Beacher J.E. Wiggins, director for cataloging since June 1997, will serve as acting associate librarian for Library Services upon the Sept. 1 retirement of Winston Tabb, announced James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress, on June 19. Wiggins will serve while the Library recruits and appoints a permanent associate librarian.
Beacher Wiggins - Gail Fineberg
"Mr. Wiggins has made significant and valuable contributions both to the national cataloging mission of the Library and to the Library itself. He has deep experience in and commitment to Library Services. I look forward to his participation in agency-wide decision-making at this important time of transition. Beacher Wiggins will ably sustain the goals and initiatives to which Winston Tabb has devoted so much of his energy during his distinguished tenure in Library Services," said the Librarian.
Tabb, who leaves to head libraries at Johns Hopkins University (see story), warmly welcomed Wiggins' appointment. "Beacher has been an invaluable source of wise counsel and support during my leadership of Library Services. I have unreservedly counted on his professional expertise and standing, especially as we implemented the Integrated Library System. I am eager to begin working with Beacher immediately to ensure the smoothest possible transition," he said.
Wiggins was appointed director for cataloging at the Library in June 1997, having served as acting director since January 1995. Prior to that, he was chief of the Library's Arts and Sciences Cataloging Division (1992 to 1995) and assistant to the associate librarian for collections services from 1986 to 1991. His entire library career has been at the Library, starting in 1972 as a cataloger and moving into more responsible positions in cataloging and technical services. An active member of the American Library Association (ALA), Wiggins was elected recently to the ALA Council as a member at large.
Most recently, he served as the Library's chief negotiator in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Library and the Guild, AFSCME Local 2910. He currently represents the Library on the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Standing Committee on Bibliography.
Reflecting on his appointment, Wiggins said, "I am extremely honored by the confidence placed in me by the Librarian and by my departing boss, Winston, to step into this interim role. Succeeding Winston will not be easy, even on an acting basis. With the support of my fellow directors in Library Services, along with that of the exceptional staff in the service unit office and the rest of the divisions, I will work to keep Library Services on track to realize some of the important initiatives started by Winston."
