquisitions work.”

German is the author or coauthor of twelve publications, including two book chapters on acquisitions management and Guide to the Management of the Information Resources Budget. She has also been active in regional and national professional associations. She has served on several ALCTS committees, including the Budget and Finance Committee, has chaired the Acquisitions Administrators Discussion Group, and was elected a member-at-large of the Acquisitions Section Executive Committee.

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Presidential Citations

The citations were read by ALCTS President Bill Robnett and presented to the recipients by Past-President Carlen Ruschoff and incoming President Olivia Madison.

Presidential Citation to Sally Tseng and Mary Larsgaard

Left to right: Mary Larsgaard, award recipient; Bill Robnett, ALCTS President; Sally Tseng, award recipient

“For their dedication to providing an outstanding continuing education experience to hundreds of librarians across the country through the ALCTS institute on metadata and AACR2. This institute lays the groundwork upon which ALCTS can build an exceptional continuing education program. ALCTS recognizes and appreciates the many hours of work needed to make this institute a reality and a success.”

Sally Tseng is head of serials cataloging in the science library, University of California, Irvine. Mary Larsgaard is assistant head of the Map and Imagery Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Presidential Citation to Carol Pitts Diedrichs and Trisha Davis

Left to right: Carlen Ruschoff, ALCTS past president; Tricia Davis, award recipient; Carol Pitts Diedrich, award recipient; Olivia Madison, ALCTS vice president; Bill Robnett, ALCTS president.

“For their vision and dedication in developing and presenting Fundamentals of Acquisitions, ALCTS first Web-based continuing education course. This course launches a new era for ALCTS, providing continuing education opportunities to the library community who can not attend workshops in person.”

Carol Pitts Diedrichs is Assistant Director for Technical Services and Collections, and Tricia Davis is Head, Serials/Electronic Resources Department, Ohio State University.

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