UH Libraries Honors Outstanding Librarians and Staff
Dean Dana Rooks recognizes librarians and staff at UH Libraries 2014 Staff Awards reception.
University of Houston Libraries recognized its top-performing librarians and staff at an awards reception on April 23 at the Rockwell Pavilion. Dean Dana Rooks addressed the gathering with a message of appreciation for excellence in service, innovation and dedication shown by the Libraries’ exceptional group of professionals.
The Dean’s Library Advocate Award was presented to Cliff Redd, Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement, and Kristin Burch, Executive Director for Alumni Relations, for their expertise in guiding the Libraries’ development efforts.
The Outstanding Group Award recognizes a group within the Libraries that has made an impactful contribution to its overall success. Rachel Vacek (chair), Nora Dethloff, Christina Gola, Vince Lee, Marilyn Myers, Shawn Vaillancourt and Frederick Young received this honor for their achievement in the development of the Libraries’ Strategic Directions.
The Digital Library Redesign Team received the Trailblazer Award for Leading Organizational Change, for their improvement of the functionality and look of the Digital Library. Members are Rachel Vacek, Sean Watkins, Chung Kang, Keith Komos and J Fisher.
The John P. McGovern Rookie of the Year Award recognizes a staff member who, though new to the organization, has demonstrated outstanding overall performance that shows he or she is becoming an important asset to the Libraries. This year’s winner is Santi Thompson.
The Student Achievement Award recognizes a student employee whose superior performance and accomplishments demonstrate that he or she is committed to carrying out the Libraries’ mission for UH. Bryan Bishop, a student employee in Special Collections, was chosen for this award. Catherine Gonzalez received the McGovern Outstanding Student Award for demonstrating leadership, knowledge and creativity in service for the Architecture and Art Library.
Pam Forbes was honored with the Staff Achievement Award for her integral role in the success of the Optometry Library, and especially for producing the 10th Edition of the Union List of Vision Related Serials, a resource used by institutions worldwide. Frederick Young received the Staff Achievement Award for his consistently high-quality initiative and creative problem-solving in Systems. The McGovern Outstanding Staff Award winner is Keith Komos, recognized for his seamless contributions to the critical resource of server infrastructure.
The Librarian Achievement Award recipients are Andrea Malone and Rachel Vacek. Both consistently demonstrate leadership in the profession and model values that inspire colleagues. Richard Guajardo received the McGovern Outstanding Librarian Award for forward-thinking organization and leadership, and the implementation of several large-scale projects that serve the UH community.