G. Sayeed Choudhury named 2012 OCLC/LITA Kilgour Award recipient

CHICAGO – The Library & Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced G. Sayeed Choudhury as the 2012 winner of the Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology. The award, which is jointly sponsored by OCLC, is given for research relevant to the development of information technologies, especially work that shows promise of having a positive and substantive impact on any aspect(s) of the publication, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information, or the processes by which information and data is manipulated and managed. The awardee receives $2,000, a citation and travel expenses to attend the award ceremony on June 24 at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif.

Choudhury was especially recognized by the award jury for his leadership in the field of data curation through the National Science Foundation-supported Data Conservancy project, which expands the capabilities of research libraries in serving researchers and the institutions of which they are a part, and for his ongoing impact on the field of librarianship in applying the principles of librarianship to the curation and preservation of digital data.

In hearing of the award, Charles Henry, president of the Council on Library and Information Resources, said: "I am delighted that Sayeed Choudhury has been selected to receive the Kilgour award. Sayeed has long been recognized for his astute and tireless leadership in support of library and information technology. He has been a source of acumen and illumination on topics such as data curation, digital architecture and digital library innovation. His contributions transcend disciplinary boundaries: he is recognized and respected by communities as diverse as Medieval Studies and Astronomy, a rare and compelling achievement. I cannot think of a more appropriate recipient of the prestigious Kilgour award."

Mr. Choudhury is the associate dean for research data management and Hodson director of the Digital Research and Curation Center at the Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins University. He is also the director of operations for the Institute of Data Intensive Engineering and Science (IDIES) based at Johns Hopkins. He is a member of the National Academies Board on Research Data and Information, the ICPSR Council, DuraSpace Board and a senior presidential fellow with the Council on Library and Information Resources. Choudhury has BSE and MSE degrees in Civil Engineering and doctoral coursework in Geography and Environmental Engineering.

Choudhury has served as principal investigator for projects funded through the National Science Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Microsoft Research. He is the principal investigator for the Data Conservancy, one of the awards through NSF's DataNet program. Notified of the award, Choudhury said: "I am deeply honored by this award. I have been very fortunate throughout my career to work with exceptional colleagues within the Sheridan Libraries and throughout the Libraries within Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, I've had the pleasure and benefit of working with colleagues throughout our entire community so I hope they share this recognition with me. I look forward to more opportunities to collaborate and advance the important work that lies ahead for libraries."

Members of the 2012 Frederick G. Kilgour Award committee are: Nancy Roderer, Johns Hopkins University (chair). Michael Witt, Purdue University (past chair); Jason Battles, The University of Alabama; Cecilia Schmitz, Auburn University; David King, LITA board liaison; and Roy Tennant, OCLC liaison. For more information on the Kilgour Award and other ALA awards, please visit www.lita.org.

About LITA

Established in 1966, LITA is the leading organization reaching out across types of libraries to provide education and services for a broad membership of over 3,000 systems librarians, library technologists, library administrators, library schools, vendors and many others interested in leading edge technology and applications for librarians and information providers. For more information, visit www.lita.org.

About OCLC

Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world’s information and reducing library costs. OCLC Research is one of the world’s leading centers devoted exclusively to the challenges facing libraries in a rapidly changing information environment. It works with the community to collaboratively identify problems and opportunities, prototype and test solutions, and share findings through publications, presentations and professional interactions. For more information, visit www.oclc.org/research.