Rice Database receives 2009 ACRL STS Oberly Award

Contact: Megan Griffin
ACRL Program Coordinator
312-280-2514
mgriffin@ala.org

NEWS
For Immediate Release
February 10, 2009

CHICAGO – The International Rice Research Institute’s Rice Database has been selected as the 2009 recipient of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Science and Technology Section (STS) Oberly Award for Bibliography in the Agricultural or Natural Sciences. The cash award and plaque will be presented at the 2009 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago.

Formerly known as the Rice Bibliography, the Rice Database is a comprehensive bibliography of technical rice literature covering all aspects of rice research, produced by scientists from around the world. It is available online at http://ricelib.irri.cgiar.org:81/screens/opacmenu.html.

“The Rice Databaseis a highly unique, but desperately needed resource for both developing and developed countries,” said award committee co-chairs Marianne Stowell Bracke and Martin Kesselman.

The Oberly Award was established in 1923 in memory of Eunice Rockwood Oberly, librarian of the Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture, from 1908 to 1921. Oberly was the Bureau of Plant Industry's representative to the Congressional Joint Commission on Reclassification of Government Employees and was instrumental in gaining a fairer recognition of library activities.

This biennial award is given in odd-numbered years for the best English-language bibliography in the field of agriculture or a related science.
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The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is a division of the American Library Association (ALA), representing nearly 13,000 academic and research librarians and interested individuals. ACRL is the only individual membership organization in North America that develops programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of academic and research librarians.  Its initiatives enable the higher education community to understand the role that academic libraries play in the teaching, learning and research environments.