“Paula Roper named MLA Outstanding Professional Librarian”
Show Me Mizzou, November 6, 2024

Dr. Paula Roper was named Outstanding Professional Librarian at the 2024 Missouri Library Association Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. First awarded in 2017, the Outstanding Professional Librarian Award recognizes a librarian with an MLS or MLIS degree who has made a significant contribution to the improvement and advancement of library and information services. Nominees must have at least five years post- MLS/MLIS work in the library profession.

Dr. Paula Roper has worked for University of Missouri Libraries for nearly 40 years, beginning her career at Ellis Library as part of the inaugural MU postgraduate “Intern-Scholar Program” in 1986. During her time at Ellis, Dr. Roper has worked closely with the MU School of Education and the Black Studies Department to aid both students and faculty, from the early days of online catalogs to the current challenges of navigating AI software. She has also advocated for the Library’s involvement across campus, including large, public events like Black History Month programming and National History Day. Her experience, knowledge, and drive is valued by both her library colleagues and the faculty at her liaison departments. As one of her colleagues puts it, Dr. Roper “encourag[es] and valu[es] her less experienced colleagues, spurring us to get out of our academic comfort zone, and embrace the power we have, as architects of ‘extracurricular curriculum’.”

Amanda Sprochi received a CORE Presidential Citation for her work as chair of the the Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access. The Cataloging Description and Access Committee is critical to the library profession, but over these last years has suffered from a vacuum in leadership. This year Amanda jumped in to serve as chair without much notice and was able to lead this committee back to strength. The Core Board is grateful for her leadership.

Congratulations to Marie Concannon! She is the recipient of the 2024 James Bennett Childs Award. This honor, which is awarded by the Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association, is a tribute to an individual who has made a lifetime and significant contribution to the field of documents librarianship.

From the award letter: “The Awards Committee noted that the support letters for your nomination focused on your dedication to the profession and your lifetime of service. Your role in Government Documents practice has been exemplary. Your work with Prices and Wages by Decade has been beneficial not only to the government information community, but to the wider community as well. It is a privilege to honor you with this award for your years of dedication and service to Government Information.”

The official announcement of the award will come out in mid-March, and Marie will be recognized at the GODORT Awards Ceremony at ALA Annual in San Diego.