Five Librarians Named 2005 Recipients of the SLA Diversity Leadership Development Program Award

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., U.S.A. - The Special Libraries Association (SLA) has selected its 2005 Diversity Leadership Development Program Award Winners. They are:

• David Liserio, USAA, San Antonio, Texas
• Tamika Barnes McCullough, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.
• Tatiana Pashkova, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kan.
• Phebe Poydras, Florida A&M College of Law, Orlando, Fla.
• Matildah Misengo Sakala, U.S. Embassy, Lusaka, Zambia

The award, sponsored by EBSCO, was established in 1995 to accelerate the advancement and visibility of SLA members who represent a diverse population of the Association by mentoring them for more leadership opportunities within SLA , to ensure that the Association remains vital, relevant and representative of its diverse membership.

Each winner is given a travel and conference stipend for use towards the SLA Annual Conference. Complimentary registration and access to relevant ticketed events are included. Award winners are also paired with an SLA mentor to [1] assist them in understanding the mechanics of how the Association works and the roles of Association leaders.

Honorees will be recognized at a reception and ceremony on June 5, 2005 at 7 p.m. during the SLA Annual Conference in Toronto .

Diversity Leadership Development Program Committee Co-Chairs Debbie Jan and Wei Wei said: “Emerging leaders from diverse and underrepresented populations in the profession and the association were selected. Each has expressed an interest in being mentored to further not only their own personal career but also to learn more about SLA and how they can rise to the pinnacles of leadership in their association.”

Candidates for the award were reviewed by the Diversity Leadership Development Committee and then approved by the SLA Board of Directors. [2]

About SLA
The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is a nonprofit global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves more than 12,000 members in 83 countries in the information profession, including corporate, academic and government information specialists. SLA promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives. For more information, visit us on the Web at www.sla.org.

About EBSCO
EBSCO Subscription Services, EBSCO Publishing and EBSCO Book Services form the EBSCO Information Services group. EBSCO is a worldwide leader in providing information access and management solutions through print and electronic journal subscription services, research database development and production, online access to approximately 150 databases and thousands of e-journals, and online book purchasing. EBSCO provides specialized products and services for academic, medical, government, public and school libraries as well as for corporations and other organizations. EBSCO maintains a comprehensive database of more than 282,000 serial titles and upholds active relationships with more than 60,000 publishers worldwide. The company’s global office network includes 32 offices located in 20 countries. For more information, visit www.ebsco.com.

[1] Frequency of meetings and length of mentoring is determined between the two individuals. It almost always continues through Annual Conference and in some cases, goes on for years.

2] This committee reports directly to the Board of Directors and is not connected with the Awards & Honors Committee.