Zhou wins award for promoting equality in library profession

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to announce Liana Zhou has received   the 2008 Equality Award.  This award, donated by Scarecrow Press, Inc., a member of the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, honors an individual or group who has made an outstanding contribution toward promoting equality in the library profession.

            Ms. Zhou is the director of the Library and Archives at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction and is a former president of the Chinese American Librarians Association.   She has also been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including two prestigious awards from the Chinese American Librarians Association – the Distinguished Services Award (2006) and the President’s Award (2004).

            She was selected for her accomplishments as director of the Library and Archives at the Kinsey Institute and in her leadership roles for several professional organizations, including the American Library Association, the Chinese American Librarians Association and the 2006 Joint Conference of  Librarians of Color, according to Jury Chair Tim Grimes, Ann Arbor District Library. 

            The several individuals who wrote letters of support for Liana Zhou for this award also point to her:

• Dedication in making the Kinsey collection more diverse
• Advocating for sex education and gender equality.
• Researching and publishing on sexual equality.
• Working with national and international professional associations for issues related to minority concerns.

            “Liana is committed to issues related to diversity, equality, mentorship, minority concerns, recruitment and retention… Her energy and enthusiasm for equality and diversity are contagious and re-energizes those around her,” said Sally Tseng, nominator, honorary executive director of the Chinese American Librarians Association.  

            Zhou received her MLS in Library and Information Science from Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., and her bachelor’s in Philosophy from Sichuan University in China.  She also studied on the graduate level at Nanjing University (Western Philosophy) in China, and at the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Ind.

            In addition to her leadership roles with the Chinese American Librarians Association (including terms as president) and the American Library Association (including terms on ALA Council and the Diversity Council), Liana  has served on numerous committees and presented papers at professional conferences.

            Other members of the 2008 Equality Award jury were Cassandra E.J. Plater, North Carolina A&T State University; Carla J. Stoffle, University of Arizona; James F. Williams, II, University of Colorado; and Ann Zeidman-Karpinski, Science Library of the University of Oregon .

The 2008 Equality Award will be presented at the ALA Award Ceremony and Reception Tuesday, July 1, during the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif.