Professional Awards
Distinguished Service in Performing Arts Librarianship Award
Distinguished Service in Performing Arts Librarianship Award
A CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE
The Theatre Library Association wants to celebrate the excellence of our profession by selecting an individual who embodies its best qualities. Please take a moment from your busy schedule to identify that person. Your Distinguished Service nominee should be a performing arts librarian, archivist, curator, or scholar-- a dedicated professional who has made significant contributions to our field, and whose energy and creative intelligence have made a difference in the vision of our profession. Preferably, the nominee should be a TLA member. You need to be a TLA member in good standing in order to nominate.
As part of your nomination, please submit:
- Your name and affiliation
- Nominee's name
- Justification statement for nomination (400 words maximum)
- Short biography of Nominee, plus a CV or link to professional webpage
Please submit nominations electronically to Professional Awards Committee Chair Dr. Francesca Marini by May 6, 2013.
The Distinguished Service Award will be presented at Theatre Library Association's Annual Business meeting in October.
By nominating an outstanding individual, you help bring renown and enhance the state of all performing arts professionals.
2012 Distinguished Service Award Winner
Nena Couch, Curator of the Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute at Ohio State University
For over 30 years, Nena has served the performing arts library and archives community as a curator, faculty member, and writer, having published numerous books and articles on theatre and dance, including the Theatre Library Association publication which she co-edited, Documenting: Lighting Design. She has presented papers at TLA at ALA programs and at the TLA Plenary session at American Society for Theatre Research/Theatre Library Association annual conferences, in addition to presentations at other meetings and conferences. Nena is a former Theatre Library Association board member and has served on numerous other national and international committees and boards. She has been a tremendous colleague to librarians, archivists, scholars, practitioners, and researchers over the years as well as a wonderful mentor to many students and younger members of the profession.
2012 Distinguished Service Award Committee: Phyllis Dircks, Chair; Maryann Chach; Don Wilmeth
Distinguished Service Award Winners, 1994-Present
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: February 20, 2013