You can forget your Grammys, your ESPYs, even your Webbys. Tuesday night was cause for double celebration among Dewey aficionados, when this year's Melvil Dewey Medal was awarded to none other than the DDC's editor-in-chief, Joan Mitchell! The Medal is awarded by the American Library Association, and recognizes distinguished service to the profession of librarianship. The award consists of a bronzed medal and a 24-karat gold-framed citation of achievement for recent creative leadership of a high order.
Joan was presented with her award by Winston Tabb (chair of the Melvil Dewey Medal Award Committee, dean of university libraries and director of the Sheridan Libraries at the Johns Hopkins University, and 1998 Melvil Dewey Medal recipient), and Carol Brey-Casiano (2004-05 president of the American Library Association, and director of the El Paso Public Library).
Joan is seen here celebrating with Sally McCallum (chief of the Network Development and MARC Standards Office at the Library of Congress, and 2004 Melvil Dewey Medal recipient), and Andrea Stamm (chair of the Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee, and head of the Catalog Department at Northwestern University Library).
Joan's citation reads as follows: "For her extraordinary leadership in the continuing evolution of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system, ensuring that it continues to provide effective access for users to library resources in the 21st century; For her vision of the way in which the DDC can serve the needs of library users throughout the world and her commitment to adapting and translating the DDC into numerous languages; and For her contributions to the advancement of librarianship during three decades of outstanding service to the library profession by sharing her knowledge in publications, workshops, conferences and lectures on six continents; The American Library Association commends Joan S. Mitchell." Congratulations, Joan!
Comments