Ridley Kessler Honored at Freedom of Information Day
Contact: Andy Bridges
Communications Specialist
202-628-8410
For Immediate Release
March 16, 2007
Ridley Kessler Honored at Freedom of Information Day
WASHINGTON — On March 16, 2007, during the events surrounding Freedom of Information Day, ALA President Leslie Burger took a moment to honor Ridley Kessler, a librarian who passed away recently, having devoted much of his life to the cause of access to government information.
“For 30 years, Ridley Kessler provided public access to government information as the federal documents and regional depository librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,” Burger said in her opening remarks. “Over his long and distinguished career, he was active in the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table and the federal government's Depository Library Council. On behalf of these and many more organizations, he advocated, including testifying before Congress, for free access to government information.”
“[Kessler] has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the University of North Carolina's Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement, reflecting his commitment to teaching and assisting young library professionals. Ridley Kessler will be remembered for his tremendous contributions to libraries, librarianship, and the cause we are here to celebrate today.”
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Freedom of Information (FOI) Day is an annual event on or near March 16, the birthday of James Madison. Madison is widely regarded as the Father of the Constitution and as the foremost advocate for openness in government.
