February 25, 2002
TO: Ellen
Leadem, Chair, Awards Committee
North Carolina Special
Libraries Association
FROM:
Eliza Robertson
Dear
Ellen
and members of the committee,
I'd like to place the name of Alan Tuttle as a candidate for the NCSLA
Meritorious Achievement Award for 2002. During
his long career as director of the Library of the National Humanities Center,
Alan has contributed tremendously to librarianship. He specializes particularly
in forming and supporting forums for cooperation among libraries, which have
strengthened not only SLA and the Triangle area libraries, but also networks in
the Southeast and the world. He is
among the most giving people I've known, and that spirit of generosity and
leadership show through all he does for libraries.
Alan didn't become a member of SLA until Rebecca Vargha goaded him into it by
pointing out that the NHC Library isn't a
true academic library, as he’d previously considered it, but a special library
with an academic twist. However,
once a member of SLA, he has richly supported the organization not only by his
own involvement, most recently serving a three-year term as Director, but also
in encouraging his staff members to be active in SLA.
Alan’s extraordinary contributions outside of SLA are also of great benefit to
NCSLA libraries and librarians.
--He was a founder of
Tri-Libs, an association of
Triangle Area Librarians which first formed
about 17 years ago in order to create links between Research Triangle
Park area libraries and the newly automated libraries of the local universities.
The organization soon evolved to include an area that Alan cherishes: resource sharing initiatives, especially sharing of
out-of-date or duplicate reference materials among member libraries.
He also endorses Tri-Libs as a way for those in one-person libraries to
meet with colleagues occasionally to share tips, tricks, and war stories, and to
find shoulders to cry on.
--He has been active in NCLA in his entire career in
North Carolina, often serving on committees.
--He is a long-time member of
the American Theological Libraries Association.
--He was for many years a member of MUGLNC
(Microcomputer User Group for Libraries in NC - an offshoot of his interest in
computers and ALA).
--He has been an agent for cooperation among the four
TRLN libraries (Duke, NCSU, UNC-CH and NCCU), smoothing the way whenever he can
in this extended academic library community.
Alan was an early proponent of OCLC and SOLINET, and he brought many librarians
kicking and screaming into the age of electronic librarianship with his constant
endorsement of OCLC and SOLINET, and with his constant willingness to share his
expertise with other librarians.
Internationally, he has helped theological librarians in the Czech Republic and
Germany to develop visions for their own libraries;
he has enabled them to move to electronic catalogs and use of the OCLC
system's features
.
Alan is constantly devising ways to improve services and streamline the
functions of the library of the National Humanities Center, and he has developed
many electronic processes and innovations to help us with the work of tracking
the borrowing and returning of the huge amounts of material demanded by our
scholars.
Alan Tuttle epitomizes the best that SLA represents. He is an innovative leader with vision that has carried his
expertise to excellence in his own library, then outside to make major
contributions to many aspects of the library profession locally and nationally.
He is deserving of the recognition and high honor that NCSLA can bestow
on him with the Meritorious Achievement Award.
Sincerely,
Eliza
S. Robertson,
Associate
Librarian
National Humanities Center,
7 Alexander
Drive
Research Triangle Park NC 27709-2256
TO:
NC/SLA AWARDS
BANQUET
GUESTS AND HONOREES
FROM:
REBECCA VARGHA
THE
"GRASSHOPPER" CATALOGER
We are gathered this evening to honor a North Carolina colleague, a friend, a
librarian and a mentor. To quote a
nominator he is truly one of the most giving people I have ever known…Alan
Tuttle. It is my pleasure to offer
words of appreciation for the tremendous contributions Alan has made to the
library profession over the years. Alan’s
colleagues have called him “an innovative leader with vision which has carried
his expertise to excellence in his own library, then outside to make major
contributions to many aspects of the library profession”
“Alan’s early understanding that the National Humanities Center Library
wasn’t a true academic library as he had previously considered it, but a
special library with an academic twist.”
When Alan became a member of SLA, he supported our organization by being
involved and encouraging his staff to be very active in SLA. Eliza Robertson and I are very fortunate to have a mentor
like Alan. During the early days of
the NHC Library as a fledgling librarian, I remember learning the practical side
of cataloging from him. He
said one of our first tasks was cataloging the Loeb Classical Library.
This task struck fear into the heart of any new librarian! And what you
may not know is that Alan is a cataloger’s cataloger.
Working with Alan on this cataloging project reminded me of the television
series (1972-75) that David Carradine starred in titled “Kung Fu.”
Do you remember the flashback sequences with Grasshopper and his martial
arts teacher, Master Po? In my mind as a beginning librarian, Alan was the sage—the
Kung Fu Master, and he said----- I will tell you now Grasshopper about the
mysteries of cataloging—what I have learned so that you too, may be wise…
Alan is a wonderful role model for all of us.
He is wise, innovative, and creative.
His professional life is active in addition to SLA.
Alan founded TriLibs (here in the Park) and has been active in NCLA.
He is a member of long-standing in the American Theological Libraries
Association and MUGLNC
((Microcomputer User Group for Libraries in North Carolina.)
Alan is a catalyst—and a diplomat, he has hosted countless TRLN meetings.
He is an “early adapter” of technology in the NHC Library and set an
example for many other libraries. In
summary, “Alan has always led by having a vision of what a should be…his
hallmark has been the notion that shared resources among all type of libraries
benefit everyone. Alan Tuttle
richly deserves our Meritorious Achievement Award.”
Rebecca
B. Vargha, Librarian
School
of Information and Library Science
University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill