Friends of the UNCG Libraries

Nancy Fogarty Two UNCG Librarians were among those recognized at the recent Biennial Conference of the North Carolina Library Association in Greensboro. Retired Reference Librarian Nancy Fogarty was awarded the Lifetime Membership Award, which is presented to a professional librarian who is no longer actively engaged in library work and whose contributions to the state and to the profession were especially notable. Gerald Holmes Gerald Holmes received the Distinguished Library Service Award which marks distinguished professional library services to North Carolina, significant service or other professional contributions provided during either a short or long span of time, and service resulting in a regional or national impact on librarianship in general.

Reference Librarian and Diversity Coordinator Gerald Holmes has recently been honored with two awards.  The General Alumni Association of UNC Chapel Hill has honored him with the Harvey E. Beech Outstanding Alumni Award , which recognizes outstanding black alumni who have been stellar leaders within the University community and/or within their local community.  He will formally receive the award on November 6. The Black Caucus of the American Library Association has recognized Gerald with the Distinguished Service to the Library Profession Award, for his significant and extraordinary contributions in service to the library profession.

Mr. Gerald Holmes, Reference Librarian and Diversity Coordinator, University Libraries, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), has been named the 2014 Achievement in Library Diversity Research Honoree. As part of its ongoing support of the propagation of library-based diversity research, the ALA Council Committee on Diversity and the ALA Office for Diversity are pleased to recognize Mr. Holmes for his contributions to the profession and his promotion of diversity within it. The Office for Diversity began designating this honor in 2004. Mr. Holmes’ career has focused on the development of early career librarians, and through that work he has consistently encouraged individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to choose the library profession. He serves as a mentor for many in the profession, and is sought after for guidance on diversity issues. In his role as Diversity Coordinator, he works directly with Library Administration on university priorities, grants, fund rais...

Reference Librarian and Diversity Coordinator Gerald Holmes was honored recently with a special Outstanding Service Award by the African American Studies Program at UNCG. In citing him for the award, which is not given on a regular basis, Director of African American Studies Tara Green noted that in addition to his primary responsibilities as a reference librarian and library liaison, Gerald serves on a variety of committees and organizations including the UNCG Black Faculty and Staff Association, and Chancellor Brady’s Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.  Gerald served as part of the team to aid in the re-accreditation of the Department of Library and Information Studies by the American Library Association and has been cited by Dr. Perrin as a faculty member who has an “above and beyond commitment” to Student Affairs. Gerald currently serves as the advisor to Mu Iota chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, and is also a life member of the Greensboro Alumni Chapter of Ka...

Gerald Holmes of the University Libraries with Dr. Ada Fisher, a founding member of the Neo Black Society, photo by Stacey Krim The University Libraries were well-represented at the recent Neo-Black Society dinner, sponsoring a table that included Friends of the UNCG Libraries Chair Billie Durham and husband Carey,  Friends Board member Camille Payton, HR Librarian Kathy Bradshaw, Associate Dean Kathy Crowe, Stacey Krim from the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, and Dean Rosann Bazirjian and husband Patrick Burger.  Other attendees from the University Libraries included Assistant Dean Beth Bernhardt and Reference Librarian/Diversity Coordinator Gerald Holmes, who served on the planning committee. We invite Neo Black Society members to contribute records, including photographs and memorabilia of the Society, to the University Archives.

As graduation season approaches, the thoughts of many Library and Information Studies students turn to the job search.  Librarians at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro helped prepare a cohort of students for this process through a series of mock phone and in-person job interviews. Agnes K. Bradshaw, LaTesha Velez, and Gerald Holmes discuss the program in their article “ Mock interviews for ACE Scholars ,” which appeared in the April 2013 issue of C&RL News .  "Mock Interviews for ACE Scholars: Preparing for the Professional Job Search." C&RL News 74:no. 6, (April 2013): 192-194.