CHICAGO — Patricia R. Harris has been named the winner of the 2006 LITA/Library Hi Tech award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology. Emerald and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), sponsor the award.
The award recognizes outstanding achievement in communicating to educate practitioners within the library field in library and information technology. It consists of $1,000 and a certificate of merit.
Since 1983 Patricia R. Harris has served as the executive director of the National Information Standards Organization (NISO). In her role as executive director she worked tirelessly with leaders in the library, vendor, and publishing communities to establish a community of partners dedicated to the development, promotion and support of information standards. Through her efforts librarians have become key players in the development of information technology standards
She also worked tirelessly to communicate to a wide and diverse audience the importance of standards in an increasingly complex information environment. The many publications produced by NISO, including introductory materials and newsletters, were particularly effective in “translating” the jargon of the standards community into language that was understandable and meaningful to a broader audience. In addition, Harris has emphasized the education of information professionals in the importance of standards to their organizations and user communities. Her many p rograms at ALA and other professional organizations have been tremendously helpful in distributing information to the library profession.
The Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) members are information technology professionals dedicated to educating, serving, and reaching out to the entire library and information community. LITA is a division of the American Library Association.
| Patricia R. Harris has been named the winner of the 2006 LITA/Library Hi Tech award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology. |