NEWS
For Immediate Release
June 2010
Contact: Delin R. Guerra
312-280-3201
John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award
winners announced
Jordan M. Scepanski and H. Lea Wells are this year’s recipients of the American Library Association (ALA) International Relations Committee’s John Ames Humphry /OCLC/Forest Press Award.
OCLC/Forest Press donated the cash award of $1,000, which is given for significant contribution to international librarianship.
Mr. Scepanski and Ms. Wells, a husband and wife team, received the award for their significant contributions to international library development through their long involvement in professional and educational activities. Their many professional activities include work at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates where Mr. Scepanski served as Dean of the Library and Learning Resources and Professor and Ms. Wells was Director/Coordinator of the Center for Teaching and Learning. Mr. Scepanski also was a Fulbright Senior Lecturer at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. He has also lectured on behalf of the U.S. State Department in Russia, Indonesia and Brazil. Ms. Wells has done workshops and training in St. Petersburg, Russian and Baku, Azerbaijan. Both Mr. Scepanski and Ms. Wells have served as chairs of the International Relations Roundtable and Mr. Scepanski has twice served as chair of the ALA International Relations Committee.
“Mr. Scepanski and Ms. Wells both possess the same passion for library services and development in the U.S. and abroad. Through their consultancy work, training, facilitation, presentations and publications both have left their foot-prints in educational institutions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Baku, Azerbaijan; Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey; and St. Petersburg, Russia. Among their extensive work with librarians, libraries, and library associations in these countries, Mr. Scepanski and Ms. Wells have presented and shared their knowledge and best practices on the topics of global networks, future trends in areas of programs and services, physical facilities, staffing, development of information commons, strategic planning processes, and library organizational issues. Mr. Scepanski and Ms. Wells have authored numerous publications and workshops on these topics during their long careers.”
Mr. Scepanski and Ms. Wells will be recognized during the International Relations Round Table’s Chair’s Program on Monday, June 28 at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.