Barbara Semonche's Acceptance Speech
News Division Awards Banquet
Pittsburgh, PA - June 11, 1990

After listening to Carolyn Hardnett's (Baltimore Sun) warm hearted, over-enthusiastic testimony, I feel compelled to introduce myself as the OTHER Barbara Semonche. Nevertheless, I accept the Agnes Henebry Award with genuine gratitude and great pleasure. I thank the News Division's Awards Committee for this treasured honor.

I've given considerable thought about what my remarks should be this evening and how I should present them.

On other occasions, our members have been treated to imaginative, creative presentations. Songs and guitar melodies by Richard Geiger (San Francisco Chronicle) brought everyone to their feet cheering in New York. Ben Lightman's (TIME, Inc.) off-the-cuff, stand-up comedy routine was a masterful blend of wit and wisdom in Denver. Jim Scofield's (St. Petersburg Times) incomparable toastmaster style is entertainment anywhere in either Greek or English. Rich Ploch's (Washington Post) discourse on getting a proper haircut in St. Petersburg was unforgettable. And John Cronin's (Boston Herald) immortal speech "Ah just cain't say no!" was overshadowed only partially by five tornadoes whistling into town.

After such high-powered sound and light shows, I figured that you all might be ready for something, well, a bit more low key.

It occurred to me that perhaps the best way to respond to this honor would be to write a letter...to Miss Agnes Henebry (former Librarian with Lindsay-Schwab Newspapers)...and read it to you tonight.

With a grateful nod to our honorees, Joe Mehr (Providence Journal) and Joe DiMarino (VU/Text), our Pittsburgh host, Angelika Kane (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), and our Awards Committee, I begin.

Dear Miss Agnes:

Tonight is a very special occasion. It is our Division's 13th Annual Awards Banquet. This is perhaps the largest single gathering of the best brains in news fact-finding and information analysis since you and Joe Kwapil (News Division founder) shared a sandwich decades ago.

We've come a long way, Miss Agnes. I think you must be terribly proud of our members. What they have accomplished since last we met in Pittsburgh is impressive and memorable.

Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods accompanied such corporate disasters as newspaper closings and downsizing hit to try the very best of us. Did you learn of the truly heroic examples of grace under pressure? I'm talking of Judy Canter (San Francisco Examiner) and Richard Geiger(San Franciso Chronicle) who managed to keep their papers publishing when the near "Big One" hit San Francisco in September. Were you watching when Hurricane Hugo devastated Charleston, South Carolina with Mary Potter (Charleston News and Courier-Evening Post) and Dargan Richards (Columbia State-Record) struggling to keep information flowing? This past year has not been easy on our members, but the triumphs over adversity are worthy of praise.

I wish you could see us now Miss Agnes. How we've grown! Our membership tripled from the 206 the Division boasted in 1973. Our international members now represent nearly 10% of the present 600+ members. They come from 12 countries. From such far away places as Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Israel, Sweden and Zimbabwe.

What keeps far-flung members in touch is our lively informative bulletin, NEWS LIBRARY NEWS and our newly-minted Division directory published by the quartet of Ostmann (Orange Register), Canter, Kenny (St. Petersburg Times) and DataTimes.

What do you think, Miss Agnes, of our Division's increasing participation in SLA's activities? Carolyn Hardnett was on the Board, Cathy Jones (Congressional Research Service) is SLA's Treasurer, and Bob Isaacs (Ft. Lauderdale News/Sun-Sentinel) was on the Nominating Committee. And then there is Lou Thomas (former News Division Chair and Baton Rouge Morning Advocate/State Times Librarian) who will be receiving SLA's John Cotton Dana Award this week. What a star-studded line-up! There are others, Miss Agnes, and more to follow.

I don't know if you heard that I've changed jobs, Miss Agnes. I miss the excitement of the demand for data on deadline and the euphoria of finding it, but academia has its own special challenges and rewards. My new job has been made much easier by the likes of ANPA librarian Yvonne Egertson and Poynter Institute librarian Jo Cates. What they don't know hasn't been asked. What they can't find probably doesn't exist.

Perhaps you've not met my husband, Miss Agnes. This will be his 12th conference. I think the two of you would have hit it off well. Besides a recognized attraction for libraries and librarians, Jack Semonche (UNC-CH professor of history) has a good deal more to commend him to you. He teaches history, practices law, writes plays, and creates computer simulations, but as I have said before, he is not available for interlibrary loan.

I wish you could meet some of our newcomers. You'd be impressed with the Student Stipend Award winner, Susan Hill (UNC-CH School of Information and Library Science grad student). She'll be one to watch in the future. She is accompanied this evening by my former Herald-Sun Newspaper associate librarian, Glen Brewster (Duke University PhD candidate).

Turning to our veteran members, did you hear that your friend and colleague, Rose Vormelker (former News Division Chair and SLA President), continues her support of SLA even though long retired? I'll wager she has many fond memories of you.

And Miss Agnes, did you read the heartwarming story by Carolyn Hardnett? The one describing her feelings as she witnessed the installation of Douglas Wilder as Governor of Virginia? You couldn't have missed it. Some wise newspaper editors picked it up from the wire and ran it in papers across the country. It was a gentle, moving revelation.

News librarians as reporters? Unusual, of course, but why not, if the occasion presents itself. What can't we do? If there are limits, we are all discovering ways to get around them.

Librarians as a group are intelligent, talented, dedicated, energetic types, but news librarians, ahhh, they transcend even this high standard. I would not be surprised if they could indeed walk on water, travel at the speed of sound, leap tall buildings in a single bound, or at the very least, levitate a little. I know for a fact that they will rise to even greater heights in the future. Further, I do not exaggerate when I say I am convinced if the identity of Deep Throat can be found, it would be a news librarian who could get him to open his mouth and reveal the truth!

I think, Miss Agnes, that you were, and remain, one of the generators behind this professional vitality and intensity. Some have referred to your near-missionary zeal. You were our cheerleader, our coach and star player, our advocate. You taught, shared, inspired, and encouraged even those who never had the privilege of meeting you. What a gift! What a legacy!

Everywhere news librarians recognize your gifts, Miss Agnes. They remember what we owe you.

And so do I.

Sincerely,

Barbara Semonche