Francine Graf selected as RUSA's Louis Shores Award winner for excellence in book reviewing

For Immediate Release
Sun, 01/26/2014

Contact:

Leighann Wood

Membership and Awards Coordinator

Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

lwood@ala.org

PHILADELPHIA — The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has selected Francine Graf, managing editor of Choice magazine, as the 2014 winner of the Louis Shores Award.

The Louis Shores Award recognizes an individual reviewer, group, editor, review medium or organization for excellence in book reviewing and other media for libraries.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2014, Choice reviews resources for academic audiences. Graf has worked at Choice since 1982 and has made outstanding contributions to reviewing. During her tenure at Choice, Graf has been a true leader and has been instrumental in Choice Reviews Online from its first iteration. Graf has worked diligently to increase the scope of and access to Choice;  she was the driving force behind the inclusion of database and website reviews in Choice, she initiated the Internet Resources Newsletter, created the monthly “5 Great Books” feature and has worked to provide free Choice reviews through social media outlets. Additionally, she is someone her colleagues and readers of Choice continually rely on for guidance and inspiration. 

Francine Graf will be presented with the Louis Shores Award at the RUSA Achievement Awards at the 2014 American Library Association Annual Conference in Las Vegas.

The winner was selected by the Louis Shores Award committee, whose members include Emily Hamstra, Chair, University of Michigan; Edward Kownslar, Texas A&M, Corpus Christi; and Barry Trott, Williamsburg (Va.) Regional Library.

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a Division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Not a member, but interested in being part of a member community and enjoying discounted registration rates on conference, preconferences and other events? Join, renew or add RUSA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa.