Hesburgh Libraries

Joanne Bessler, organizational development librarian in the University Libraries and former associate director for user services, was named the 2003 recipient of the Rev. Paul J. Foik, C.S.C., Award at this year's President's Dinner on May 20. The award is given annually in recognition of significant contributions by a library faculty member to library service, to the Notre Dame community or to the library profession through personal scholarship or involvement in professional associations.

The citation reads:

Rev. Paul J. Foik, C.S.C., wrote of wanting "a galaxy of enthusiasts" help make the library at Notre Dame the leading Catholic university library in the country. This year's Foik Award recipient has a " galaxy of enthusiasts" among her colleagues in the library and, indeed, campus-wide. Her leadership of the library's largest division for over 11 years has lead to a range of outstanding services and department, notably the popular document delivery service for arts and letters faculty, training and development opportunities for library faculty and staff, and continuous efforts to improve the reward system for all employees. A generous colleague, she routinely shares her extensive national experiences and innovative insights at local and regional levels, as well as accepting very challenging University and library service responsibilities. Throughout, she has kept the professional commitment to service paramount. As evidenced by the many external presentations, local and regional programs, and her widely regarded book on the topic, her commitment to service is truly remarkable. Tonight we honor Joanne M. Bessler.