LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award winner announced

Contact: Mary Taylor

LITA

312-280-4267

mtaylor@ala.org

For Immediate Release

June 4, 2007

LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award winner announced

CHICAGO - Timothy Dickey, currently enrolled in the School of Library and Information Science at Kent State University, has been named the winner of the 2007 LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award, sponsored by Ex Libris Group and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

Timothy Dickey’s paper, "FRBRization of a Library Catalog: Better Collocation of Records, Leading to Enhanced Search, Retrieval, and Display" examines the challenges and benefits of reorganizing an Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) to take advantage of the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records, known as FRBR. He describes the potential of FRBR to provide a mechanism that improves the ability of OPACs to better address the relationships among materials formats in genres such as music. He also describes the current landscape where FRBR largely remains a theory since there are few working applications except from a small number of vendors.

“On behalf of the LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award Committee, I am very pleased to recognize Timothy’s examination of this timely and important issue with this award. He provided a very clear and cogent perspective on a complex topic that is highly relevant to libraries and librarians,” said Joan Lippincott, chair of the award committee.

The LITA/Ex Libris 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 will receive $1,000 and a certificate of merit.

“Ex Libris closely monitors emerging trends in the library automation industry and integrates this information into the design and development of each new product that it brings to market,” said Matti Shem Tov, president and CEO of Ex Libris Group. “Research such as that carried out by Mr. Dickey provides us with the insight we need to meet the requirements of library staff and patrons.”

The award will be presented at the LITA President's Program on Sunday, June 24, 2007 at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

The Ex Libris Award was known as the Endeavor Award until Ex Libris acquired Endeavor in 2007.