NEWS

For Immediate Release

April 1, 2008

Contact: Eileen Hardy

(312) 280-4398

ehardy@ala.org

Margaret Stieg Dalton receives RUSA Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award

CHICAGO ─Margaret Stieg Dalton, associate professor, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, is the recipient of the 2008 Isadore Gilbert Mudge-Gale Cengage Learning Award presented by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

The award of $5,000 and a citation, donated by Gale Cengage Learning, recognizes distinguished contributions to reference librarianship. The honor is named for Isadore Gilbert Mudge, who was a reference librarian, a bibliographer at Columbia University in New York and author of the 1917 revision of the "Guide to the Study and Use of Reference Books."

"Margaret’s experience and the strength of the letters of recommendation convinced us, among a strong group of nominees, that she merits this award," said Michael J. Whitchurch, award committee chair. "The letters demonstrated a career full of meaningful accomplishments and positive influences on students and colleagues in the field of Reference Librarianship."

"To receive an award for doing what has brought me both pleasure and satisfaction is gratifying," commented Dalton. "As a graduate of Columbia’s School of Library Service and former faculty member, I am particularly honored to receive the Mudge Award, named for the long-time head of reference at Columbia University, teacher of reference and editor of the Guide to Reference Books."

The award will be presented at RUSA Awards Ceremony from 4 to 6 p.m. on June 30, 2008, during the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim (Calif.).