LITA/Endeavor Student Writing Award Winner announced

Contact: Mary Taylor


Executive Director, LITA


312-280-4267


mtaylor@ala.org
For Immediate Release


May 25, 2005

LITA/Endeavor Student Writing Award Winner announced

CHICAGO - Kristin Yiotis, currently enrolled in the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University, has been named the winner of the 2005 LITA/Endeavor Student Writing Award, sponsored by Endeavor Information Systems, Inc. and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association.

The LITA/Endeavor Student Writing Award recognizes outstanding writing on a topic in the area of libraries and information technology by a student or students enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies graduate program. The winning manuscript will be published in
Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL), and the winner receives $1,000 and a certificate of merit.

Kristin Yiotos's paper, "The Open Access Initiative: New Paradigms for Scholarly Communications," examines the model of open access publishing as a potential solution to the ongoing crisis in scholarly communication and the ever-increasing spiral of library serial subscriptions. She describes developments in digital technology and the Internet, including XML and open source software, that have enabled players like Stevan Harnad and Peter Suber, along with organizations such as SPARC and movements like the Budapest Open Access Initiative to introduce “new paradigms for scholarly communications.” This is a very timely and useful topic that is highly relevant to libraries, librarians, and other scholars.

“On behalf of the LITA/Endeavor Student Writing Award Committee, I am very pleased to recognize Kristin's examination of this extremely important issue with this award,” said Dan Marmion, chair of the award committee.

The award will be presented at the LITA President's Program on Sunday, June 26, 2005 at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

"At Endeavor Information Systems, we firmly believe in the power and positive impact that technology brings to today's library staff,” said Roland Dietz, Endeavor President and CEO. “Because of innovations in library technology, librarians are able to provide a higher level of service to their patrons than ever before possible. Endeavor is proud to partner with LITA for this award that recognizes the potential in today's library students who will be shaping the libraries of tomorrow."