Gilchrist wins 2007 ACRL/IS Miriam Dudley Instruction Librarian Award
Contact: Megan Griffin
ACRL Program Coordinator
mgriffin@ala.org
For Immediate Release
March 5, 2007
Gilchrist wins 2007 ACRL/IS Miriam Dudley Instruction Librarian Award
CHICAGO – Debra L. Gilchrist, dean of Library and Media Services of the Pierce College District, is the winner of the ACRL Instruction Section’s (IS) Miriam Dudley Instruction Librarian Award. The award honors Miriam Dudley, whose efforts in the field of information literacy led to the formation of the ACRL Instruction Section. The honor recognizes a librarian who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of instruction in a college or research library environment.
The award is sponsored by Elsevier on behalf of its library and information science program. A check for $1,000 and a plaque will be presented to Gilchrist during the ALA Annual Conference in Washington during the IS Program on Sunday, June 24, at 1:30 p.m.
Through the Miriam Dudley Instruction Librarian Award, we recognize Debra Gilchrist, Dean of Library and Media Services for Pierce College District in Washington, for her leadership in advancing instruction through information literacy assessment,” wrote Lisa Hinchliffe, chair of the IS Dudley award committee. “Debra’s example has inspired instruction librarians throughout North America to ask key questions about student learning and to improve their instruction programs with the results. Her approach to assessment-as-learning is refreshing and offers a manageable process for instructional and programmatic improvement.”
“The professional development Debra has provided though the ACRL Immersion Program, an ACRL online course, and her numerous consultancies and speaking engagements has offered assessment tools, ways of thinking like a teacher, and perspectives on student learning to librarians,” said Hinchliffe. “Debra’s work has impacted hundreds of librarians who are improving learning for thousands of students each year.”
Gilchrist has served as an ACRL Institute for Information Literacy Immersion faculty member since 1998, and has been dean of the faculty since 2001. She currently serves as co-chair of the ACRL 13th National Conference Virtual Conference Committee, a position she has held since 2005. Gilchrist was chair of the ACRL Appointments Committee from 2001-02, and during that time was also a member of the ACRL Task Force on the Future. She served on the ALA Council as Councilor-at-large from 1995-2001.
Gilchrist has written extensively on information literacy assessment and is currently editing a volume on assessment for the ACRL Information Literacy series.
She has been dean of Library and Media Services of the Pierce College District since 1991. Prior to that, she was an assistant professor at the Pacific Lutheran University Library from 1987-1991, where she was granted tenure in 1990. She served as assistant reference librarian/assistant professor at the South Dakota State University from 1984-87.
Gilchrist received her B.S. in Recreation/Social Service, from California State University, Northridge in 1978, and her M.S. in Geography from South Dakota State University in 1987. She earned her M.A. in Library Science and Information Management from the University of Denver in 1983. Her Ph.D. is currently in progress from Oregon State University.
ACRL is a division of the American Library Association, representing 13,000 academic and research librarians and interested individuals. ACRL is the only individual membership organization in North America that develops programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of academic and research librarians. Its initiatives enable the higher education community to understand the role that academic libraries play in the teaching, learning and research environments.
