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Beard honored by Georgia Library Association
January 30, 2003
CARROLLTON, GA - Charles E. Beard, director of University libraries at the University of West Georgia, has been presented the 2002 Bob Richardson Award by the Georgia Library Association (GLA) for significant contributions in time and effort to the association.
An
organization of more than 800 public and academic librarians, paraprofessionals,
students and others, the Georgia Library Association is dedicated to developing
an understanding of the place that libraries should take in advancing
the educational, cultural and economic life of the state; promoting the
expansion and improvement of library service; and fostering activities
toward these ends.
“If I had to name one individual who personifies GLA, it would be this year’s recipient of the Bob Richardson Award, Charles Beard,” said Cathy Jeffrey, the 2002 GLA Awards Committee Chair, who presented Beard with the award at the annual conference of the Georgia Council of Media Organizations this fall. “I’m sure that GLA would have functioned over the last 30 years without Charles Beard, but it would not have been the same organization.”
Beard has been active in the association since 1971. He served as GLA president for two terms, 1973-75 and 1981-83, and he has served on the GLA Executive Board since 1973, except for a one-year hiatus in 1986. He has been advisor to the GLA president since 1991. In addition, he was associate editor for the association’s publication, The Georgia Librarian, for one year and its editor for four years, as well as a member of its Board of Editors for seven years.
As
part of its mission, the GLA lobbies for library funding and buildings;
organizes an annual library Legislative Day at the local, state and national
levels; provides continuing education opportunities for librarians; awards
an annual scholarship to a beginning library professional; and recognizes
outstanding librarianship in Georgia through the presentation of annual
awards.
Through the years, Beard has served on a wide range of GLA committees,
including the
Ad Hoc Long Range Goals Planning Committee, the Awards Committee, the Governmental Relations Committee, the Headquarters Liaison Committee, the Hubbard Scholarship Committee, the Nominating Committee and the Publicity Committee. He has chaired the GLA Centennial Committee and the Library Legislative Day.
The award presented to Beard was named in memory of the late Robert Richardson of Young Harris, a former colleague of Beard’s at Georgia College (now Georgia College & State University).
“Bob Richardson and I began working together at Georgia College in 1971 and worked together for seven years,” said Beard, who came to West Georgia in 1978. “He was the epitome of someone dedicated to service to libraries and librarians, and to receive the award named in his honor is particularly meaningful to me because he and I were such close friends.”
In addition to receiving the Bob Richardson Award, Beard has recently been elected chair of the Georgia State Board for the Certification of Librarians. He was initially appointed to the board by Gov. Zell Miller in 1998 and was reappointed by Gov. Roy Barnes in September 2002.
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