2018

Judy Tsou and Michael Colby

This award recognizes extraordinary service to the profession of music librarianship over a relatively short period of time. This year’s recipients are Michael Colby and Judy Tsou. The Diversity and Inclusion Initiative (DII), which was jointly funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Association for Research Libraries (ARL), and MLA, ran from 2012 to 2017. Towards the end of this initiative, Judy and Michael stepped forward to fundraise for MLA’s own Diversity Scholarship with matching challenges. They generously gave their time, energy, and personal resources. Their efforts resulted in the association being able to offer a diversity scholarship without a gap between the DII and MLA’s own scholarship. This award is presented to Judy and Michael in recognition of their commitment to diversity in the association and in the profession.

Judy and Michael's awards were presented at the 2018 MLA Business Meeting in Portland.

2016

Mark Puente

The A. Ralph Papakhian Special Achievement Award recognizes extraordinary service to the profession of music librarianship in a focused time frame or in a focused area. For 2015, the award is given to Mark Puente. Mark has been MLA’s most diligent advocate for issues of equality in music librarianship. Recognizing a need for greater diversity in music librarianship, Mark worked on a demographic study of our profession to gather concrete data on the ethnic and racial make-up of our membership. He coauthored an article in Notes which served as a call to action. His efforts led MLA toward working with the Association for Research Libraries (ARL) on a successful IMLS-funded grant to support studies in music librarianship for individuals from minority populations. The inspiration for and much of the work for this grant proposal came from Mark. The recipients of these grants have enriched and broadened our Association. Mark’s efforts, however, did not stop at securing funding. Mark also serves as an active and effective mentor to the recipients, advising and encouraging them as they work toward a new career. Mark’s efforts have moved MLA forward in its efforts towards diversity, equality, and inclusion. Thanks to Mark Puente, MLA is finally making progress, and continues to make progress, in this important area.

Mark's award was presented at the 2016 MLA Business Meeting in Cincinnati.

2015

Jean Morrow

The A. Ralph Papakhian Special Achievement Award recognizes extraordinary service to the profession of music librarianship in a focused time frame or in a focused area. For 2014, the award goes to Jean Morrow. Throughout her career, Jean has been a generous mentor and for twenty years, an engaged teacher of music librarianship at the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science, where she taught and guided generations of music librarians. Her deeply felt commitment to the betterment of the profession of music librarianship came to full flower in her untiring advocacy for, and subsequent leadership of MLA’s Basic Manual Series. The Basic Manual Series has produced nine titles under Jean’s chief editorship, as she mentored those on her editorial board who helped shepherd authors through to publication. This series has become a mark of MLA’s leadership in the field, fulfilling our mission statement to “promote continuing education and professional development in music librarianship.” Jean stepped down from her role as Chief Editor last year, as she retired after forty years of remarkable service at the New England Conservatory. The Basic Manual Series she so tirelessly and selflessly promoted continues to move MLA and the profession of music librarianship brightly forward into the 21st century.

Jean's award was presented at the 2015 MLA Business Meeting in Denver.

2014

Brenda Nelson-Strauss

The A. Ralph Papakhian Special Achievement Award recognizes extraordinary service to the profession of music librarianship over a relatively short period of time. For 2014, the award goes to two recipients: Brenda Nelson-Strauss for her leadership on the National Recording Preservation Plan, and to Tracey Rudnick, for her work in chairing the Notes Royalty Task Force. 

In 2000 Congress passed the National Recording Preservation Act calling for the establishment of a sound recording preservation program by the Librarian of Congress. One key component of the program was the creation of a national preservation plan to coordinate the activities of libraries and archives throughout the United States to preserve the nation’s sound recording heritage. The State of Recorded Sound Preservation in the United States: A National Legacy at Risk in the Digital Age was published in 2010. This study pointed out the enormous challenges in preserving sound recordings even with the advent of new digital preservation methods. 

To meet the challenges outlined in the report, Brenda Nelson-Strauss was selected to direct efforts to develop a collaborative national plan and to coordinate the work of six task forces comprised of experts from public and private institutions and organizations across the United States charged to develop recommendations in various aspects of sound recording preservation. Through her skilled direction, she planned and coordinated all of the task forces, led all of their discussions, and guided the results of their deliberations toward the final thirty-two recommendations published in the final plan. It is safe to say that without her accomplished and experienced administrative skills, persistence, and extraordinary dedication the National Recording Preservation Plan would not be a reality today. 

Music Librarians and the American people owe Brenda a great debt of gratitude for laying the foundation for the preservation of the nation’s recorded legacy.

Tracey Rudnick

The Music Library Association is pleased to grant Tracey Rudnick the A. Ralph Papakhian Special Achievement Award in recognition of her extraordinary dedication to the Association as the Assistant Editor for Licensing of MLA’s journal, Notes. Since her appointment to the position of Assistant Editor she has created and defined the role of the licensing editor and tirelessly protected and promoted the interests of MLA and its journal. To better understand MLA’s contracts with all of its digital publishers and distributors, Tracey chaired the Notes Royalties Task Force. Her attention to the details of the byzantine labyrinths of digital publishing contracts is amazing, and indicative of innumerable hours of painstaking analysis and work. She has set a standard of excellence, perseverance, and devotion that has been matched by few in MLA. Her work has strengthened our journal and our association. Every member of MLA is immensely grateful for her outstanding contribution to MLA and the profession.

Brenda and Tracey's awards were presented at the 2014 MLA Business Meeting in Atlanta.

2013

Ruthann McTyre and Judy Tsou 

The MLA Board Special Achievement Award, renamed the A. Ralph Papakhian Special Achievement Award in February 2011, recognizes extraordinary service to the profession of music librarianship over a relatively short period of time. For 2012, the award goes to three recipients, for two impressive achievements: Judy Tsou and Ruthann McTyre for their successful efforts towards the historic merger of IAML-US and MLA; and Kathryn Glennan for her persistence and dedication in working on Resource Description and Access for music materials. 

As Presidents of MLA and IAML-US, respectively, Ruthann McTyre and Judy Tsou worked diligently to present the merger idea to the MLA membership. Through their open and effective communications, they engaged the membership in a dialogue which allowed the emergence of a merger philosophy that benefited both organizations. The road to merger was not without pitfalls, and Ruthann McTyre and Judy Tsou persisted with determination and diplomacy to explore and advance the plan. Thanks to their efforts, MLA has a stronger voice on the international stage of music librarianship.

Kathy Glennan

Kathryn Glennan is recognized for her leadership within and outside of the MLA in music cataloging. She participated in the drafting and implementation of Resource Description and Access (RDA), bringing MLA into the RDA development process through her service as chair of the Bibliographic Control Committee’s Subcommittee on Descriptive Cataloging. As BCC chair, she worked with leaders in the Online Audiovisual Catalogers (OLAC) to bring music catalogers into the RDA Test, organized by the U.S. national libraries. Since 2011, she had continued involvement with RDA as the liaison from the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) to CC:DA, and has written and presented on RDA and music, at MLA conferences and in Notes.

Ruthann, Judy, and Kathy's awards were presented at the 2013 MLA Business Meeting in San Jose.