Winston Tabb, associate librarian for library services, has added another honor to his long list of achievements–the Ainsworth Rand Spofford President's Award from the District of Columbia Library Association (DCLA). Director for Acquisitions Nancy Davenport accepted the award on Tabb's behalf at the DCLA Spring Banquet held at the Willard Hotel in Washington on May 22.
Winston Tabb - Gail Fineberg
Tabb, who recently announced plans to retire from the Library to move to Johns Hopkins University in September to become Dean of the University Libraries and Director of the Sheridan Libraries, including the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, reflected on the meaning of this award after receiving so many others.
"Looking back on 30 years of service at the Library of Congress, during which I have met librarians all over the world, I find myself deeply moved by this award from my local library association," said Tabb. "Membership in DCLA gives me a chance to interact in a personal, spontaneous way with other local librarians, including some Library of Congress colleagues who find time to serve on DCLA committees. Seeing what can be accomplished at the local level gives me real satisfaction and will provide some of my warmest memories as I prepare to take on new challenges at the Johns Hopkins University Libraries."
Named in honor of the Librarian of Congress and first president of DCLA (1894-95), the Spofford President's award is the highest honor conferred by DCLA. It recognizes contributions to the development or improvement of library and information services as evidenced by outstanding achievement in one or more of the following areas: innovative leadership in the advancement of library or information services; promotion and development of improved public understanding of library and information services; significant influence on attitudes of public or private officials who are in a position to support the improvement of library and information services; promotion of a sustained legislative approach to improving the ability of libraries to provide for expanded services to users; promotion or development of a program resulting in a sustained increase in voluntary support of library and information activities; and creative application of technology to the delivery of library and information services. Tabb was selected for this year's award by the DCLA Awards Committee chaired by Kathryn Ray, librarian of the District of Columbia Public Library's Tenley branch.
Tabb has been active in academic and professional library associations throughout his career. As a student, he joined Beta Phi Mu, the library science honor society, while earning a second master's degree at the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science in 1972. (He also earned a master's degree in American literature as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at Harvard University in 1964.)
On the national level, he has served on the Research Libraries Advisory Committee of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), the Visiting Committee for Harvard Libraries, and the National Digital Library Federation Policy Committee; he has also represented the Librarian of Congress on the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science.
Internationally, Tabb has served the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in many capacities: as vice-chairman of the Professional Board, chairman of the National Libraries Section, and chairman of the Coordinating Board for the Division of General Research Libraries. At the 67th IFLA Council and General Conference held in Boston in August 2001, he was elected chairman of the newly formed IFLA Professional Committee and will serve on the IFLA Executive Committee. He is the Library's representative to the Conference of Directors of National Libraries and the G7 Global Digital Library Project.
The American Library Association (ALA) presented Tabb with its Melvil Dewey Medal in 1998, for creative leadership in, and distinguished contributions to, the national and international library communities.
The DCLA was founded in 1894 and became a chapter of ALA in 1922. Other Library staffers have also received significant honors from DCLA. John Y. Cole, director of the Center for the Book, received the Spofford President's Award in 1996. Shirley Loo of the Office of Information Resources Management in the Congressional Research Service received the DCLA Distinguished Service Award in 1991 and the DCLA Community Service Award this year. Loo has just been elected to the DCLA Board of Directors. Michael W. Kolakowski, Government and Finance Division, Congressional Research Service, is in his second year on the board. Gail Sonnemann, now an information technologist in the Copyright Automation Group, Copyright Office, was honored with the Community Service Award in 1998. Trellis Wright, Copyright Office, served as DCLA President in 1994-1995.
The current secretary of DCLA is Barbara Conaty, senior instructor in the Technical Processing and Automation Instruction Office. She noted, "DCLA does a lot of good in the local library community, through scholarship assistance, informal mentoring, and partnering with the American Library Association Washington Office to organize ALA Legislative Day, which brings librarians from other communities to Capitol Hill. Membership in a local ALA chapter like DCLA is an opportunity to energize your profession and to focus, in a small way, on topics of big interest."
