ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

Atkinson and CJCLS award committees announce 2002 winners: The final installment of ACRI award winners

by Stephanie Sherrod

Billings named winner of Atkinson Award

Harold W. Billings, director of libraries at the University of Texas at Austin, has been named the 2002 winner of the Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial Award. Named in honor of one of the pioneers of library automation, the Atkinson award recognizes an academic librarian who has made significant contributions in the area of library automation or management, and has made notable improvements in library services or research.

“Harold Billings’ long commitment to innovation in automation, resource sharing, and creative management all contributed to his selection by the Hugh Atkinson Memorial Award Committee,” said Diane Graves, chair of the award selection committee. “He has been professionally active, and has supported efforts at both the state and national level to encourage resource sharing and cooperative collection development.”

Graves also noted that Billings was an early proponent of OCLC as a resource-sharing tool in the southwestern United States, and he has led the automation movement by encouraging the development of an interactive search tool for UTCAT. In addition, Billings has pioneered innovative job-sharing and research work assignments for his staff of nearly 600; provided leadership in the development of TexShare, a state-funded program that provides electronic resources to a consortium of more than 600 academic and public libraries in Texas; and supports enhanced ILL services.

Billings will receive an award of $2,000 and a citation at the ALA Annual Conference in Atlanta.

The Hugh C. Atkinson Award is jointly sponsored by four divisions of ALA, includ- ing ACRL, the Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA), the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), and the Association for Libraiy Col- lections and Technical Services (ALCTS).

Community College awards go to Steinhoff and St. Petersburg Junior College

Cynthia Steinhoff

Cynthia Steinhoff, li- braiy director at the An- drew G. Truxal Library at Anne Arundel Com- munity College, has been selected as the 2002 winner of the Community and Junior College Libraries Sec- tion (CJCLS) EBSCO Community College Learning Resources

Award. The award honors significant achievement in the advocacy of learning resources, as well as leadership in professional organizations that support the missions of community, junior, and technical colleges.

Paula Herring, chair of the awards committee, said, “Cynthia was chosen because she exemplifies leadership on all levels: local, state, and national. She has been a leader on her campus, in the state of Maryland, and in CJCLS. Her tireless advocacy for and commitment to community college libraries [make her] truly deserving of this award.”

The Michael M. Bennett Library of St. Petersburg Junior College has been chosen to receive the 2002 CJCLS/EBSCO Community College Learning Resources Program Achievement Award for its information literacy program, which includes online tests, curriculum development, instruction of other librarians, faculty awareness, and advocacy.

“The librarians at St. Petersburg Junior College have developed an innovative information literacy program for their students,” said Herring. “From online testing to instructional video to credit coursework, this program is designed to reach every student in every campus. The librarians are to be commended for their outreach to their campuses.”

A citation and $500 (donated by EBSCO Information Services) will be presented to each recipient during the ALA Annual Conference in Atlanta at the CJCLS All Committee Meeting on Saturday, June 15, 2002, at 8:30 a.m. at the Omni Hotel, Brampton A. ■

About the author

Stephanie Sherrod is ACRL program assistant, e-mail:ssherrod@ala.org