Professional Awards
Distinguished Achievement in Service and Support of Performing Arts Libraries Award
Distinguished Achievement in Service and Support of Performing Arts Libraries Award
The Distinguished Achievement Award honors persons whose vision, energy, and knowledge have extended the boundaries of librarianship and performance-related scholarship; they may be performing arts librarians, curators, archivists, scholars or others in related professions.
For more information, or to submit a nomination, contact Professional Awards Chair, Phyllis Dircks.
2009 Distinguished Achievement Award Winner
Robert Taylor, Former Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, TLA Vice President (1990-1996), Acting President (1993-1994) and Board Member
Bob Taylor served as Curator of the Billy Rose Theatre Division from 1992 until his retirement earlier this year. Under his stewardship, the Division adopted state-of-the-art archival best practices, acquired and processed significant collections including the Joseph Papp/New York Shakespeare Festival Archive - the Theatre Division's largest acquisition to date; the Katharine Hepburn papers (covering her stage career); Paddy Chayefsky's papers; the records of designers such as Patricia Zipprodt and Franne Lee; Circle Repertory Theatre and Circle in the Square papers; as well as the photographs of noted dance and theatre photographer Kenn Duncan, to name just a few.
Equally important, Bob simultaneously lobbied successfully to obtain funding for numerous acquisitions, as well as for processing and conservation of these priceless collections. His professional commitment to theatre archives included participation on TLA's Board, serving as Vice President and frequently chairing our Nominating Committee.
His passion for theatre scholarship and generosity in sharing information resulted in numerous exhibitions that both educated and entertained the public.
A few noteworthy exhibitions at The New York Public Library curated by Bob include: American Theatre in the Age of Mozart (1991); Hey There, Good Times: The Theatre of Michael Stewart (1995); Best of Times: The Theatre of Charles Dickens (2002); Stars and Treasures: 75 Years of Collecting Theatre (2006); and Focus on the '70s: The Fabulous Photopgraphy of Kenn Duncan (2008).
Previous to his tenure at NYPL, Bob served as Curator of the Theatre Collection at The Museum of the City of New York from 1985-1988. Some of his exhibition offerings at MCNY include: Saving Faces: Collecting Images of Broadway's Brightest (1986), The Threepenny Opera as Seen by Arbit Blatas (1987), and Selling the Show: Turn-of-the-Century Theatre Posters (1988).
In the early 1980s, Bob had the distinction of serving as Manager of MCNY's now-defunct Theatre Museum, the only one ever located in the Broadway district during its notorious dicey days. Further, he curated Broadway! 125 Years of Musical Theater, the memorable installation of MCNY treasures that opened in the IBM Gallery in 1991, and then toured nationally for over a year.
A true Southern gentleman if there ever was one, the full extent of Bob's contributions and influence on the Bill Rose Theatre Division may never be fully known. His unassuming, calm influence has made him much-beloved by all those who have encountered him - from theatre celebrities to NYPL pages. Please join us in saluting Bob Taylor!
Distinguished Achievement Award Winners, 1994-2009
Honorary Membership is conferred by the Board of Directors upon individuals who have demonstrated longstanding dedication to TLA.
Current Honorary Members
Louis A. Rachow served as President of the Theatre Library Association from 1967 to 1972, and from 1981 to 1983. In the years in between, he was Editor of BROADSIDE. Prior to his position as Library Director of the International Theatre Institute of the United States, he was Curator/Librarian of the Hampden-Booth Theatre Library of The Players from 1962 to 1988. His published works include editorship of the Gale Information Guide Performing Arts Series and Theatre and Performing Arts Collections published by Haworth Press. A long-time member of the American Library Association, American Society for Theatre Research, the New York Library Club, and Archons of Colophon, he is currently a Vice President of the Episcopal Actors Guild and Co-chair of its Archives Committee. He received his MS in Library Service from Columbia University. Awarded October 9, 2009.
"Dr. Marian Seldes--she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Julliard one week ago today--is popularly known in the theatre community as the "actor's actor," a consummate professional at her art and a wonder to behold in any role she cares to undertake. She has just been nominated for her fifth TONY award--as Best Featured Actress in a Play--for her performance in the recent revival of Dinner at Eight here at Lincoln Center--and on Sunday she will receive the prestigious Edwin Booth Award bestowed annually by the Players Club. Dr. Seldes has won numerous awards honoring her excellence as an actor but I hope, today, she is about to earn her first for excellence as a researcher, bibliophile, and great and true friend to the Theatre Library Association. In our 66 year history, she is only the second person to be honored with a Lifetime Membership Award, so we do not bestow this award lightly. She frequently has graced the book awards with her elegance, intelligence, and savoir faire as an awards presenter; in fact, she's done it 4 times in the past 10 years, and many times before that, sometimes pinch-hitting at the last minute for a presenter who has fallen ill. No matter how late the call, she still manages not only to read the book but also to have incisive, engaging, and often moving commentary to share." - Marti LoMonaco. Awarded May 30, 2003.
Last updated: January 14, 2010