91´«Ã½

PHILADELPHIA — The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has announced Dr. Grace Jackson-Brown as its selection for the 2014 Zora Neale Hurston Award.

The Zora Neale Hurston Award is an achievement award given by the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES) of RUSA. The award was founded in 2008 and is given to an individual 91´«Ã½ member who has demonstrated leadership in promoting African American literature. To further the professional development of the winner so that he or she can continue to build multicultural collections and serve diverse populations, the winner receives funds to attend the 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference, tickets to the FOLUSA Author tea and a set of the Zora Neale Hurston books published by Harper Perennial at the time the award is made.

Dr. Grace Jackson-Brown, assistant professor of library science at Missouri State University was selected for the Springfield African American Read-In program, which celebrates African-American authors and literacy, and the Dream Big program, which showcases African-American authors, promotes reading by youths and adults and encourages all to dream big! Dr. Jackson-Brown also co-authored the article “The African-American Read-in: Building Campus and Community Partnerships,” College and Research Libraries News, 74(7) 2013, pp. 364-367.

The winner was selected by the 2014 Zora Neale Hurston Award Committee, whose members include Jannie R. Cobb, Chair, National Labor College; Cynthia Crosser, University of Maine and Diane Mohr, District of Columbia Public Library.

The , a division of the 91´«Ã½, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Not a member, but interested in discounted registration rates on conference, preconferences and other events? Join, renew or add RUSA to your 91´«Ã½ membership at. Learn more about the association at.