John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award winner announced

Contact:Â Delin R. Guerra
ALA International Relations Office
312-280-3201
dguerra@ala.org

NEWS
For Immediate Release
March 31, 2009

Dr. Patricia Oyler is this year’s recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) International Relations Committee’s John Ames/Humphry/OCLC/ Forest Press Award.

OCLC/Forest Press donated the cash award of $1,000, which is given to an individual for significant contribution to international librarianship.

Patricia Oyler received this award for her significant contributions to library development in Vietnam, including cataloging standards, modern services and new technology application. As a result, her teachings continue to apply valuable knowledge in many workshops, trainings and conferences. Dr. Oyler worked to implement the translation of the Dewey Decimal Classification System into Vietnamese. She also helped to develop a bachelor’s degree program of study in Library and Information Management at Can Tho University in Vietnam. Dr. Oyler is a professor and associate dean of curriculum in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College. A devoted advisor and teacher, Dr. Oyler strives to allow students to excel in the library profession.

“Dr. Patricia Oyler has dedicated the past 16 years of her professional and personal life to the development of a program for Vietnamese librarians to earn MLS degrees in library and information science at Simmons College. Creating an exemplary model for professional training for 21st century librarianship in transitioning countries, Dr. Oyler has coordinated fundraising, teaching, consulting and many other logistics for the now 55 plus graduates. She also consulted on the grant-funded building of five major university libraries in Vietnam. Over her 40-year career, she has worked to automate and implement bibliographic control in Sweden, Brazil and Vietnam, once as a senior Fulbright lecturer. She has served on international committees in ALA and IFLA. Dr. Oyler has lectured in Vietnam, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, India, and Thailand. She also continues to teach and mentor library science students at Simmons College, as she has done since 1974,”, said Robin L. Kear, chair of the IRC- John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award Committee.

Dr. Oyler will be recognized during the International Relations Round Table Chair’s Program on Monday, July 13 at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.