UWG News Archive

University Library Director Recognized

November 14, 2003

CARROLLTON, GA - Over 30 years of dedication and devotion to the advancement of library UWG News Photo systems has resulted in the Georgia Libraries Association naming its Library Advocacy Award for Charles Beard, director of University libraries at the University of West Georgia.

Beard has been a professor and director of University Libraries for over 25 years and he has promoted the library system for more than 30 years. An advocate of projects such as GALILEO, Beard has been involved with the library system on a national level, as well as in the state of Georgia.

“Charles Beard is an institution in our state, and has very significant national visibility as well. To receive an award at the state level is a tremendous honor; to have an award named after a person is truly phenomenal,” said Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, UWG president.

Announcing the Charles Beard Library Advocacy Award naming was Debbie Meyer, chair of the GLA Awards Committee.

“I’m sure that Georgia’s libraries would have functioned over the last 30 years without Charles Beard’s tireless efforts, but we would most certainly not have had the support enjoyed for projects such as GALILEO without him, our greatest advocate,” Meyer said.

Beard served on the Trust Freedom to Read Foundation and is past co-chair of the White House Conference on Library Information Services Task Force. As a member of the American Library Association, he has served on both the executive council and the governing council.

Beard is past president of the Southeastern Library Association and the Georgia Library Association, and past editor of the Georgia Librarian. He is also a former member of the Executive Board of the Library Administration and Management Board.

Beard currently serves as chair of the Georgia Board for Certification of Librarians, and as a member of the Georgia Center for the Book Advisory Board.

Beard’s honors include the Juanita Skelton Distinguished Service Award given by the Georgia Association for Instructional Technologies, and the Nix-Jones Distinguished Service Award and the Bob Richardson Distinguished Service Award, both from the Georgia Library Association. He also received the White House Conference on Library Information Services Task Force Service Award.

In addition to professional recognition, Beard was awarded the United States Army Commendation Medal for his service in the Army from 1964-1966.

-30-

Click here to return to the UWG home page.
Or find more news & info at the Communications & Marketing site.