2023 Award
Congratulations to Kimberly Burke Sweetman, M.S.L.I.S. 1996, who is this year's Raymond Von Dran Memorial Award recipient. This honor is bestowed each year to an alum of Catholic University's School/Department of Library and Information Science who, through their contributions to the library and information science profession, has exhibited the qualities that Dr. Von Dran was noted for throughout his career: innovation, collaboration, and leadership.
Kimberly Burke Sweetman is the Associate Dean of the University Library at the University of New Hampshire, where she has worked for over 6 years to increase the visibility and utility of the library on campus. During her time as Associate Dean, Kimberly has managed a major system migration, served on the team that earned the university accreditation with the New England Commission of Higher Education, and most recently spearheaded a restructuring effort in the library that utilized a team-based approach to allow the library to excel in its services with a reduced staff. She also successfully guided the library through the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring continuity of operations during lockdown and a successful transition back to in-person services.
Before coming to the University of New Hampshire, Kimberly worked as an executive coach, for both individuals looking to develop their careers, and organizations handling restructuring and strategic planning projects. She also worked for 14 years at New York University, where she served first as Head of Interlibrary Loan and then as Head of Access Services. In this latter position, she led the effort to eliminate the library’s overdue fines - one of the first major academic libraries to do so.
Kimberly has written widely in the field, on topics such as management best practices, building a healthy workplace environment, improving library service and access, and the importance of quality assessment practices. She has also taught as an adjunct professor for the Library and Information Science program at Long Island University, and is currently a member of the Board of Trustees for the Durham Public Library.
Purpose
The Raymond Von Dran Memorial Award is an award open to Catholic University School of Library and Information Science/Department of Library and Information Science alumni, instituted in the memory of Raymond Von Dran, who served as the second dean of the school (1983-87). Von Dran's final position was Dean of the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University and his obituary can be seen here: http://digital-scholarship.org/digitalkoans/2007/07/23/obituary-raymond-von-dran/.
Selection Criteria
The Library and Information Science Alumni Association will grant this award during its annual Elizabeth W. Stone Lecture.
We are seeking nominations of alumni who, through their contributions to the library and information science profession, have exhibited the qualities Von Dran was noted for throughout his career: innovation, collaboration, and leadership.
Raymond Von Dran Memorial Award Recipients
(Jobs noted were positions held at time of the award)
2022 - Andrew K. Pace, Executive Director of the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions library consortium
2021 - Laurie Beyer Hall, Superintendent of Documents for the Federal Depository Library and Managing Director of Library Services and Content Management at the Government Publishing Office
2019 - Janet L. Crowther, Assistant Library Director of the Williamsburg Regional Library
2018 - Kent Boese, Manager of Library Services, Wiley Rein LLP
2017 - Mary Augusta Thomas, Deputy Director, Smithsonian Institution Libraries
2016 - Barry Trott, Special Projects Director, Williamsburg Regional Library
2015 - Richard James King, Chief, Information Resources and Services Branch and Information Architect, National Institutes of Health
2014 - Barrie L. Howard, Information Technology Specialist at The Library of Congress
2013 - Martin Kalfatovic, Associate Director of Digital Services at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries and Program Director for the Biodiversity Heritage Library
2012 - James Patrick Timony, Adaptive Technology Librarian, Adaptive Services Division, DC Public Library
2011 - Lea J. Uhre, Director, Executive Office of the President Library
2010 - Barbara L. Post, Manager of Information Services, Transportation Research Board
2009 - Lynn Scott Cochrane, Director, Denison University Library
2008 - Kimberly Ferguson, Head of Information Services, U.S. Senate Library