91´«Ã½

CHICAGO - The 91´«Ã½ and SAGE announced Ricardo Enricque Johnson of San Antonio, TX as the recipient of the 2017 Peter Lyman Memorial/SAGE Scholarship in New Media.

Johnson works as a Library Services Assistant at the University of Texas in San Antonio. In reflecting on the importance of libraries in his life, Johnson commented, “I have always found solace in working at the library. My very first job was working as a page at the Nanini Library in Tucson, Arizona. I was an avid reader and a film fanatic, so the position fit me like a glove. When I relocated to Texas a few years ago, I was a stranger in a new place, but I understood that the library is where I always felt welcomed.”

Johnson further states that, “After working for some time at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) as a Library Services Assistant, I realized that if I wanted to make a serious career move in the industry, then my passion for film and librarianship needed to come together. I started researching film institutions, libraries, vaults, archives, and other media constitutions that focused on the preservation of film. One of the first links that caught my eye was an invitation to the Film Librarians Conference in Los Angeles. I was motivated by the fact that there were so many film custodians worldwide that garnered the same kind of love for movies as myself, and they understood the importance of their conservation.”

One reference stated that, “Mr. Johnson's intelligence, service ethic, congeniality and passion for libraries make him a key member of our Access Services team. He is widely respected by his peers and supervisors. In only a few short months, Mr. Johnson was promoted and given the responsibility of managing the operations of the Applied Engineering and Technology Library. He has excelled in this role.”

The reference also commented that, “Mr. Johnson shows great promise in the LIS field. He has worked in libraries since he was 16 years old and is an avid reader. He is gregarious and enthusiastic about the work libraries do. He is also highly curious and creative. Mr. Johnson channels that creativity through filmmaking and movie appreciation. He has articulated to me his interest in combining his love for film with his love for libraries. I am confident he would pursue this goal with dedication and vigor. Mr. Johnson is an asset to UTSA Libraries and an employee that we would hate to lose. At the same time, I am excited for the library profession to potentially gain an energetic and positive colleague.”

Another reference commented that, “Ricardo is smart, friendly, cheerful, a quick learner with terrific interpersonal and customer service skills. He is also articulate, an excellent communicator, and a pleasure to work with. Ricardo took over supervision and training of our student workers at a branch library and has done a great job. Ricardo quickly demonstrated his leadership in hiring, supervising, training, and providing quality service. He has a strong academic record and work history, is a great team member, very flexible, and handles change well.”

He continued by stating, “I am extremely pleased that Ricardo has chosen librarianship as his career --he will make a wonderful librarian. In his current position, he works in a fast-paced department with very high demand. Ricardo takes challenges in stride. He is a very positive, service-oriented, collegial, and competent person who makes the job look easy. In addition, he has a keen awareness of student needs and has shown an ability to think about future usage of library space. Given Ricardo's competence, intelligence, and interpersonal skills, I am certain he will be a tremendous asset to any library, and I hope I have the opportunity to work with him after he completes the MLS.”

Johnson says that he wants to be a film librarian working in archives because he is so passionate about the medium. He stated, “I would never take this opportunity for granted, simply because movies are my life and the library is, and always will be, my place of peace.”

Johnson will be attending the University of Arizona.

The Peter Lyman Memorial/SAGE Scholarship in New Media was created in memory of Peter Lyman, former university librarian and professor emeritus of the School of information at the University of California, Berkeley. Lyman’s research focused on online information, ethnographic analyses of online social relationships and communities, and bringing university librarians into the digital era. He was one of the first scholars to work with computer companies to design information technology appropriate for research and teaching.

For information on the 91´«Ã½ Scholarship program, visit our .

The 91´«Ã½ manages the 91´«Ã½ Scholarship Clearinghouse.

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